The summer of 2013 is on pace to become a benchmark season for hip-hop.
From J.Cole meeting and exceeding expectations with his sophomore album, Born Sinner, to Wale’s The Gifted becoming his first number one LP, and now Jay-Z creating ‘New Rules’ and still going strong with his 13th album, one could ask; is this the greatest summer of all time for the genre?
Some fellow hip-hop heavyweights say it could be… or at least the best time in a long time.
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“Yes, it’s been pretty eventful,” said mixtape legend and producer DJ Drama. “From Jay’s album to Kanye’s album to Cole’s album to Wale’s album, it’s a good time.”
Drama made the comments at the Coors Light Search for the Coldest MC event during the 2013 Essence Festival in New Orleans.
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Those controversies have distracted from the sheer quantity of solid music hitting the airwaves during the hot summer months. The wealth of talent from so many different artists at various stages in their careers is staggering. It’s reminiscent of past musical eras, when diversity among emcees was celebrated, rather than shunned.
DJ Drama concurs. “I’m one who speaks very highly of the space that we’re in within our culture,” said the Gangsta Grillz CEO. “I think these last couple of years have been the best time it’s been in hip hop since the late ‘90’s.”
The abundance of great music from 1995 to 1999 was particularly noteworthy. We saw the emergence of the The Fugees, DMX, and even a young Puff Daddy and countless others that created lanes for different musical tastes to thrive and embraced. Emcees weren’t stepping on one another’s toes.
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DJ Drama continues: “from what the legends are doing to the younger legends looking to cement their legacy, the amount of talent [that’s out right now] has been stupendous.”
The “trill O.G.” Bun B of UGK fame, cosigns Drama’s sentiment about this being a special summer, as well as an important year in hip hop culture.
“Summer [of] 2013 is gonna be one of those years in hip hop history. Remember that year. There’s been such great music that has already dropped, and we still got a Drake album coming this year,” Bun B said.
Time will tell how the rest of 2013 will play out, but Drama and Bun B are looking forward to it, while at the same time enjoying the artistic progress of their peers.
“You still got DJ Khaled’s album coming. 2 Chainz’s album coming this year, it’s gonna be a lot of great music that has yet to be dropped,” Bun B continued. “I think a lot of people are gonna look back into the history books and realize a lot of cats really came into their own in 2013.”
For the latest music news, follow Kyle Harvey on Twitter at @HarveyWins.