After an explosive year of new releases from superstar rappers, 2023 is off to a much slower start. Veteran artists have seen their albums remain on the charts without newcomers coming through to replace them.
Hip-hop won’t go anywhere anytime soon – in fact, the genre may very well prove itself resilient over the course of music history.
1. Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here
Rap is the voice of a new generation and has captured young people’s hearts and minds across the world. This dynamic music genre provides young people with a powerful platform for self-expression while captivating listeners with its signature beats and stellar lyrics.
Gun violence has been one of the primary factors underlying hip-hop’s recent decline. The loss of several talented artists who were nearing commercial maturity has sent shockwaves through the industry and taken its toll.
Unknown is how this will impact rap music‘s popularity; however, an examination of 2023’s top 10 albums shows a distinct lack of traditional rappers among them.
Although hip-hop has seen less mainstream success this year than usual, the genre still managed to secure several top ten albums such as Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here; his new project represents an unexpected shift away from his more familiar style to embrace psychedelic rock elements.
2. Lil Baby – It’s Only Me
Though it would be premature to declare hip hop dead, its recent decline should not be overlooked. Since 2023, hip hop has struggled to dominate charts like it once did and even veteran musicians are beginning to see their albums faltering.
All five albums by rappers that have reached the top ten this year – from Yachty’s Let’s Start Here and Meek Mill’s Expensive Pain to Rick Ross’ latest greatest hits set – have seen first week sales declines or lower chart peaks than their predecessors.
No one rapper should stray too far into the “pop rap” genre; however, that could spell trouble unless their efforts focus more on quality than quantity and on creating their own authentic story through music they create. One artist who is doing exactly this is Maryland native Q Da Fool; his debut album ‘Heisman/Out Da Jungle’ serves as an energetic street-heavy anthem and highlights his ability as both an engaging storyteller and essential rap artist.
3. Moneybagg Yo – Motion God
Hip hop has reached an uncertain stage. Long gaps between albums, lack of guaranteed blockbusters and fluctuating commercial interest have kept it from reaching its former level of dominance.
Moneybagg Yo is one of the game’s biggest names and continues to keep hip hop alive with his powerful mantras and no-holds-barred approach. His 2021 project A Gangsta’s Pain (both the regular edition and its reloaded edition) featured guest appearances by Kaash Paige, BIG30 and Lil Durk; similarly his follow up LP Motion God is no different in that regard.
Motion God is driven by a series of dusty post-boom bap instrumentals from producer Alchemist, featuring notable boom bap torchbearers such as Roc Marciano and Billy Woods for “RIP Tracy,” Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE for “Trouble Man,” etc. Proving once and for all that Moneybagg Yo is indeed real, Motion God showcases Moneybagg Yo’s ability to switch gears between gangsta anthems and melodic hit records with ease.
4. A$AP Rocky – Same Problems?
Last month, A$AP Rocky debuted “Same Problems?” during his performance of a song he has dedicated to artists like Pop Smoke, Juice WRLD, Mac Miller, DMX, Nipsey Hussle and others who have fallen prey to gun violence or drug addiction over time. A track from Don’t Be Dumb will honor these victims of gun violence or drug addiction on an honor track from Don’t Be Dumb’s forthcoming album Don’t Be Dumb.
Lil Durk, Moneybagg Yo, and YoungBoy Never Broke Again have made waves this year with releases. Rather than seeing major releases from big names in hip-hop this year, newcomers such as Lil Durk have emerged with remarkable records such as 2023.
These newcomers could be partly to blame for hip-hop’s lower share in the Billboard 200, yet their success also signals a change to prioritize quality over quantity for this powerful music genre. Perhaps now is the time for hip-hop artists to take it in exciting and innovative new directions again – there is already music out there waiting for discovery!
5. Armani White & Denzel Curry – GOATED
2023 may have seemed quiet at first, but upon further examination you will discover some exciting trends and blockbuster releases that set the year ablaze.
Bandman, a Brooklyn rapper known for his dancefloor-ready beats that prioritize rapping over sampling, has quickly become one of the hottest new names in club-rap. His unique blend of rubbery basslines and clever lyrics that poke fun at issues like racism and misogyny has propelled him into prominence within club-rap culture.
Armani White made waves at the end of 2022 with his global hit “GOATED,” garnering millions of views on TikTok and YouTube and earning him a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song. Now, with his debut EP set for release this spring – listen below to hear its first single!
6. Kendrick Lamar & 21 Savage – Her Loss
Since 2023 began, there have been few successes to celebrate in terms of charting and consumption numbers for rap music. No rap album has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts; country star Morgan Wallen earned the highest weekly sales/consumption figure with his single One Thing At A Time.
Still, hip-hop’s future remains bright; artists still have ample opportunity to regain relevance within pop music culture – something which may bode well for hip-hop’s fate.
Kodak Black, one such rapper, has found an exciting niche for himself by channeling the psychedelic-rock style of his musical heroes while defying industry’s mumble-rap era. His track ‘Gunsmoke Town’ not only showcases his skills and range but also makes an important statement about rap’s relationship to dancefloor music; listen to it below.
7. Lil Durk & Metro Boomin – 5-STAR
No genre has empowered young people like rap, with its powerful beats and outstanding lyrics. 2021 and 2022 witnessed a wave of groundbreaking releases by artists such as Trippie Redd’s genre-bending Mansion Musik to Rae Sremmurd’s modern trap/rage music hybrid Sremm 4 Life to more traditionalist rappers such as Black Thought’s Glorious Game or Larry June’s wisdom-packed rhymes on Maps.
However, if you have been keeping tabs on Billboard chart numbers and album consumption this year, something might seem off. No hip-hop artists have managed to claim a No. 1 album or single so far this quarter while singers such as Morgan Wallen have accomplished it. While it is too soon to count hip-hop out completely from mainstream culture entirely, these low numbers should raise red flags – although this slump can easily be explained away by several simple factors.
8. Kendrick Lamar & Lil Baby – Drip Harder
Hip-hop may have experienced an eventful 2022, yet hip-hop seems poised for an upward trajectory as we enter 2023. Yet a new class of superstars have yet to emerge to replace Drake-J. Cole-Nicki Minaj-Kendrick Lamar as their dominance waned; lengthy gaps between solo albums and capricious commercial pull have prevented genuine blockbusters from being as frequent.
The first quarter of any year tends to be dismal for charts overall, but hip-hop’s slow start was especially alarming. Instead of obsessing over streaming numbers and increasing numbers for streaming purposes alone, industry stakeholders need to put quality over quantity first – eliminating those only in it for financial gain.
From Trippie Redd’s genre-bending blend of modern trap and rage music to Rae Sremmurd’s comeback effort that seamlessly combined rap with pop and deep drill bass, this playlist showcases some of the most captivating trends in hip-hop 2023. But what will the rest of 2019 hold in store?
9. A$AP Rocky & Lil Durk – Let’s Start Here
This year has been an interesting ride for hip-hop. On one hand, there are an ever-increasing number of artists ready to claim the crown, from Detroit’s Veeze and CEO Trayle’s cross-regional style to New York’s floral backpack raps; 2023 looks set to be an excitingly dynamic time in hip-hop history.
Other forces appear to be undermining rap’s dominance: Drake’s house music experiment in 2022 caused an uproar, and his recent Her Loss collabo with 21 Savage failed to generate much excitement either.
Due to a lack of releases from big-name rappers like Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, and J. Cole this year, no hip-hop album has taken Billboard’s No. 1 slot for an entire calendar year since 1993 – an indication that hip hop needs some refreshment.