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Lil Uzi Vert is a rapper that emerged post-Odd Future simultaneously with Playboi Carti. They invented a rap style that performs like rock live but isn't so intellectual that it alienates hip hop lovers. This album is exactly where hip hop culture is in diction, aesthetic, mentality, and presentation. One critique would be the fact that this sounds like music that you have to already like hip hop to appreciate. He isn't pioneering new markets the way the cover would suggest. The features are nice and some of the songs are fantastic but from a complete song standpoint rather than a specific aspect. With all that said, this album is the best rap album of the year so far, good job Uzi.

Being different is hard, but it's a natural difficulty. No one will have the same status in every setting, and no one is welcome everywhere. Just make sure that when someone respects your culture and pays their dues, you embrace them accordingly.

2023 has been a rough year for music as a whole. There are five things that I believe have been crucial mistakes in the past.

Unfair Expectation

Freedom Trust

Surface Ethics

Make or Break Issues

Earning Special Treatment


1. Unfair Expectation

    The bar for genetic clout is higher for people viewed as equals. However, the bar for accepted rap, is higher because of negative cultural appropriation.

2. Freedom Trust

    Being allowed to be your own artist requires an amount of trust that needs to be earned through a lot of screening.

3. Surface Ethics

    Although being good is nice, it's not enough. Most artists can't make music that is logically and consistently solid on a surface level.

4. Make or Break Issues (plumbing)

    Most people are not astute enough to address every single problem that is brought to their attention, but every problem is everything.

5. Earning Special Treatment

     This is probably the most important. People resent special treatment. They will either say "they're not so great" or "they're raising the bar". That's why earning special treatment is an ever evolving, soul searching, journey that needs a general consensus.

A lot of the music on RapIndie isn't indie rap (focused on a cross-over demographic). However, that doesn't mean it isn't resonating with cross-over markets. Drill music has the same angry mentality; and more importantly lifestyle, of the people that condemn it. Some of the strongest cross-over rappers have made bridges tapping into that societal rage.

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