Today in my blog I want to talk about Metro Boomin’s career and the feud between young thug and metro boomin. So basically Metro Boomin’s real name is Leland Wayne and he also goes by Metro. He is also from Atlanta and he is becoming one of the most known producers and songwriters in the music business. He has only been producing music for around 5 years and is his fame is evident through his work with Future, Migos, Young Thug, Travis Scott, and Drake. Metro’s career started out in Atlanta making beats for OJ Da Juiceman was his first big break but later he got gigs with Gucci mane and future so his popularity has risen in the past couple of years. So basically the feud between Metro Boomin and Young Thug started from twitter. Metro Boomin maybe a new artist on the rap scene but, he has grown up listening to older rap artist like Gucci Mane and Lil Wayne. Back in the day when these rappers where the best in the game they prided themselves by releasing quality music. Metros main argument that all the rappers these days constantly putting out endless streams of mixtapes. To be truthful I do believe that what Metro is saying because lately it’s like artist have been focusing on just putting out many songs as they could and the quality of the songs are usually really bad with just a few songs that are great hits. This is actually cheap because artist do not have to really put any effort into the songs because just by sheer chance they would release a song that would be a banger (or a song that creates a lot of money and has a good reputation). I feel this tweet was directed to Young Thug because lately he has put out so much music lately and by chance some of the songs where a hit and then Young Thug became a hit artist. To some extent I feel that Metro Boomin is a hypocrite because he is been riding the wave of these artist. I feel that all of the newest music has had metro on it and he has definitely profited from all of these new songs coming out.  Of course after the tweet young Thug responded saying “Hey Metro Booming who you referring to???” But Metro responded saying “you go to be crazy if you think I sub tweeted Young Thug.” So he basically resolved the issue. I think Metro did Subtweet Young Thug but, realized that if he loses young thug as a client he would lose a lot of revenue so he gave into young thug. Nevertheless to resolve the beef that they stated Metro and Young Thug released a sing titled Hercules on November 23, 2015. This act in itself may be seen like a hypocritical to Metro because he was upset that rappers where putting out all of these singles and mixtapes instead of just making an album. But because Metro and Young Thug have squashed the beef between the two it is safe to say that they will both have each other as a client for a long time in the future.

The influence of rap on American Society

For this blog I will not talk specifically about a rapper like Drake ort Lil Wayne, but instead I want to speak about how rap as a genre has shaped and changed American Society. For the purposes of this blog I will only concentrate on the influence rap has on American Society Post- 2000. I do this because I feel I have a better feeling on how society was changed during this time because I lived through it. I still think that Old School rap was very influential but, I believe that they really only shaped as relatively small niche of communities and select people groups mainly African Americans in the inner cities.  Nevertheless in the early 2000’s one could really see how rap started to fundamentally change American Society. For the most part at this time in rap’s history the reach of rap was far spread throughout America. One of the first things rap changed was the clothes people wore. At this time I was in the fifth grade and if you where to look at my embarrassing school pictures it was evident them then that even my clothing dresser was heavily influenced by rap. I would go to school in just a white t-shirt and very baggy jeans and on the back of the jeans I would have a flaming tiger on it. I would never be caught dead where that today. But, since that was the way the style went I was socially accepted. Even white people and nonblack people would where this clothing. This was surprising to me because as I mentioned before I thought rap was only geared to a certain group of individual people but, more and more upper class white people started to dress like rappers. This style of rap has also changed since I have lived in the west coast for some time now I have observed that the rappers over here will were tighter jeans and would not have designs going down there pants. I think this is a reason that joggers and women’s high wasted jeans have become a clothing norm in America. Even though I am a firm supporter of the freedom to speech it’s obvious that rap has had some negative effects on society as well. I believe that many people commit crimes after hearing rap or commit crimes while listening to rap is because many rap lyrics talk about crime a lot. If a person only listened to music that talked about stealing killing and raping the person will think it is not that bad that he commit a petty theft and this is more likely to commit another crime. I do not believe that all rap is to be blamed but, the people that make the music that influences these crimes should be at least a little less explicit about their criminal exploits.  For example in the song “U aint even Kno It” Rick Ross clearly admits to putting molly in a woman’s drink and “ Taking her back [To His House] and enjoying that, Which clearly sounds as though Rick Ross drugs girls. Still I feel that raps presence in American Society is more positive than negative. Dances like the “Stanky leg,” or “Hit the Quan,” are more than just a dance but, rather a way people can connect with people from different racial and economic backgrounds. This in turn breaks down social barriers and stereotypes allowing Americans the chance for further social progression as time advances.

