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Features

Live Hip-Hop Sucks

Why are Jay Z and, er, Mac Miller the only people that can put on a decent rap show?
Ryan Bassil
London, GB

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Before a backpack blogger starts hate-crying into a relevant streetwear brand encased tablet, let me get one thing out into the open: hip-hop is in the best place that it’s been since parents feared that Slim Shady could be working in Burger King, spitting on their onion rings. In the same way that Eminem had twelve year olds threatening to stick nine inch nails into each one of their eyelids, collectives like Odd Future, Pro Era, A$AP and TDE are spearheading a movement that has both kids and old school veterans alike, excited. Then there’s the likes of Riff Raff, Action Bronson and Danny Brown, who are bringing personality back with hyper-realised individuality, while old blokes like Kanye West are producing records that not only sound like nothing else, but also have half of the internet arguing about what they even mean. Then there’s Young Lean.

So, why, with an array of hip-hop that could challenge even The Cheesecake Factory’s menu in terms of variety and excellence, do live performances still suck?