Method Man is taking a stand.
No, he’s not involved in any salacious litigation (that I know of). Rather, it seems he has reached his wit’s end regarding the state of hip-hop and its apparent devolution.
As arguably one of the most talented MCs ever to touch a mic, the underwhelming response from the audience during his Summer Jam performance left lots to be desired.
So much so, that the man, himself, decided to go public with his disappointment and let his fans know that he’d never be performing at Summer Jam again, due to the wide age gap amongst the entertainers and their fans. Method Man is a man of very few words, especially on social media, which he is notoriously not a fan of. So, the fact that he spoke about this publicly speaks volumes.
Also, did he lie, though?
Well, that answer is more complex than it seems.
On the one hand, Method Man is correct. He is about 20-30 years older than the other performers on the roster and most of their fans. Also, rap music has changed drastically since his heyday. It’s no longer about lyrics and substance.
These days, it’s more about melody and vibes. So, it makes perfect sense why a rapper of Method Man’s caliber would feel so uncomfortable performing for such a crowd.
On the other hand, it shouldn’t be this way. Hip-hop is one of the few genres where icons are perceived as progressively less valuable as they age. For instance, Dolly Parton can still pack stadiums; Mick Jagger is in his 80s, and the Rolling Stones are still making music and touring. So, if they ever participate in a Summer Jam type of shin-dig, you better believe they will be the closing acts, not the openers.
Summer Jam blues
The Summer Jam flyer clearly shows that Method Man and Red Man should have been removed from the lineup. Not only are they from a vastly different era of hip-hop, but the fact that their names were the smallest on the list demonstrates that their legendary careers were not receiving the respect they deserved.
But why is that? This goes back to the fact that hip-hop doesn’t allow its stars to grow up. It’s similar to pop music in that regard. However, unlike rappers, the Britneys of the world are essentially preserved in jars to keep themselves looking as youthful as humanly possible.
So, although it’s easier for them to maintain their fans over time, they must also be willing to nip, tuck, and cover all signs of aging to give the illusion that they are still the same age as when they started. This is likely part of why the “Free Britney” movement is necessary. The singer seems beyond ready to move on with her life and career, but the powers refuse to let her do so because her classic songs make far more money than her newer ones.
However, when dealing with hip-hop, it’s about far more than appearances; this genre is very much based on finding the next big thing as a means of commoditizing and capitalizing off of their likeness. This often results in overexposure, which causes fans to tire of their music and, thus, the artists themselves. This is why artists with longevity typically reinvent themselves many times throughout their careers. Those incapable of pivoting are spit back out of the music machine to rejoin the general population.
Wu-Tang is for the children
Well, hip-hop/rap music is considered a young Black man’s game, above all else. So, while the late, great ODB was the first to defiantly storm the Grammys’ stage to assert that “Wu-Tang is for the children” over twenty years ago, it’s only now that we’re starting to understand what that truly means.
To be clear, the mainstream music industry, overall, tends to market to and target children. Above all else, this is a function of capitalism; it’s always smart to seek out the youth when dealing with the music industry. Young people are far more likely to idolize and obsess over musicians than adults. Also, the possibility that some attempt to purposely mislead the youth through music can’t be ignored.
At any rate, as someone who has created at least semi-conscious music for most of his career, Method Man has always maintained one foot underground. Music with educational value, especially music that attempts to expose Black youth to history and new perspectives, often gets overlooked and rarely takes off as mindless music with melodies does.
Putting the “hip” in hip-hop
But why does long-term success in hip-hop look so different in hip-hop from other genres? First, let’s not pretend that being a majority Black genre doesn’t play a factor. Black artists have never been afforded the same luxuries as their White counterparts.
At the same time, though, we have to put the onus on the Black community and fans of the genre. We must support legendary artists and keep their music alive once the industry has discarded them.
For instance, Nicki Minaj is still relatively young but constantly told she’s too old for the game and needs to retire to make space for the young, up-and-coming artists. Similarly, Jay-Z is a tad older but still insanely talented. However, various newbies have disrespected and disregarded his legacy to promote themselves.
Other communities demand respect for their iconic artists, but do we? Not at all.
For the most part, we jump onto the next wave and embrace whatever is popular to be “hip.” This is where we’ve gotten it wrong as a community. Other genres of music pay homage to their legends. Still, we have created a culture that excuses and sometimes even champions the disrespect of elders, which is probably why the genre is almost unrecognizable and has gotten progressively darker and more toxic over the years.
These days, the prevailing message in hip-hop seems to be “live fast and die young.” Unfortunately, many of today’s artists are doing just that. With the heavy promotion of gun violence, hard drugs, etc., many rappers are lucky to reach the age of 30. If we don’t find a way to derail this train, one day, this conversation may be a moot topic, as there may not be any elders left in hip-hop to discuss.
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