I think this is a perfect example of one's perception being colored by their own specific experiences. I do kinda agree with tyisny that Kanye has had a pretty big impact culturally on mainstream hip-hop as a whole but that doesn't exactly mean that impact directly affects those in the hood like you think they would.
Maybe these are just my experiences but I've lived in the hood my whole life and despite Kanye being one of the biggest rappers in Hip-Hop for the last 10 years, I've never heard his music played in the hood, never heard a conversation about dude in the hood, and honestly I only know one person other than myself that listen to dude and he stop checking for him post 808s. You pull up bumping Kanye ****** would give you the straight side-eye
.
As far as clothes my experiences were the complete opposite of knowledgebones. Kanye started popping in 03-04 on the heels of the jersey era around the same time that DFB-White Tee came out. Like I said earlier this might just pertain to my area but if you were in the hood and didn't have any tall tees around this time you were a lame straight up.
As far as today I imagine hood dudes in NYC are more fashion forward than people elsewhere but where I'm at dudes are not rocking slim jeans and animal prints. I doubt anybody besides maybe females even know what the hell Hermes and Givenchy are, let alone rocking that ****. Hell ****** just learned what "red bottoms" are within the last year or two
I could respect that because being from NYC as opposed to maybe a smaller city Fashion may move at a slower pace or may be viewed at as something different. We are both discussing different SMALL areas. But when talking about MAINSTREAM impact and keeping it on that level...
At the time before Ye started to Grow a buzz (99-2002)... we had these things going on
- Gangsta rap was at it's height the legit opposite of Ye were the hottest things in hiphop (50 Cent, Dipset, Jadakiss etc etc)
- Most MAINSTREAM rappers were being forced to potray a tough guy image because nobody wanted to here that backpack ****.
- Hiphop fashion was ALL baggy clothing, it went from jerseys to button ups that were ALL 2-3x the size they should have been.
- Production was dominated by uptempo "futuristic" production from the likes of Timbo, Neptunes, Rotweiler, etc etc.
- MAINSTREAM hiphop lyrics were mostly about drugs, money, *******.
- MAINSTREAM hiphop videos were almost ALWAYS centered around clubs, Bling, *******, cars
- High fashion (In this Case exclusively LV & Gucci) were being printed on AF1, jackets, visors, even ****** cars ...... however none of that stuff was officially licensed and most rappers of that time weren't rocking anything that would be seen on a gucci runway show.
Around 2003 ye really starts to become famous... we now have this going on
- Him and Just Blaze together helped sonically change the ENTIRE sound of hip-hop, everything and everybody no matter the region was spitting on looped up soul ****... (YES WE KNOW soul samples were done before they weren't anywhere near as common as they were during the BP/ Dipset era)
- MAINSTREAM artist were no longer forced to try and be the tough guy, it was okay to say you went to school, it was okay to be proud of not being a gangster, it became much more relevant to make yourself seem more vulnerable to any emotion at all.
- By 2006 the entire look of mainstream Hiphop was completely changed... the jerseys were gone, alot of the clothes were fore "fitted", hiphop started to branch out to more streetwear inspired brands (Bape, stussy, supreme etc etc) and leaving the urban/hiphop brands alone (Sean John/ Enyce/ Rocawear etc etc)
- Then you have 808's which whether you liked it or hated it CLEARLY had an impact on how and what rappers could do. This was a guy coming off three critically acclaimed HIPHOP albums who started wearing suits all over and literally singing and adding sounds and themes not found in hiphop and mixing the two.
- Since then an ENTIRE generation of new rappers have all grown and became successful when just 3-4 years prior to that artist with their image wouldt be disrespected, labeled weird or be called a backpacker and forced to stay out of MAINSTREAM rap.
- High END FASHION was not celebrated in hiphop until after Kanye became famous... sure an occasional gucci bag or kicks was worn, some illegitimate bubble with g's on it was bought... but your average everyday rapper wasn't walkin around in the newest french fashions. they weren't in vogue, They weren't doing PARTNERSHIPS with luxury brands, they weren't being asked to debut pieces of a collection for the world to see.
so basically this guy since being here has changed the SOUND OF MAINSTREAM MUSIC, CHANGED THE WAY YOUR AVERAGE RAPPER DRESSES, CHANGED THE WAY MAINSTREAM AMERICA ALLOWS RAPPERS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES (Runaway film, countless Videos, Stageshows to rival anyone), Is arguably the Biggest black rapper alive....
the guy has not only introduced the hood to other cultures, but he's introduced other cultures to hood culture.
How is that same person not impacting the culture that's all i want to know.
