In today’s day and age, social media is of utmost importance, a way for people to connect and share ideas. The music industry has taken giant strides forward due to the invention of social media, as most music is not digitized, but so are the critics. Critics of all kinds have been around for years; music critics, movie critics, food critics, the list goes on and on. However, after the heavy use of technology in music, the critics have caught up. These days, nobody can have an actual genuine, original thought about their own views on a song; they resort to mimicking the critics.

“While Kendrick translates the struggles that young African Americans face inside the inner-city slums and neighborhoods, his flow and technique is overshadowed by awful beat production and repetitive samples” says username JohnIAm420. Kendrick Lamar is one of this generation’s most influential artists, but his “flow” is no match for this “expert” on “flow”. Kendrick has made millions on top of millions for his records that have been sold, but this new single has been deemed underwhelming by username JohnIAm420, a man who, while living in his mother’s basement for 12 years, has carefully crafted the best views on “flow”, and can now sway the public into not fully understanding the message Kendrick is trying to display, and have them claim the track is bad because of his opinions. But who are we to try and think for ourselves; the critics run the industry.
In 2018, Travis Scott released “Astroworld”, an album with an overload of features, beat switches, samples galore, and an overall record-breaking lineup. The goal of Astroworld was to differentiate the way Travis sampled his beats, honed his vocals, and utilized the artists on his label, known as Cactus Jack. Astroworld became the album of the summer, as the term “Is that Sicko Mode?” became the tagline of cool and hip middle-schooler-turned-comedians everywhere. The best performing tracks were blasted throughout the streets filled with cars on warm June evenings, while the less-known tracks on the album were still filling listeners’ playlists. 

That same year, Cardi B, a “nightlife performer” turned rapper, released her debut album “Invasion of Privacy”. One particular song known as “Bodak Yellow” became quite popular. Other than that, the album was filled with references to her “past life”, her private parts, as well as her immaculate vocals that are only rivaled by dying goats and other various farm animals. Still, critics raved about a female-rapper who “made it out” and clawed her way into a studio to record these tracks, saying she “empowered women” and she “embodied modern-day feminism” through her expensive jewelry and “red-bottom balenciagas”.  

The annual Grammy Awards were held towards the conclusion of 2018. The lineup for best rap album of the year was nothing short of spectacular. Some of the best synthesization ever heard in Travis Scott’s “Astroworld”, amazing flow and beats in Mac Miller’s “Swimming”, meaningful stories of LA streets in “Victory Lap” by Nipsey Hussle, and absolute decimation of his enemies in Pusha T’s “Daytona”. Oh, and “Invasion of Privacy” by Cardi B. The expected winner was Travis Scott’s masterpiece record-breaker album, but critics love a rise-up story, and what better way to pay homage to the struggles many artists have faced, by awarding the rap album of the year to Cardi B and her lazily written album. 

The industry has so many amazing, talented artists, but they are overshadowed constantly. Critics look for the “Hollywood” aspect and nothing more. If it can be a good movie, it should be known as a good album. There is always robbery at the Grammys, which is why Eminem, arguably the greatest rapper of all time, has boycotted the ceremony year after year. He, very explicitly, stated “Don’t f***ing get us all here, to use as your selling point for your f***ing show, and stiff everybody every single f***ing time. After that point in time, I said don’t ever ask me to come here again. My answer is no for a hundred million years” (Kapusta, 9). Who does Eminem think he is going up against the JohnIAm420s of the world, their takes on music are extremely valid, they’ve honed the same answers for years, with the help of the mothers they stay with of course.

Works Cited

Kapusta, Michelle. “Why Eminem Said He Will 'Never Go to the Grammys Again'.” Showbiz Cheat Sheet, 3 Apr. 2022, cheatsheet.com/entertainment/eminem-will-never-go-to-grammys-again.html/.