E-40 and Too Short, OGs of hip hop, are searching for solutions to the disturbing murder rates in the rap industry today, and they believe social media is a good place to start.
In a recent opinion piece for The Atlantic, 40 and Short argue that the current tendency of social media stunting is encouraging gun violence in hip hop.
They write that rappers are striving too hard to show off online, jeopardizing their safety. These guys are accumulating wealth quicker than they ever have, they added.
The Bay Area ambassadors are 30-year hip hop veterans, dating back to a time before the business garnered substantial cash. Now, they believe that rap artists are awash in excess and squandering their ability and finances in places such as strip clubs.
The Mt. Westmore pair questioned why rappers can spend thousands on clothing, ride in luxury cars, and post pictures of their wealth on Instagram for no apparent purpose.
They observe that naturally, with prosperity comes envy and resentment.
2022 has been a particularly violent one for hip hop, with prominent figures with the likes of JayDaYoungan, PnB Rock, and most recently Migos musician Takeoff, being killed down across the nation.
Similar to what Louis Farrakhan did for artists following the killings of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. in the late 1990s, 40 and Short are calling for an intervention. They also believe that record labels and executives should do a better job of protecting musicians, because nobody wants to die at a hip-hop concert.
NBA Youngboy, it appears, is a prime example. Since October 2021, the Louisiana rapper has been under house arrest and focuses more on the studio than social media.
However, he makes an exception for a few musicians who sold their song collections in order to keep up with his wealth. At least, that's how he perceive what others are doing, which is quite insulting to the other rappers.
YoungBoy, living according to his moniker "Never Broke Again," launched into a mini-rant while parking his car, boasting that he owned more cars than one person could possibly drive.
YB has had a very productive year, producing five mixtapes: "Colors," "Realer 2," "3800 Degrees," "Ma' I Got a Family," and "Better Than You" alongside DaBaby. His next album with Quando Rondo is set for release in 2023, but fans may have to wait till then.
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