(ThyBlackMan.com) Exactly when Venus, Neptune, Earth, and Mars are in line, which is about once every 20 years at this point, Hip-Hop enters a Golden Era. Hip-Hop’s first Golden Era came approximately 13 years after the artform’s inception and lasted longer than most critics and fans originally gave it props for. The first Golden Era in Hip-Hop came with the landing of Boogie Down Productions, The Native Tongue Family, and the Juice Crew circa 1987. Arguably, and most definitively it arrived with the arrival of the first God Emcee: Rakim Allah.
The first Golden Era was largely preceded by “Party Rap” featuring the fun antics of Kid ‘n Play, Jazzie Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Run-DMC, The Beasties,
Chubb Rock et al. I always chuckle inside a little when modern day purists strictly confine their definition of real Hip-Hop to knowledge/conscious Hip-Hop or some version of lyrical purity or boom-bap soundscape. Before all of that, Hip-Hop was all about a party and they surely knew how to party in the 70s and 80s and the first Hip-Hop record ever pressed was Rapper’s Delight; a pure party rap. So, if one wants to be an absolute purist, then Hip-Hop is a party music, but she has evolved into a much more well-rounded Sister.
The first Golden Era began in 1986 and lasted until the decline of the Wu Tang dynasty. The first Golden Era ended when Wu Tang dropped their first brick: Iron Flag (2001). The first Golden Era was marked by groups like Boot Camp Clik, Brand Nubian, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Big Daddy Kane, Masta Ace and Biz Markie. Many thought that the first Golden Era ended at the
beginning of the Nas, B.I.G., Jay-Z, and Tupac era, but it was really still very connected to those roots. Most of Hip-Hop at the time was connected through one common thread, in New York anyway and much of it is still that way in the form of Sean “Puffy” Combs. Sean Combs and Bad Boy Entertainment along with the Wu Tang Clan and N.W.A. extended the first Golden Era through the 90s. The late Chris Lighty and Violater also did a lot to carry on tradition throughout the 90s.
Hip-Hop has once again entered a Golden Age. I know that this probably sounds blasphemous in an environment where those who care the most about the artform’s qualities are older and more established in life. Hip-Hop has actually launched its first post-35 year old SuperStar in the form of 2Chainz and no one seems to care. Prior to 2Chainz, the oldest emcee to really blow up was 50 Cent who did it at about 26. These milestones indicate that the audience is getting older which is inevitable. I pan today’s critics. It is apparent to me that every generation dogs the previous generation’s musical taste. It seems a tradition as long-lived as time itself. So, I pan them as old heads who refuse to dig deep. It is easy to scan BET and/or the radio for the trash that they publish and yes that sells, but if you want to talk about what’s actually available and how easy it is to access then the sky is the limit.
Hip-Hop has entered a second Golden Era. In terms of overall delivery and content, it is fair to say that today offers a greater array of choices of styles and tastes. Mixtape sites like datpiff.com, livemixtapes.com, and hotnewhiphop.com have dedicated loyal followings of legions of fans surfing every single day for something new and creative. This is exactly how recent Atlanta, GA sensation Trinidad James was found. Trinidad James is a natural talent. I have rarely seen more authentically Southern or Trinidadian representation. A lot of people have a difficult time understanding how a guy who’s been rapping for less than a year could possibly explode onto the scene so fast, but those critics underestimate the value of talent in Hip-Hop. Not everyone can rap. Everyone thinks that they can rap, but not everyone can rap. For all of his flare and distraction, at the end of the day, Trinidad James and his team can rap and they made a mixtape that sounds like a major studio lab experiment gone correct. James’ “Don’t be S.A.F.E.” is Southern Hip-Hop at its finest, which is absolutely dumbed out, fun, and honest. He hides nothing of himself. If you are not biased against Southern Hip-Hop, then you should love Trinidad James’ project.
