Recently I have been hearing of a lot of rappers that I grew up listening to trying to make a comeback. Some have been in jail, some just hanging out on the low. Some have been on the scene but just behind the scenes. I was super excited to hear Busta Rhymes come out with Em on "Calm Down". Classic Busta all day. I was so excited about it that I downloaded all of Busta's albums.
Right after that I went on Facebook and saw someone say "he's old as hell. He needs to stop rapping". But why? If you still got it why stop? He's not even old he's in his 40s. But is the rapper age turning into the NBA age? Lets delve into this a little bit....
Why are WE so hung up on the age of a rapper? And when I say WE, I mean our own generation. My kid is just now discovering 2pac and biggie who (at the time that they were killed) were in their mid 20s. She doesnt say " these dudes are old as hell" especially in an age where rappers are in their late teens/ early 20s. Maybe its because the rappers of our time are new to them. But if they were alive they would be in their 40s. WE still praise them now as if they are saints but would WE do the same if they were around now. I dont think that a Nas, Jay Z or Pharrell (if you're from my day the Neptunes/NERD) fan would ever come out of their mouth and say that they need to stop. We do know that they are all in their 40s.
So how about older entertainers other than rappers? I have never heard anyone say that 50 year old Tom Cruise should stop acting. Or 70 year old Aretha Franklin should stop singing. I saw Barbara Streisand on Jimmy Fallon a few weeks ago. I got a chill listening to her belt out those notes. Patti Labelle, Gladys Knight, Morgan Freeman, Sly Stallone.... the list is endless of aged entertainers. Its their job. Its how they make money. If you have the talent use it until you cant! Its not like entertainment is one of those jobs where you cant hire new people until the old ones are out. Entertainers make the call on when they want to retire. What we think doesn't matter to them. They still have bills to pay.
Back to the issue at hand. Does age matter in the rap game? In my opinion...NO. I hear Heather B say it all the time (now Im showing my age). You're never too old to chase your dreams. And if you have the talent why not let it show. A Tribe Called Quest will always and forever be my favorite rap group. I dont care if Q-Tip is in a wheelchair and wears a colostomy bag. Im buying that album. In my eyes, ATCQ are the same guys from 1993. Others will say different. Some of us have become programmed to disregard and disrespect things that are old, including people. The new rap is ok if that's what you're into. But its not a reason to oust the people that basically paved the way for the newbies.
Music is timeless. It doesnt age. I mean it ages but when you listen to Mobb Deep, you remember the year and what you were doing when Quiet Storm came out. I remember when Find A Way came out and I get happy when I think about where we were when we heard it. When I hear an "old" rapper today I still get that nostalgic feeling. Its just like watching your favorite actor. I liked Sam Jackson in Coming to America and I like him in The Avengers. They may be old but we dont have to dog them. Support our entertainers. The young ones need to know that in 10 years they will be considered old rappers. Music is music. Enjoy it and appreciate the legacy that the "old" rappers have created.
