Recently, New York has taken a backseat to burgeoning Hip Hop regions, like Atlanta, Chicago, and LA. The city that played a pivotal role in rap’s genesis has succumbed to competitiveness, adopting a crabs in a bucket mentality that’s robbed Gotham of supporting their own. This self-focused mentality has suppressed New York’s position in Hip Hop’s real estate market, replacing its street names with memory lanes.
Sure, A$AP MOB and Joey Bada$$ are pulling a Greg Jennings by putting the team on their backs in the national spotlight, but what about everyone else? A city of 10-million people with a Hip Hop heart has to be producing some worthy candidates, right? Glad you asked.
With streets buried in history and grittiness lies underground artists poised to restore New York’s former glory. I’m talking about genuine, hungry artists. Ones who’ve watched “rappers” catapult to headlines off the strength of unintelligible rhetorics and flamboyant aesthetics, instead of sheer ability. Ones who know these “rappers’” success is fleeting quicker than their ascensions. These underground New York artists don’t rely on gimmicks to propel themselves, but they demonstrate their value by bridging Hip Hop’s roots with a refurbished edge. They are New York's future. And with them holding the Big Apple's reigns, the future is looking bright.
On 4/27, ZeusWolf is reminding everyone what New York rap sounds like with the Sold Not Told Show at Webster Hall, featuring Stro, Dyme-A-Duzin, and GODBODYWATI (FKA Wati Heru).
Check out some of their best tracks below, and make sure to go get your tickets!
GODBODYWATI
DYME-A-DUZIN
STRO