Joey Bada$$ single-handedly rescued New York in 2012. The then 17 year-old Jo Vaughn Scott released his monumental mixtape debut “1999”. The title is not an illusion but more like an allusion. The music and Scott himself sound like they were ripped out of the 90s. Scott’s second project was a team project
with his Progressive Era (Pro Era or PE) crew. I could easily rank his two projects among the best Hip-Hop that I’ve heard in the past 20 years. Progressive Era and Joey Bada$$ figured out that all of the down South worship was killing New York and that it just needed a boost of adrenaline and young blood to carry on the real tradition of New York. The Diplomats were New York’s last successful team and they tended to push toward modernization. The Diplomats were not very observant of the Golden Era aesthetic and tended to portray modern day gangsterism.
Enter Pro Era, a group that immediately connects you to New York’s finest Hip-Hop traditions. The influences that can be observed throughout Joey Bada$$’s and Pro Era’s projects include ATCQ, Boot Camp, Public Enemy, Nas, BDP, et al. The late J. Dilla provides a track on Bada$$’s debut. You can actually nail each track to different clicks or time periods pretty well if you know that era. They count themselves as 47 strong about but about nine of them appear on the group project and every last one of them can rhyme. Bada$$ and CJ Fly are clearly the aces and the team lost its apparent third ace to suicide last year, but all are capable. This is the new Wu Tang Clan. Rest in Peace Capital Steez aka Jamal Dewar.
Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is the hottest thing smoking in Hip-Hop at the moment and they are a label built on skill. They are a West Coast label with traditional sensibilities that also pay homage to Hip-Hop’s heritage with modern day twists. The label’s ace, Kendrick Lamar, is lobbing hit after hit 
on to Billboard as you read and Schoolboy Q has made major noise as well and continues to show a determination to be a Star. Ab Soul and Jay Roc round out the top-tier of the TDE talent and both are highly lyrical emcees with nonsense soundscapes. The West Coast can finally claim that it has moved on past the N.W.A. era and claim its rightful new Champions. TDE and Odd Future represent a new breed of West Coast hip-hop that largely disregards gangsterism and hyphyism while focusing largely on artistic value, and in lifestyle presentation. They don’t ignore where they come from, they just choose to not promote the violence in the culture. They are good kids in mad cities.
These are just a few examples of what now lies a landscape of many accessible artists in Hip-Hop delivering high quality Hip-Hop. The very best thing about the artform of Hip-Hop is that what matters most at the end of the day is skill. Hip-Hop’s fans respect skill and whether you are into swag or lyrics, it’s there for you. Meek Mill is a suitable compliment to DMX in the gym. You can only put today’s Hip-Hop into context again if you allow yourself to be young again. Only if you allow yourself to identify with them again can you be open enough to hear their music without judgment. There are still young people living hard lives like the ones Earl Simmons (DMX) and Robert Williams (Meek Mill) have led.
Pittsburgh has landed two talented emcees on the map in the forms of Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller and Baltimore seems to be poised as well. Good Hip-Hop is coming from all directions now. Low cost access to home studios and internet technology has provided access to talented kids who may not live near New York or Atlanta or Los Angeles and it has leveled the playing field for them. I wish I had this when I was growing up!!! Hip-Hop is the most diverse music in America. It’s hard to argue that Gadsden, Alabama rapper Yelawolf is a far cry from your stereo-typical MC as a Native-American Southern boy with a redneck disposition and a mean disturbingly powerful flow, but he fits right in on Lil Jon’s “Hard White” beat.
Drake is a Canadian bi-racial Jew who kills everything that he’s on. 
Locksmith is a half-Arab, half-black Bay Area based emcee that will rip anyone’s head off on the mic and Odd Future emcee Action Bronson is an overweight Albanian. Least we mention Angel Haze, a new breed of female emcee. Hip-Hop’s ethnic boundaries are nearly non-existent and it continues to attract the young. If you are willing to do a little homework, then you will find that Hip-Hop has never been more wealthy. It has never been more Golden than now. 2013 is the dawning of the second Golden Age of Hip-Hop; there’s something for everyone.
Staff Writer; Darrick Herndon
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