Elliott Wilson wasn’t holding back as he called out Tommy Richman for his conflicting stance on Hip Hop.
Wilson noted Richman’s breakout hit “Million Dollar Baby” was up for Grammy awards in the rap categories. Yet, Richman claimed he’s “not a Hip Hop artist.”
Wilson expressed frustration about Richman refusing an interview request, only to choose Apple Music’s Zane Lowe instead. Wilson saw this as a sign of Richman’s inconsistent attitude toward the music culture that boosted his career.
The former editor-in-chief felt Richman was playing a game by submitting his records for Hip Hop Grammys while denying his Hip Hop identity. Wilson criticized Richman’s decision to leave his hits off his album ‘Coyote’, which led to low sales.
Wilson said the album would’ve benefited from including “Million Dollar Baby” and another hit, “Devil is a Lie.” Despite Richman’s assertion of being genre-less, Wilson argued that recognizing one’s genre is crucial for credibility.
Richman’s statement on X, formerly Twitter, “I’m not a hip hop artist,” led to further controversy. DJ Hed, Wilson’s co-host, sarcastically responded to Richman’s statement by asking what Hip Hop artist should take the open slots left by Richman. Richman later clarified, stating he didn’t want to be boxed into one genre.
However, Wilson wasn’t swayed by Richman’s sudden clarification and maintained his reluctance towards offering Richman an interview. Wilson asserted that Richman needed to address his inconsistency before he’s ready for such conversations.
Elliott Wilson’s critique of Tommy Richman raises questions about artistic authenticity and the complexities of genre identity.
