Chuck D is at it again, sharing his candid thoughts on the state of rap music, specifically targeting veteran rappers who, in his opinion, haven’t evolved in their storytelling.
On June 3, the Public Enemy frontman took to social media to express his concerns about rappers over 40 who continue to focus on generic hip-hop themes. ‘If you over 40 and spitting meaningless dark energy in RAP you have to really think about what matters in the HipHop foundation that birthed your chance at it,’ he wrote.
Chuck D clarified that he wasn’t calling for anyone to stop rapping altogether but urged older artists to consider more meaningful content: ‘I didn’t say cease and desist. I said T H I N k ……. A over 40 mind should have a better ability to KNOW self and surroundings better. The
The following day, Chuck D promoted his upcoming book, RAPilates: Body and Mind Conditioning in the Digital Age, slated for release on July 1. He again took to social media to elaborate on his viewpoint: ‘I’m a rap head. I’m in my 64th year… hip-hop is over 50 years. Different ages have different appeals and elder folk money ain’t stupid. My listening ear doesn’t wanna hear the same street tale because that’s for a new kid just finding themselves & the world.’
He continued, emphasizing the variety of topics older rappers could explore: ‘Over 40, it’s not crazy to hear an MC warn us on bad food, rent mortgage, gas prices, kids (yeah, the 20-year-old MCs have them too), pharmaceuticals, prostate, and instead of battling MCs, how about [expletive] up cancer and diabetes!?!? There’s a whole world of topics for MCs and over 40 money is good just check your local CVS Walgreens line… and stop believing the fantasy lies as much.’
Aside from his critique, Chuck D is also known for uplifting his peers. Last month, he shared a list of acts he’d like to see inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Responding to a question posed by Cypress Hill’s B-Real on X (formerly Twitter), Chuck D named Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Ice-T, KRS-One, Eric B. & Rakim, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, and DJ Hollywood as his top picks. He also revealed his taste for rock and heavy metal, including Deep Purple and Iron Maiden in his list.
Chuck D’s comments have sparked discussions about the role and responsibilities of veteran rappers in today’s hip-hop landscape. Whether or not they choose to heed his advice, his perspective adds an important voice to the ongoing conversation about the evolution of rap music.
