The “Mumble Rap” Debate Gets Answered
The rap game has evolved and diversified over the years. From rapping in the park to full on hip-hop festivals across the country. New rappers and rap styles emerge almost daily. Rap continues to transcend and has remained the top genre due to this. It’s constantly staying fresh and because of that hip-hop has crossed over into other genres. Run-DMC is a prime example of this, when they connected with Aerosmith in 1986 for “Walk This Way.” It was a moment that would make hip-hop a household name.
In the 90’s, which is considered the golden era of hip-hop/rap music with acts like Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Jay-Z and Nas. These rappers are an unofficial Mount Rushmore for pushing the culture forward with storytelling, hits, and overall message. In the early 2000’s New York and Los Angeles remained active and the focal point of where a lot of the commercial sound was coming from but, a sleeping giant in the rap game was starting to wake up, as the south had something to say.
Acts like Outkast, Cash Money Records, Lil Jon and The Eastside Boyz, and Ludacris were coming out swinging with hits, wordplay, and southern swag. Suddenly, the southern rap scene stood at the top and remained there for quite some time. The sound helped mold the future hitmakers like Future and Young Thug. Later, in the late 2010’s and so on the internet and Soundcloud era would rise and would breed such artists like Lil Uzi and 21 Savage which most would dub the “mumble rap” era. With the list of who’s the greatest rapper always up for debate, we asked around the Beasly Tampa building, who’s the greatest mumble rapper ever?
Here is what they had to say.
