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OVF - When Rap Became Pop… and Then Lost the Plot.mp3
Rap didn’t just rise — it overtook everything.
By the early 2000s, artists like Eminem, 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, and Outkast pushed hip-hop from the streets to the suburbs, from block parties to Super Bowl stages.
Rap didn’t compete with pop… it became pop. But somewhere between the chart-toppers and the cultural takeover, something changed.
The soul faded.
The storytelling slipped.
The shock got louder than the skill. Instead of rhythm and rebellion, rap chased clicks.
Instead of bars with meaning, it leaned on shock, sex, memes, and viral moments.
By the early 2000s, artists like Eminem, 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, and Outkast pushed hip-hop from the streets to the suburbs, from block parties to Super Bowl stages.
Rap didn’t compete with pop… it became pop. But somewhere between the chart-toppers and the cultural takeover, something changed.
The soul faded.
The storytelling slipped.
The shock got louder than the skill. Instead of rhythm and rebellion, rap chased clicks.
Instead of bars with meaning, it leaned on shock, sex, memes, and viral moments.
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By Bob MurrayRap didn’t just rise — it overtook everything.
By the early 2000s, artists like Eminem, 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, and Outkast pushed hip-hop from the streets to the suburbs, from block parties to Super Bowl stages.
Rap didn’t compete with pop… it became pop. But somewhere between the chart-toppers and the cultural takeover, something changed.
The soul faded.
The storytelling slipped.
The shock got louder than the skill. Instead of rhythm and rebellion, rap chased clicks.
Instead of bars with meaning, it leaned on shock, sex, memes, and viral moments.
By the early 2000s, artists like Eminem, 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, and Outkast pushed hip-hop from the streets to the suburbs, from block parties to Super Bowl stages.
Rap didn’t compete with pop… it became pop. But somewhere between the chart-toppers and the cultural takeover, something changed.
The soul faded.
The storytelling slipped.
The shock got louder than the skill. Instead of rhythm and rebellion, rap chased clicks.
Instead of bars with meaning, it leaned on shock, sex, memes, and viral moments.