“If you don’t have a mind of your own/ don’t be disappointed, this is fine, be a clone”

The first two lines of M.I’s debut single, “Crowd Mentality” are soaked in inherent sarcasm for obvious reasons; rappers pride themselves on innate distinctiveness and unquestionable self validation. Hence as M.I implies in the song, the alternative to failing to be your own your own individual, is to become a clone of everyone else following the crowd.

It is often said that there isn’t room for shrinking violets in hip-hop. And perhaps this is direct reflection of the genre’s fixation for tough-to-beat brags about everything, from proficiency of word play to physical and implied personal wealth. Over the years, the genre has evolved to accommodate new perspectives, create room political correctness and variation in subject matter amongst other things, but every rapper’s credibility is still solely based on how well they can sell their personal images over punchlines and rhymes.

To give a bit of insight on this standard requirement for any M.C worth his microphone, is to remember that rap is a direct descendant of spoken word poetry and distinctively black genres like Jazz and Rhythm and Blues—two sounds with etymologies that date back to the slavery era.

Undoubtedly, this is why the genre became a hallmark medium for social commentary on race, minority oppression and black emancipation in America. This political background to the origins of rap underlies the need for anyone who dares to spit bars to not only do so in a matter-of-factly manner, but also carry a cult-leader level charismatic wherewithal while doing it.

Because good hip-hop is funneled through the mettle of it’s mouthpiece, modern rap ranges between self-involvement in debauchery as rappers like TylerTheCreator, would openly suggest to bemoaning lost lovers in a dark room as Drake’s music would immediately bring to mind. Still, at its best, rap is supposed to be taken as aspirational. No one really has that many Gucci(s), knows that many women, or gang bangs for a lifestyle when being in the studio is more risk-averse.
One unmissable factor here, however, is that no matter what the rap song is about, the details are unabashedly honest, the lifestyle is glamorised for effect and it’s convener, presented as a truth teller. My unpopular opinion in coda is that rap music can teach us all a thing or two about self-confidence and motivation, after all, we are what we consume.

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