Prime Time: When Does It End?
The Hip-Hop community is competitive. To many, the ability to rap is just as much a sport as basketball or football due to the physical exertion it can take and the investment one has to make to practice their craft properly. Therefore, reaching the top is something that is often commended. Staying there is better. However, people like Drake have had extremely long runs at the top of the game, but how?
To understand Drake's dominance at the top is to first of all examine Hip-Hop's core roots. There is a constant shift in the sound and in the flow of the entire genre. What's popular doesn't generally pass a five year span. The original b-boys and MC's were rapping over the breaks in Disco. That didn't last long until rock was infused and same thing for rhythm and blues. Beats will change and the way that they are done will constantly evolve: what makes a song a classic is therefore the lyrics. We still listen to 'Juicy' by the Notorious B.I.G twenty-five years later due to its relatability.
A run of dominance of Drake's level is something that is to be marveled at yet thoroughly examined. Lyrically speaking, he hasn't been extremely intricate or proven technical prowess that would wow the purists. He is no Tech N9ne, Joyner Lucas, Eminem or Royce da 5'9. He delved into R&B, Dancehall and a plethora of other genres to make light of how versatile he is, but also to keep his sound fresh.
It's a question of consistency and variety, not exactly quality or quantity.
While Drake stands as the big artist that remains a focus on this article, it's not because I believe him to be inherently good. I appreciate his musical ability; the reason he's here is because his decade long run is flagrant. Hip-Hop has never seen someone be this dominant for a long period of time. While many would compare his run at the top to that of 50 Cent, I am the first to believe that it is a false comparison due to the length of 50's run not being as long. The only comparable person is Lil Wayne, who truly ruled the game and dictated the rules from 2006 to 20014, an impressive 8 year run.
Lil Wayne created the formula that Drake has been showing us for years: from the ability to diversify into other genres to the lyrical ability not always being at its best, but still good enough to wow the casual listener. This entire game has been done before inside the YMCMB group. It's nothing new. However, what stopped Wayne's run at the top was the label dispute, which was not his fault. What could possibly stop Drake other than himself, knowing that he runs an entire subdivision of Universal through OVO Records?
I don't believe that anyone is going to inherently end this run like rappers used to do to each other (see Ja Rule and 50 Cent). With that being said, it makes Drake the only person who could destroy his run, through bad music or very bad publicity, but even I'm doubtful - he is a household name now. Drake will have to quit, but would he really want to quit making millions? Again, doubtful. He has entered the class of people who have extended their prime and greatness long after what was normally established: Lebron James, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Serena Williams. They're not normal because they crave competition and the success more than anything else. It's scary to see this level of longevity when younger stars aren't getting the proverbial shine to get a bit of the pie as well. But alas, that's their problem.