For my third blog I thought about talking about some current news in the rap world. I would like to focus on Drake right now because as an artist he is probably on the top of his game and one of the most influential rappers in the industry right now. Just so you now a little about him Drake lived his young life in Toronto Canada. He was on “Degrassi” as Jimmy Brooks when he was 15 years old. When he was older he began releasing mixtapes. Even though he released numerous mixtapes he did not garner the public eye until he released his EP So Far Gone with hit singles like “Best I ever Had” and “Successful featuring Trey Songz.” Besides his Ep Drake also signed to Young Money in 2009 both of these events where essential in his rise to fame. Then Drake released his first album recorded in a Studio “Thank me Later” which had songs in it that where so overplayed by the radio but some of my favorites nonetheless like “Over” and “Thank me Now.” I believe Drakes Second Album Take Care really established him as a versatile talented artist songs like “The Ride” and “Motto.” Had such different sounds that it would almost be hard to tell that the same rapper made these songs. Through this album Drake also popularized the term YOLO (you only live once) which probably made people make so many irresponsible decisions. His latest album “Now Thing was the same,” also had a huge release though not as big as Take Care. In the beginning of this year Drake released a Mixtape “If you are reading this it’s too late,” which was one of his greatest works of art. Some of my friends believe this mixtape was greater than Take Care as a whole. Lastly Drake and Future Just released a joint mixtape called “What a time to be Alive.”  Since Future is also on the top of his game many people prayed that Future and Drake would make a collaboration album. I love the way they released the album also instead of just dropping an album they let rumor circulate. Some people including myself though that this mixtape was fake and that the collaboration never happened. They even set up fake countdown that tease eager rap heads. But when they finally dropped the mixtape everyone know the wait was most definitely worth it. In my personal opinion I believe every song on that mixtape was amazing and Drake really did outdo himself on this Mixtape. Before this year is over drake has promised us he next album “Views from the 6.” I feel this album will probably come out during October but he has kept the release date quite. One of the biggest reasons I like Drake as an artist is that he is able to adapt to changing times. If I was to listen to Drake’s first Mixtape “The Comeback Season 1,” I would probably think it was a completely different person because he has evolved into a whole new artist. I respect Drake also because he tries his hardest to stay out pf petty dram but, I f a person was to accuse him of something he is not too afraid to respond.

Which is better or more respected the East-Coast or West- Coast? This age old debate has always been a center of controversy in the American rap culture. Before I start this blog I want to say that I was born in Pennsylvania and lived in Virginia my whole life. Furthermore, I believe west-coast rap is inferior to east-coast because there are better known rappers like Biggie, Jay-z, Nas, Kanye and Rakim. Also the mecca for rap has to be New York because not only was rap started their with the Sugar hill gang but, 4 of the 5 people in my list were from New York City. Other rappers like Gucci mane and T.I. are the kings of the south and they are more popular than west coast rappers. Not only is the east coast more popular but also most progressive hip hop has come from the east coast like trap music from the Deep south and battle rappers in Chicago.  Besides the vast majority of rappers being in east Coast the biggest record labels are in the East coast also like Bad Boy entertainment which was founded by Sean Combs in New York. There also is Cash Money which was founded by Birdman and Slim in Miami and New Orleans. These rap labels were essential in distributing rappers music throughout the country without them we may not of had Drake (cash money) or Rick Ross (Bad Boy records). Also I feel the greatest rap feuds are between east coast rappers (except for Biggie and Tupac). Battle rapping was a style created in the streets of Chicago where basically two rappers try and make their opponents look bad while simultaneously making themselves look better. But because of this rivalries were formed which showed how important rap was to this community. Around the time rap was just beginning in New York Africans realty did not have a voice in social media or in the news but, rap made their voices heard it was a way for rappers on the east coast to voice their opinions. While on the west coast rappers used their voice only to further their gang motives. Still there are some good things about west-coast rap like they have had some influential rap groups like Tupac, Ice –T and N.W.A.. They also have probably the greatest record company Atlantic records which is in LA. There really is no surprise that the east coast would be better in terms of rap than the west coast because there are more African Americans in the east coast. I do not believe that only black Americans can rap but I see the correlation and the vast majority of great rappers are African American.  I have also interviewed a west coast native from Chino Hills, California who stated that the East coast has more rappers than the west coast and they are better. So in conclusion I feel eve the people from the west coast know that rappers in the east coast are better because there are more people inclined to rap ion the East Coast.

Hey guys, my name is Drew Holland I am the author of this blog. I am a college student at the University of Arizona but, I am originally from Richmond, Virginia.  Even though I am a Pre- business major I have always had a love for music so I decided to make a blog about rap/hip hop.  I feel that rap is like a book in which you can peer into the rappers mind.  In my blog I want to expand the world’s knowledge about rap because I believe many people believe the stereotypes about rap some stereotypes are that rappers are uneducated.  This is not true if you think about rappers like 2 Chainz and wale that graduated from college with a 4 .0. Other stereotypes associated with rap is that only black people can be rappers and that all rappers abuse drugs. I feel that people think this because you see the facade that rappers put up. But if one was to really analysis rap lines they would find that the there is some truth behind the words. For example in Lil Wayne’s song “Hot boy” Lil Wayne says “Come through looking like the old me white t-shirt and Girbaud jeans.” He means that he is going back to his roots going back to his original self. If a person was just to listen to this song once they would not understand what he is trying to say.  A lot of people forget that rap is a form a poetry and it is nearly impossible to fully understand a poem if you only listen to once. So I urge my readers to give rap a chance before they immediately dismiss it. Also the rap community is extremely diverse. I have heard Chinese rap and Rap from the Israel. Even though rap is diverse I do believe that rap is deeply rooted in jazz which is a direct product from the jazz era which was a style brought over from Africa.  Still though I feel the whole word have embraced rap. In this blog I will be reviewing rap albums, making commentary, and explaining rap feuds. Rather than calling myself a rap expert, I consider myself a concerned consumer. If you follow this blog you can expect to learn more about the rap culture, learn more about the latest drama, and get non bias reviews of rap albums. Even though I will try to not be biased I ask that you read other 3^rd party sources. I also suggest you also listen to the breakfast club’s podcast for rap news. My first blog post will be about how people classify rappers in relation to the geographical locations in America.