Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders · Vulture & New York Magazine

Hip-Hop Is 50 and It’s Having a Midlife Crisis

September 26, 2023·46 min·3 clips

Hip-hop has always had a radical posture. That doesn't mean it was radical in action.

Sam Sanders hosts this episode examining hip-hop's 50th anniversary through a critical lens, questioning the overwhelmingly positive celebratory narratives. He is joined by Jason England, a professor and critic, and Kiana Fitzgerald, a hip-hop scholar and journalist, who both offer pointed critiques of the genre's current state. Jason England argues hip-hop is experiencing a "midlife crisis," having traded its revolutionary edge for corporate comfort and establishment approval. He cites specific moments like Lil Wayne performing "Mrs. Officer" at the Vice President's residence and KRS-One, who once made "Sound of da Police," freestyling for former police officer Mayor Eric Adams. England points to Jay-Z's later albums, like *4:44*, as emblematic of this shift, where lyrics focus on art as investment and luxury rather than street narratives. He also notes the political evolution of figures like Ice Cube, who once said he'd never dine with a president but now associates with figures like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson. Kiana Fitzgerald centers her critique on hip-hop's enduring and largely unaddressed issues with misogyny and homophobia. She highlights the celebration of figures like Dr. Dre, who has admitted to past abuse, at major events like the Grammys as an example of the industry ignoring harm. Fitzgerald recalls how even revered early artists, from A Tribe Called Quest to Jay-Z, produced lyrics that were demeaning to women and queer people, with the derogatory use of "faggot" being rampant for decades. She notes that while women artists today are more visible, they are held to vastly higher standards than their male counterparts, having to excel in multiple areas like performance, appearance, and personality just to compete. A surprising insight is England's concession that hip-hop's corporatization was likely inevitable within American capitalism, framing his critique less as an indictment of individual artists and more of the system that co-opts Black cultural production. Fitzgerald offers a nuanced view of current female success, arguing that while artists like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are winning, they must perform a exhausting multiplicity of roles that male artists are not required to fulfill. Both guests express frustration that the 50th-anniversary discourse has largely avoided these difficult, necessary conversations about the genre's flaws. The episode maintains a conversational yet analytical tone, structured as a series of interviews where Sanders prompts his guests to elaborate on their pointed critiques with specific examples. The style is educational and reflective, balancing historical context with current events to build a coherent argument about the genre's evolution. This episode would deeply appeal to hip-hop fans seeking a more substantive, critical conversation beyond celebratory tributes, or anyone interested in the tensions between art, commerce, and social politics. Listeners who prefer their cultural commentary purely celebratory or who are uncomfortable with frank discussions of misogyny and homophobia in music might find it challenging.

As heard by us

A sharp anniversary episode that resists the easy, polished version of hip hop at 50.

Sam Sanders turns Hip Hop at 50 into more than a victory lap. The episode takes in the usual anniversary glow, from a VMAs tribute to a New York Times package and a concert at Yankee Stadium, then keeps pushing on the harder question: what does it mean to celebrate a genre that…

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You want the anniversary party with the awkward truth in the middle.

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