GZA Thinks Lyricism Is Gone: ‘Rappers’ Imaginations Are Sterile’
With the fortuitous shift in music, the lack of lyricism isn't sitting well with a bevy of old school acts. GZA is conveying his dissatisfaction with today's rapper's lyrical skills.
Medium gave the Wu-Tang Clan member the opportunity to pen an open letter to hip-hop and voice his concerns with the change in times.
"I’m sure there are great lyricists out there today, but when you look at mainstream hip-hop, lyricism is gone. There are some artists out there that think they’re great storytellers, but they’re not. Nowadays there are certain things I don’t hear anymore from rappers: I haven’t heard the word 'MC' in so long; I haven’t heard the word 'lyrical,'" he writes.
GZA continued to voice his dismay for the watered down culture by examining past MCs and how imperative it was for them bring their A-game on every track.
"Take somebody like Big Daddy Kane, his first record was "Raw." When Kane came out as an artist, I’d get chills from his music because it would be so dope and so lyrical and so strong and so fresh and so new," GZA states.
The lyrical technician also explains how he wishes rapper's imaginations weren't "sterile."
"I think sometimes most rappers’ imaginations are sterile. I can write about anything and it will be interesting. If someone gave me a beat to a song and said the title of the song was called 'Drinks On Me' and then gave it to another artist, lyrically theirs would probably be all about the same types of things and mine would be completely different. I wouldn’t talk about buying bottles up in the club; I’d talk about someone that’s putting date rape drugs in drinks. You have to use everything as a vehicle."
You can read GZA's complete open letter here.
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