Method Man addressed a long-standing debate in hip hop during his appearance on “Drink Champs” at 2024 REVOLT WORLD: rap being a “young man’s sport.”
Despite the industry’s preference for younger artists, many veterans are still thriving, proving their relevance in the evolving hip-hop landscape. The topic has roamed the hip-hop landscape since the early 2000s.
“This has always been a young man’s sport… You can’t blame them for that,” Method Man said, candidly recognizing that hip hop, by nature, is driven by new voices and fresh energy.
The older generation, however, isn’t dying out, he stressed. These pioneers continue to pack arenas today, demonstrating their lasting influence.
“Some of those guys that came from this earlier era are still relevant today… The older cats have been filling up arenas with unity. A lot of us together, and that s**t is crazy to me,” he added.
While young artists undoubtedly captivate fans and push hip hop forward, veteran artists are still creating moments that resonate deeply with audiences today. According to Meth, older artists’ unity enhances their performances, creating a sense of continuity and nostalgia unavailable to younger artists.
But Method Man also touched on a more complicated issue: the tension between older and younger artists isn’t caused by industry executives, but by culture. “It’s coming from our own, the people that are around us because they are already compromised by your success, which is crazy,” he revealed.
He pointed to the internal friction within the culture, suggesting that those close to artists sometimes fuel division, making it harder for older artists to navigate the evolving game.
Despite these challenges, Method Man remains optimistic. The game, he noted, will always evolve with new talent, but that doesn’t mean the veterans are out of the picture. As long as they maintain quality music and embrace unity, everyone has a place at the table. And the OGs? They’re not going anywhere. Their impact on the culture remains undeniable, and they’re still very much a part of hip-hop’s future.
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