In recent news the beloved Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in front of his clothing store on Sunday march 31st. The New York Times published an article focusing on how today’s “middle class” rappers who decide to stay close to home are doing so at a risk for their lives. I decided to analyze this piece through a historical lens because I found some of the comparisons of rapper lifestyles today and in the past interesting.

The author Joe Coscarelli, points out that rappers like Nipsey Hussle were able to capitalize on free or low cost streaming platforms such as spotify, youtube, etc. Historically, rappers in places like Los Angeles were only able to get their music out by means of handing out CD’s and tapes to people in their neighborhood. Interestingly enough, because Hussle’s career started over a decade ago he did begin putting out his music in the same way that rappers of the 90’s would have without access to all of the social platforms of today.

Similarly, as with in the 90s these “niche” rappers, as described by Coscarelli are able to continue strong ties and connections with their communities. I immediately thought of the likes of Biggie and Tupac. Although they received national popularity, they were often found in the same neighborhoods in which they grew up. This is the same lifestyle Nipsey Hussle chose to continue ties with his community and give back from what he was earning.

In contrast to the lifestyles of historic rap stars and Nipsey Hussle, in the present day most rappers choose a more aloof approach. They hideaway in expensive neighborhoods and homes, under the protection of heavy security. Their public appearances are carefully planned and kept under control at all times. I would argue that this is a luxury afforded to modern rap stars both because of the amount of money they are able to make in modern times and because they had the ability to learn from history. While famous rappers of 10-20 years ago were able to make a good living, it is laughable in comparison to what a famous rapper can make today. For reference, it is estimated that Tupac’s net worth was about $100,000 when he was alive. While in comparison, Jay Z is worth an estimated $900 million. In that aspect, of course this difference in salary can account for the hidden away/secluded lifestyle many famous artists choose to have. As opposed to the authors point which seemed to be certain artists are more interested in remaining an active and present part of their communities.

To my second point, modern day rap superstars have had the luxury of learning from history to guide their behaviors and interactions with the outside world. With knowledge of the deaths of famous artists in the past, due to in large part their accessibility in the streets, they have been able to make more informed decisions about where they want to live. To be fair, not all up and coming artists of today have the financial ability to seclude themselves away as their more famous/ successful counterparts, but it is still worth noting. It is also possible that because they are not as successful they feel more of a connection with their community. Whereas historically, even major success did not necessarily mean one would cut ties with their communities, I think the level of success is a more important deciding factor in the present day.

Work cited: here 

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