As the 50th-anniversary of the music genre approaches, Bow Wow had a few choice words about the state that hip-hop is currently in.
The “Shortie Like Mine” rapper broke down his belief as to why no hip-hop song has charted this year while chatting with hosts from Power 106 at the 2023 BET Awards.
“Cause n—-s putting out trash a– music,” Bow Wow said. “Serious, everything sound alike, everything repetitive, same tempo. It’s just, it’s roll out the bed everybody can do that, you know what I’m saying?”
Noting that hip-hop wasn’t always like that, Bow Wow did state his belief in the music genre slowly getting back to its original roots.
“I feel like now’s about to shift back into the real s–t,” said the 36-year-old. “Like you really gotta have talent, you really gotta go, I think people are starting to get tired of it now. That’s why you don’t see nothing charting. Everything sound the same.”
Related: Producer Jermaine Dupri Says His ‘Era’ of Music Has Declined, Challenges Atlanta Artists to Make More Creative Music
He then dived into the overall messages of songs nowadays. “Every girl wanna get a bag, get a rich n—a, uhhh mother f—-rs spin da block, I’m sliding on the opps,” Bow Wow groused. “Everything is sounding the same, ain’t nobody doing nothing different.”
The father of two issued a PSA for artists to “shake the game up” in order to get hip-hop back to its original state. In this case, he said that entails rappers getting back into “the real essence of artistry, and real good music” that will be remembered “forever.”
“I ain’t heard nothing that I say ‘I’mma hear this, 30 years from now,’” he lamented.
When asked which active artist has a catalog that could have a lasting effect on the genre, the former child star listed his music colleagues “Drake, Kendrick [Lamar], and I would say [J.] Cole.”
Although Bow Wow’s actions often are met with public scoffing and trolling, many social media users sided with the former “106 & Park” host.
“He’s Not Wrong. Everyone Copying And Pasting To Get Rich. No Actual Talent. Hopefully That Changes.”
“I agree! And people gon hate cause of the messenger but he didn’t tell a lie or spare feelings!!!”
“Lil n—a finally said sum real s–t.”
“He has a point.”
A few critics of the annual awards show questioned why Bow Wow didn’t perform during their hip-hop tribute. Two comments include: “why they didn’t have mr 106 & park in that celebration?! quality hits !!!!” and “Mr. 106 & Park most certainly did not touch that stage and THAT is an error.”
A third observer tweeted, “With Bow Wow trending, you gotta remind people that while #BowWow may get clowned on here for some of his antics, black people also KNOW that he is a legend and give him his due respect. Never forget that He didn’t give himself the “Mr. 106 & Park” moniker.”
Bow Wow’s music career began in the 1990s after he was discovered by Snoop Dogg before signing with Jermaine Dupri‘s label So So Def Records. However, he was not among the many influential rappers and hip-hop artists to perform at the BET Awards Sunday night.
Neither did his formerly estranged mentor, who previously spoke ill about the current state of hip-hop in Atlanta a few months ago. The 50-year-old producer claimed that music has “declined” from his “era” of music and blamed local artists for their lack of creativity.
In an interview with Curren$y and AllHipHop, Dupri stated, “I love the growth of the city, but I feel like musically, we have declined from what it was in my era of coming up. The pool is not that big anymore.”
Dupri’s hits date all the way back to the early 1990s. He wrote songs and produced hit records for artists who are now viewed as “icons” such as Mariah Carey, Usher, and the popular girl group Xscape.
As for Bow Wow, his last album, “New Jack City II,” was released over a decade ago. But many of his songs remain fan favorites that are played today. He has previously talked about doing one final album under Snoops’s newly acquired Death Row Records.
