Back to the Future: Predictions of the Art That Came True

Zemeckis’ Back to The Future Trilogy made some bold predictions: hoverboards, self-tying shoes, flying cars. And, while some of these predictions turned out to become fairly accurate, there was absolutely no chance they could predict the state of modern day hip-hop. The recent surge in popularity of newcomer artists has created a serious divide about the influence these artists have within the rap genre: for some, it is a true reflection of an evolving contemporary society, yet for others, it is an absurd reality; one which creates a genuine terror for what humanity is evolving into. To many, mumble rap appears to be the downfall of hip-hop. The slurred, unclear vocal delivery directly contrasts with traditional styles of rhythmic speech, and the particular emphasis on lyricism. However, this sub-genre of hip-hop seems to have the greatest pull for listeners, consistently taking out the premiere spots within charts like Billboard time and time again. And it’s easy to understand why.

My introduction to mumble rap was through Lil Pump’s breakout single Gucci Gang, which peaked at 15 on the New Zealand charts last year. Initially, I was in disbelief that one could listen to such appalling material. Not only were the lyrics hard to decipher, but from what could be interpreted – vulgar too. Much of the song boasted the overuse of coarse language and references to topics of drug use, money laundering, gun violence, designer clothing, the objectification of women.

But, my friends listened to it, and so I did too. Alarmingly, I found myself hooked on the melodic trap beats – moving from class to class, carefully humming the slurred lyrics to Ski Mask the Slump God’s BabyWipe, or the late XXXTENTACION’s I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore. The importance of lyrical speed and wit seemed to become non-existent, but that didn’t matter. What was more important was the instrumentally complex, extremely catchy but inorganic sound. It became progressively easy to listen to. Rapper’s didn’t necessarily have to communicate emotion through lyricism anymore, but through the tone (or heightened autotune) of their voice.

Today, what is referred to as mumble rap has completely diversified, making up a large portion of mainstream hip-hop sound, a strong change from what was once an uncommon subgenre. Who were once judged by their ability to rap, are now judged more critically on their ability to set an entertaining mood. Take Playboi Carti’s recent release Die Lit for example, which debuted at 27 on the New Zealand Album Charts in 2018. The album is overwhelmingly minimalistic, focusing on the use of melodic and energetic hooks combined with flippant instrumentals to substitute for the absence of traditionally dense verses and lines. The reaction from popular media sources were positive, with VICE even labelling it as “great, you’re just old.”

But the effect that the exposure of this type of music has on us, the young people of New Zealand, is up for serious debate. At an approximate 1900 young people involved directly with youth persecution last year, it is understandably hard to argue that this is the type of material we want our youth to be swayed by. Yet, while not something I would be willing to play for my parents, the music itself didn’t seem to take an influential toll on my behaviour. I didn’t find myself plotting to murder someone, nor scheming up a plan to purchase an overdose amount of illicit substance. To me, the substance of the lyricism had no significance at all. I didn’t even consciously recognise it. Rather, the ad-libs and bass-packed beats were all it took to become a mood-lifter. What existed was simple, engaging, and might I add – seemingly harmless - art. Shocking.

And, to be fair, it’s not like all of the music glorifies the crude vulgarities we often try to sweep under our country’s rug. Juice WRLD’s Legends analyses the consequences that rappers like himself struggle with, especially the impact that fame has on one’s wellbeing and the enticement of drugs – that which led to the controversial death of upcoming rapper Lil Peep. Art has transformed throughout history – we only have to look at the Renaissance compared to Banksy to see the extent of this evolution. So why can’t we see that it is the exact same story for rap? You see, we often rush to analyse things and then quickly disregard them when or if they don’t match the exact criteria we’ve set up.