From Concrete Jungle to Southern Reign: Tracing the Demise of NY Hip Hop and the Southern Domination in Rap

For more than 20+ years Atlanta and the South have commanded the rap game but even now quite a few refuse to acknowledge this undeniable truth. It is essential to keep in mind that in the 00s persons dismissed “ringtone rap” and held onto the belief that each and every mixtape rapper from NYC (such as Papoose Saigon Troy Ave and so on.) would resurrect New York’s prominence proving that the South wasn’t the epitome of “actual hip hop.”
The South’s dominion stretched from around 2003 to the present day when New York had its prime from 1973 to 1991 and skilled a resurgence from 1997 to 2002. The West Coast had its heyday from 1992 to 1996.
The decline of New York Hip Hop can be attributed in component to Hot 97 and other radio stations that failed to assistance nearby artists. Nas for instance was deprived of airtime which led to his disputes with these stations.
The era of Puff and Poor Boy additional contributed to the decline. Their emphasis on opulence along with the behind-the-scenes blackballing of fellow New York artists opened the door for Southern artists. This beef weakened each the East and West Coasts. Andre 3000 emerged as a lyrical MC who could not be questioned meeting all expectations. Meanwhile Hot 97 with figures like EBRO—a Californian—began strategically programming extra Southern and West Coast Hip Hop steadily dismantling New York’s position.
The Fall of New York Hip Hop gained momentum when Jay Z took charge at Def Jam. Rather of advertising established veterans from NY/NJ like Strategy Man LL Cool J Redman and DMX Jay Z sought fresh talent specifically from the South such as Jeezy and T.I. He had the chance to assistance hometown heroes but chose otherwise.
NY radio stations stopped championing nearby artists and New York artists began imitating sounds slang and cultures from other regions. For instance applying phrases like “fuck 12” to refer to the police—a term originating from Atlanta slang—became popular in NYC. Previously New York set the trends that other regions followed but now it feels as although the roles have reversed. Record labels also started pushing artists from the South and other regions advertising easier lyrics when New York artists thrived on lyricism and one of a kind style.
The downfall of NYC Hip Hop escalated when artists from New York began adopting Southern designs. The South enjoyed a prolonged dominance that is at the moment waning but remains undeniable. Moreover the existing NY Drill scene originated in London with London producers bringing the sound to Brooklyn. Regrettably New York lost its distinct identity and failed to recognize its personal history. Internal conflicts and a lack of genuine programming additional hindered NYC’s rap scene. Rather than embracing their authenticity artists in NYC now strive to be an individual or anything else.
Jay-Z played a part in the decline as effectively. In “Every day a Star Is Born” he had the chance to get in touch with out a NYC rapper when collaborating with Jay Cole but as an alternative he declared that if Lil Wayne continued his path he would pass him the torch. Money Dollars artists which includes Wayne have been entertaining but their style was observed as gimmicky reminiscent of Eminem. An additional aspect that broken NY Hip Hop was the decline of its nightlife. Venues started shifting costs onto the audience eroding the vibrant club scene and pushing artists to create their personal audiences or carry out at certain venues.
Though NYC artists have been battling amongst themselves Southern rappers demonstrated unity and collaborated to realize good results. The South had the music and it was only a matter of time ahead of their influence expanded. However NYC lacks a unified front and usually fails to assistance other people.
New York’s decline intensified when 50 Cent engaged in beef with all of NYC adopting a sound influenced by the South below Dr. Dre’s guidance. He divided the city and clashed with its major artists with the drama overshadowing the music itself. NY rappers spent the early 2000s and 2010s attempting to outshine every single other when the South dominated with their mastery of crafting catchy and memorable songs. Jay Z managed to sustain good results in the course of this period since he excelled in each lyrical prowess and hook creation. Early adopters like MIMS and Dipset understood the shift and French Montana Bobby Shmurda ASAP Ferg and quite a few other people followed suit. Southern production and simplistic hooks became the allure and ultimately the market common.
If we examine the period prior to the so-named “South takeover” all of New York’s largest hits have been club records. Each and every anthem was created for the club scene. About 2004/2005 the South started churning out club music at an impressive price when New York wasn’t generating comparable tracks. Consequently when New York did release club-oriented music it was usually misperceived as Southern. Examples incorporate MIMS’ “This Is Why I am Hot” 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop” and Fat Joe’s “Lean Back.”
New York’s decline can be attributed to the absence of an influential era. The likes of Max B Chinx Stacks Juelz Uncle Murda Maino Shea Davis Banks Papoose J Hood French JR Writer Mims Saigon and Vado have been anticipated to elevate NY Hip Hop to new heights. However due to a variety of unfortunate situations this did not materialize. This lost generation of NY rap was waiting for figures like Jay Z 50 Cent and Puff to uplift them but they became entangled in radio politics due to relationships and affiliations with specific DJs. Lots of of them perceived the increasing younger artists as competitors rather than possible collaborators in the limelight. Moreover several artists from NY in the course of the transitional period struggled to adapt to the new sound and relied heavily on radio assistance.
But I want to know what you assume. What are your thoughts on the fall and decline of NY Hip Hop which led to the rise of the South obtaining a stronghold on the rap game?
TLDR The New York infighting/beefs egos and not respecting the talent of the south back then as effectively as the South bringing new artists style designs and beats to the mainstream when New York stopped innovating and lost their wave when the market filtered and diluted their specific sound all led to the decline and fall of New York Hip Hop and the takeover of the South in the rap game.