Rap/Hip Hop is the best genre of music ever created. Of course I’m biased, but it’s my magazine I can say whatever I want. With rap you literally do whatever you want that how huge the genre has become. You can scream your heart out, sing beautiful melodies, or whisper asmr-like lyrics about murder and it’s all still rap. That’s amazing. But within rap you have your different sub-genres that also fall under the umbrella. I listed some above, and there’s a lot more. Out of all of them though, I think my favorite has to be over the top luxury rap. Just a whole song of the artists just absolutely flexing on the listener. Some may see this as arrogance or conceitedness, but there’s an art to it. Not everyone can do it in a graceful. Action Bronson, Rick Ross, Roc Marciano, and Benny The Butcher are just a few that have fully mastered the art of talking a lot of shit, but not being assholes about it.

Whenever you listen to a song by them it’s like they’re talking to you and describing how awesome they are, not just talking at you about it.  God, I’ve been listening to Roc a lot lately and he’s so poetic with the pen man. His voice is so smooth that it pulls you in, but you listen to the lyrics and he paints himself as legendary kingpin. Like, he could smack the shit outta you, but why would he let his 24k rings touch you? You don’t deserve that, peasant! Benny is wild too! His whole first verse on Crowns for Kings is so good. “See, I was good with the bad guy role, Water in my jewels, put ’em on and baptize hoes, Walk in my shoes, we got Shaq-sized soles (Huh), We flatline those wack rap niggas wearin’ half-sized clothes, What’s the dealy? I’m only ’bout six hours from Philly, That’s an hour on the plane, I’ll make it three in the Bentley” LIKE WHAT? That’s the tightest shit I ever heard! Do you know how fast you gotta drive to make it to Philly from Buffalo in 3 hours? Fuck. That’s what I’m talking about when I say over the top Braggadocios raps. So fire.

Love to the producers, too. Alc, Statik, Harry Fraud, just to name a few. Their production is the perfect icing on the cake for what was already an amazing dessert. Perfectionist by Alchemist featuring Rozay and Meek comes to mind as a perfect example of this. Meek and Ross spend the entire song trading bars about how amazing each other are, and while this is going on the beat is right there with ’em changing to match the energy each rapper is conveying. Scarab 38 by Harry Fraud featuring Bronson and Curren$y is another absolutely fire track. It feels like you’re lounging on the dock by the ocean and you’re king of the world. Bronson and Spitta sound like kings that don’t have much to worry about except what car to drive or what spaceship to fly.

It’s a certain level of skill that goes into this type of lyricism and I know that sounds like I’m just big upping the craft, but I’m serious. It’s a lot of artist that have mastered this and I only highlighted a few, but the list is endless. Listen, I could talk about this shit all day. Don’t just take my word for it though please listen to the artist/songs and be inspired to do better. I know I do, I want to hear lions growl as I go to sleep then play connect the dots with the constellations as I fly around too. So, I’m gonna get to work on that. But check these guys out: Action Bronson, Rick Ross, Roc Marciano, Benny The Butcher, Curren$y, Pusha-T, Freddie Gibbs, 2 Chainz, Your Old Droog & Chris Crack but there’s so many more!

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