Jay Smooth Talks About Lyricist

Jay Smooth tackles the subject of lyricism, or lack of, in modern Hip-Hop.


Ok, Here is my take on the lyricist subject. Anyone that knows me knows I listen to lyricists. I judge a song not by its beat, chorus, or even the rapper. I listen for lyrics. At first I hated anyone who wasn't a lyricist. People like Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka , Nicki Minaj, OJ Da Juiceman, Soulja Boy, Lil Boosie, Hurricane Chris, etc. use to piss me off. Their trash rhymes were somehow popular and I never understood why. How can Gucci make more money, be blasted in more cars, and be more popular than my favorite artist Lupe Fiasco? It was honestly confused me. But through some research, listening to mixtape after mixtape, album after album, argument after argument I have come to this conclusion. In my opinion the rap and hip-hop 'game' has been split into two categories. You have the rap side of the 'game'. This is the side inhabited by 'rappers' that include names such Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka , Nicki Minaji, OJ Da Juiceman, Soulja Boy, Lil Boosie, Hurricane Chris. There success and fame is based on not their lyrically ability but their performance ability. Their overall package doesn't need to include lyrics because they have mastered the art of making a song that can be blasted in a club, get someone 'hyped', a catchy chorus, and maybe even a dance to go along with it all. These 'rappers' have been able to utilize today's youth and maximize their income in a short amount of time. They may not be in it for the long run, but you must respect their hustle. I have come to terms with the fact that Waka Flacka Flame will make more money than me. So that leads us to the Hip-hop game. This is the side where lyricists are praised. Where songs are more than catchy tunes. This is the side that as jay smooth said could be going in on a track, speaking on a specific subject, or an in-depth metaphor or bar structure that if not appreciate can go unnoticed. This is where rappers such as Lupe Fiasco, Nas, Jay-Z, Talib, Wale, Black Thought, Eminem, etc. have mastered. Some are more mainstream then others, but all have lyrics. My Number one deciding factor which has led me to this conclusion was two recent BET Cyphers. One featuring Nicki Minaj, Joe Budden, and Buckshot. And another featuring Mos Def, Black Thought, and Eminem. Now when asking certain people what they thought, I received different responses. Some said,"Nicki Minaj killed it!" while others were lyrically hurt by Eminem and Black Thought's verses. So I knew that all though considered the same, they are indeed two different genres.