One of the most defining aspects of Hip Hop is competition. At best, it’s a green light for emcees to prove their lyrical capabilities at a high level in thought and identity. At worst, it often has been either a career halt for the participants and often a fatal end. Pros and cons aside, the need to be a top dog in the game is purely individualism at its core. Who doesn’t want to be the best rapper of skill while selling a milli? That should be anyone’s dream without any question: high-quality effort feeding generations. But apparently, there is one “knock” on a person’s career that writes them off from the billboards and rushmores. That “concerning” aspect is age and it’s a notion that needs to be written off.
Recently, there was a bit of a virality when Hip Hop artist Teezo Touchdown was revealed to be 33 years old. This caused a rumbling of “bamboozled” fans who thought the opposite and immediately wrote him off. A guy who has needles in hair would be in his Late Teens/Early 20s in their logic. However, it’s still his creative expression and style. Even if he sings about Spiderman, we shouldn’t outright disregard his artistry due to his age.
Interestingly, a lot of the biggest rappers in the history of the game weren’t even by modern standards “young”. A lot of rappers, especially in the Late 90s – Early 200s were in Teezo’s age range. Artists that come to mind such as Jay-Z, Eminem, DMX, and Kanye West reached or entered their primes when they were around that 28 – 33 age range. So, this myth about Hip Hop being a young man’s game is a farce unless you go deeper.
There was the arrival of Nas, who by the time he dropped “Illmatic” (1994) was only 20 years of age. The difference is that Nas was considered a prodigy and downright the “second coming of Rakim”. The Queensbridge native’s blending of multisyllabic rhymes and vivid social commentary was a match made in heaven. Not a lot of teens and young adults were rapping in that NY state of mind. Most were either the Kriss Kross types or were also prodigies who didn’t have the direction and vision to hone their artistic integrity (Shyheim, A+, etc.). You can argue Bow Wow was a massively popular young rapper but he leaned more into the Pop Rap lane similar to Kris Kross.
Regardless of this myth, there are still rappers today who are destroying this tried-and-true narrative. Artists such as Larry June, Curren$y, Jay Worthy, Rome Streetz, Payroll Giovani, Pusha T, Trae the Truth, among others have showcased the consistency, versatility, longevity, and dedication in the game. The only time where Hip Hop has truly been in a “young man’s” game has been the last 10 years. Starting when Soundcloud rappers in the mid-2010s like Lil’ Yachty, Lil Uzi Vert, and Playboi Carti rose to prominence. Yet, those guys haven’t outshined the Futures, Kendrick Lamars, and Tyler The Creators to fading out. Basically, this is a game for every man willing to put in the work and dedication to put in the craft.
