The Drawbacks of Making Hip Hop Music

Even though hip hop is one of the greatest genres in the world, it does come with its drawbacks. However, what you will find is that most of them are less about the actual artform, and more about the industry surrounding it.

In it’s purest form, hip hop is a very free-flowing and organic craft. Some of the greatest rappers alive today got their start cyphering on street corners and schoolyards, in some cases acapella with no instrumental. Many rappers also express the tranquility and intimacy involved in the writing process. The ability to block out the world around you, lock in, and create a beautiful work of art.

Unfortunately, most people don’t see it like that. Lets go ahead and take a look.

It’s Oversaturated

Somewhere along the lines, everyone and their brother decided they wanted to be a rapper. With sites like Soundcloud hitting the scene, it made it all that much easier for artists to feasibly make a name for themselves. Although this is ultimately a good thing, it does also make it more challenging to stand out. Especially with so many artists sounding the same.

Some artists have even made the comment that they don’t know how people even still make money with the music alone. Most music is free nowadays. This means that if an artist really wants to make money, they’ve got to take it on tour.

However, these things can also serve as motivation for an artist that really wants it. With so many artists half-assing it, cutting corners, and slacking, it can just give the real artists more fuel to slice through.

The Industry Can Be Toxic

Rumors, drama, disses, beefs, these are all normal parts of being a high-profile rap artist. Violence, drug use, crime, these are all normal parts of the genre. At least from an outsider’s perspective. Most folks that have really studied the artform know that true artists use past mistakes to get across deeper wisdom. An artist may talk about elements of their environment, or things they had to do to get by, and how they’ve grown from those experiences.

However, not everyone recognizes that. Major labels push artists toward sex, drugs, and violence because they know it will sell. Fans hear “Molly, Percocet” and then look for it across the board. As an artist, if you are not careful, this can push you in a negative direction. You may find yourself gravitating toward those things to try to fit in or look a certain way.

It Can Be Centered on Race

Although some White, Asian, and Latin artists find a lane, hip hop is a mostly Black artform. This means that if you’re not Black, you may find yourself feeling like you have more to prove. Unless you happen to be one of those rare individuals who just has hip hop ingrained into your DNA. The Eminems, the Mac Millers (Rest in Peace). Guys who make hip hop music but still get respect and love from a wide audience because they are genuine to what they do.

As a Black artist this means that it may be harder to stand out because there are so many others who look similar, and as a White, Asian, or Latin artist it may be easier to stand out but harder to get true love and respect. As said by Adam 22 of the No Jumper podcast “To be a white rapper that black people genuinely f*ck with is a true sign of respect”.

Does that mean that it’s impossible to make it as a non-black artist? Not at all. Does it mean that you will have to work harder on your craft and have your skills in tact? Most definitely.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the drawbacks of making hip hop music. Of course, the game is changing every day. Ways of the past are slowly being phased out, and the genre is moving in a new direction. Artists are becoming more independent, and with that comes the opportunity for growth.

At the end of the day, a big part of the entertainment industry is just to have fun. People want to have music they can enjoy, and a community to be a part of. These are part of the elements that make hip hop so great in the first place. Hopefully these things become more prevalent moving forward.

Thank you for reading. I hope you have enjoyed, and I look forward to seeing you on the next article.