Rappers who reach their creative peaks must often decide between pushing boundaries or playing it safe, yet Andre 3000 stood out by offering his stunning 87-minute flute opus, New Blue Sun – an album full of minimalist experimentalism, tribalism and transcendence.
Wesley Morris of The New York Times provides insight.
1. Kid Cudi
Kid Cudi is one of the most influential rappers in modern music, known for his innovative sound and emotional honesty that have inspired an entire generation of artists to push beyond what hip-hop can be. Cudi is also notable for being open about his mental health struggles which helps build connections between fans and other artists alike.
Cudi’s latest album showcases his diversity as an artist by exploring rock and electronic genres while drawing influence from Electric Light Orchestra, Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana bands such as Electric Light Orchestra. As a result, his new record stands as both experimental and transcendent, garnering rave reviews from critics as well as fans alike.
Cudi is also an accomplished actor and producer, having made appearances in several movies such as 2010 drama film Dear John as well as TV series like The Cleveland Show and Brooklyn Nine-Nine as well as making guest appearances on comedy programs like Arsenio Hall Show and Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Recently, he has been actively promoting his latest album New Blue Sun; this marks his first studio effort in 17 years and features flute instrumentals as its central theme. However, it remains uncertain if this marks an eventual change or just another phase in his career path.
Cudi has reached a point in his career where he no longer feels confident rapping about certain subjects, evidenced by the release of Insano which lacks melodies and grandeur typical of his style. Instead, this record contains lyrics about going to clubs and smoking marijuana instead – an astounding departure from his vulnerable emotional songs that made him popular.
2. OutKast
Outkast are one of the most influential duos in hip hop history. Composed of Atlanta based rappers Andre 3000 and Big Boi, Outkast combined G-Funk-influenced southern rap with progressive funk, soul music, jazz and psychedelia for an unmistakably evocative sound which has had an enormous influence on modern artists alike. They first met at East Point Georgia’s East Point College back in 1991 before going on to release albums such as Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1993), The Outkast Project (1994) and The Outkast Experience (1996-1997) before splitting apart.
Outkast had two studio albums released through Arista Records: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2003 and Aquemini in 2011. Following an eight year hiatus, Outkast reunited and performed their 1995 album Stankonia as part of a tour and reissue. Big Boi released two solo albums during this period (Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2012) and Boomiverse (2017) while Andre 3000 focused more on producing for other artists.
Andre 3000 made a powerful statement with New Blue Sun, his debut solo record in 17 years. This musical interpretation of what life has been like since Outkast disbanded is both bold and personal, depicting Benjamin at this point in life as someone who used to be showy yet flashy but now seems content simply wanting to make great music.
Andre 3000 has accomplished that with his beautiful 87-minute mind-bender of an album. Minimalistic, experimental, tribal and transcendent all at the same time; this stunning work of art showcases who Andre 3000 has become as an artist while reminding us all why we fell in love with Outkast music in the first place. A fitting conclusion to their long career that saw Outkast transition from an energetic group full of excitement into mature musicians with purpose evident in every track they created over its 22-year existence.
3. Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne remains one of the last great emcees who helped mainstream hip hop. His lyrics still speak to many and make any situation relatable via his signature flow and clever rhymes, making his songs accessible for any listener. One of the more underrated rappers since 1996, Lil Wayne remains one of many outstanding performers within hip hop today.
Lil Wayne first emerged with Da Drought, his debut mixtape released independently, in 2003. That same year he founded Young Money Entertainment and later that same year had Tha Carter reach number five on Billboard charts – continuing to build his name through guest appearances and collaborations.
Though Lil Wayne may no longer have quite the same spark in his music, he remains one of the greatest MCs of all time. Known for his insightful words on stage and connecting street life to Hollywood stars alike, this rapper can be compared with KRS-One or Jay-Z as one of their lyrical masterminds.
Rap music can often be perceived as shallow and uncritical; however, its social commentary on urban culture makes up for that with its unique perspective on poverty, racism, and other social issues affecting urban cultures. Rappers offer their unique viewpoint on poverty, racism, drugs, violence etc that they use in their songs to make social commentary. Successful rappers such as Lil Yachty, 21 Savage and Big Boi have shown how rap music has continued its rise into modernity by being flexible with sound experimentation on their terms – this trend continues today!
4. Kanye West
Kanye West stands out in an age when rappers often seem motivated solely by viral TikTok hits to become successful artists, in that he strives to become the best artist he can. More commonly known as Ye, he remains one of this century’s most original and groundbreaking figures as well as one of its most polarizing.
After dropping out of art school and working briefly as a shoe designer, Kanye West began producing beats for local hip hop artists in Chicago. His first major achievement was mixing all eight tracks from Grav’s Down to Earth LP; subsequent successes included producing for Go-Getters rap group; Jay-Z, Twista, Cam’ron and Talib Kweli were among them; additionally he produced one third of Jay-Z’s The Blueprint album using vocal samples from classic soul/R&B tracks to craft his sound signature soundscape.
Kanye West made history when he released his debut solo album College Dropout in 2004 (despite being rejected by record companies who didn’t consider him marketable hip hop artist), to critical and commercial acclaim – creating his signature style: wordplay over sonic boom basslines.
West spent one year and $2 million creating his second album, Late Registration. Working alongside composer Jon Brion, West hired an orchestra as part of an ambitious attempt at expanding hip hop concept further than before. As a result, it earned three Grammys – Best Rap Album, Rap Song and Producer of the Year respectively.
5. T.I.
Dungeon Family member Cool Breeze may have established the trap subgenre with his 1998 single, “Watch For The Hook,” but T.I. stands out as being one of the first artists to name an album after this then-nascent genre. Although T.I. may not have invented trap music itself, his album Trap Muzik cemented him as one of hip-hop’s major forces and created his distinct brand of Atlanta rap music.
Tip hit back hard following his initial surge of fame from mixtape releases and signed an Atlantic deal, eventually producing his landmark LP Trap Muzik that would become his magnum opus and mark an extremely successful career that saw him overcome challenges to become one of hip-hop’s foremost leaders in his era.
Trap Muzik was an enormously successful album, producing hits like “Dead and Gone” for mainstream listeners and “Swagga Like Us”, featuring Rihanna. However, what truly distinguished Trap Muzik were Tip’s lyrical content and flow; an MC who utilized his fame and status to deliver relatable street tales through song.
Not many rappers can manage to combine club-friendly bangers with meaningful narratives as effectively as Andre 3000 did on this album. It plays out like a day in his life from nightlife and partying to struggles and dominance that have defined his career – an album which should inspire every aspiring rapper to hone their craft and strive to emulate this legendary figure’s achievements.