Where Is Young Jeezy/The Rise of "Swag Rap" & "Emo Hop"

"I'm the realest n**** in it, you already know, got trapper of the year 4 times in a row. (What they give ya?) A lifetime supply of baking soda clientele, a rolly watch, two pots, and three scales" In 2005 these lyrics blasted through speakers from Atlanta all the way to the suburbs of California. Jeezy was on top of the world. He had just left Diddy's Bad Boy Empire departing from rap-group Boyz N Da Hood and joined forces with hip-hop juggernaut Jay-Z over at Def Jam. Jeezy followed his "classic" debut, with two strong solo efforts including "The Inspiration" and "The Recession" which yielded the hood's Barack Obama anthem "My President"

Fast forward to 2011. It's been three years since Jeezy's last album and outside of last years follow-up to the Trap or Die series we haven't heard much from the hoarse voiced trap hero. Even to focus on Trap or Die 2 for a moment, this was actually a very good mixtape. Hard beats, Cannon screaming his witty banter over several tracks, and Jeezy spittin his tales about the "trap or die" lifestyle that helped him rise as an overnight sensation.

So there remains the question. Why is Young Jeezy no longer relevant? Why did Trap or Die 2 not create enough buzz to launch Thug Motivation 103? Why has Thug Motivation 103 been pushed back more times than Ne-Yo's hairline?

It comes down to this. The face of hip-hop is changing. The industry of hip-hop is slowly moving away from rhymes about shoot outs, drug smuggling, and cocaine battlefields and moving to a more authentic place. The power of music has always been it's ability for the listener to identify with the experiences being presented in rhyme, and/or live a fantasy through the music that blares through their headphones. So does the American listener no longer want to be a drug kingpin? Do they actually want to listen to music more closely affiliated with their ACTUAL lifestyle? No way!!!!

Here's three observations I want to point out as to why Jeezy struggles to remain relevant in today's hip-hop scene. And more importantly the direction that I feel hip-hop is going in the future.

Observation 1: That Fat Mutha****

In 2005, the only people that would have said that Rick Ross would be on top of the music game in 2011 probably resided from a city with a (305) area code. But wait how did this happen? Ross was seemingly less skilled than Jeezy, their lines were both laced with cocaine metaphors, and Ross was EXPOSED as a cop. Well here's the difference. As Jeezy continued down his path of being a cocaine cowboy, Ross completely changed his brand. Dumping his nickname as the "bawse" (remember the drug kingpin reference I made earlier in this article) and changing his nickname to "Rozay" a play on words for the wine that has the same pronunciation. When Ross released Teflon Don and affiliated himself with Diddy, he had successfully steered away from the image of being a fake Scarface, and strongly associated himself with the fun-loving Champagne lifestyle.

 Observation 2: The Rise of Swag Rap

The three gentleman pictured above (Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, & Soulja Boy) encompass swag rap to it's fullest. Topics include and are  limited to lighting up illegal substances, wearing the flyest gear, and sleepin with everyone's girlfriend. In my opinion this is the second coming of the party music that was rampant in the hip-hop scene in the mid 80's before N.W.A & Public Enemy angrily took over. Although these artists are stronger lyrically than most of the music that popped throughout that time period, they both accomplish the exact same goal...their music makes people feel good.

Writers Note: Wiz Khalifa & Big Sean are two of my favorite artists. In no way was this paragraph a shot at them. Truth be told "swag rap" is my favorite type of music to listen to. 

Obervation 3: Autotune and "Emo Hop

Leave it to Kanye to start another trend in music. Back in 2008 after the lost of his mother, and probable fiancee 'Ye hopped on the autotune machine to croon out his pain. This gave birth to artists who may have never seen the light of day if it weren't for "808's and Heartbreaks"...Kid Cudi and Drake. Drake and especially Cudi have brought the Emo feeling to rap music. Authentic and honest hip-hop songs that expose the vulnerability of the artist, steering away from the macho bravado talk that has reigned supreme for so many years.

In conclusion, hip-hop is coming to a more authentic place than it has since it's creation, and that can be simply because the recession that spread rampant around 2009, has made us become a lot more honest with ourselves. Many people have had to come to grips with the fact that they aren't ballin, pushin a Maybach, cookin work on the stove, and in turn started steering to music that they could relate to. This is why Jeezy has struggled. He has refused to cater his rhymes to emotions and carefree swag jams. Which is fine, that's not his brand. But one day in order for TM 103 to ever be released he is going to have to come to the grips with the fact that the average listener no longer aspires to "Get their Benihana's on & work two pots"...frankly the average listener can barely even afford Benihanas.