Who Will Be the Next Big Rap or Hip Hop Music Superstar?
With so much crossover success and experimentation in today's hip hop and rap music markets, it seems harder than ever to know exactly what people are listening to and what they want.
Finding Critical Success
Hip Hop has come a long way from the first Rap Grammy awarded to DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince in 1988. Today, the respected genre produces talented artists with a wide variety of influences to bring to the style.
Air Time and Popularity
There's always a thin line between what is popular and what is good. A quick spin through the radio stations in your area might not be the best representation of contemporary hip hop music. The style is massively popular and widely produced - one look at the Billboard charts will reveal nearly half of the top 100 albums are from Hip Hop artists. R. Kelly currently holds the top album spot; Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z) holds the top single with "Umbrella" and the Shop Boyz hold the number one record. Three top spots, three Hip Hop/ R&B artists. Try flicking through the radio dial on your home or car radio and you'll be hard pressed to find a music station not jumping on the Hip Hop wagon.
Today's Superstars
So, with such world wide exposure and monumental success, who are the men and women at the top of the heap? R. Kelley has always had great success on top of that mountain, with his mix of soulful R&B and dance club rhythms. His new album, Double Up, has already reached the top of the Charts, and is settling in for a lengthy stay. The Black Eyed Peas lead the pack when comes to successful Hip Hop and R&B groups, and solo recording artists like Rihanna, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige are tearing up the top tens with soulful singles.
With so many stars competing for the lead, how does one stay on top? The only antidote for competition is the best marketing plan in the business. Only those artists who keep their names in the circuit and on the charts, keep their fan bases going strong. T.I. and Akon both lend their vocals to dozens of tracks every year, Timbaland has had a hand in many huge releases this year including Justin Timberlake's Future Love Sex Sounds album and Nelly Furado's album Loose, and Rapper Jay-Z struck it big with singer Rihanna on their compilation track "Umbrella.” In no other genre of music are artists so willing to lend their voice, beat, and style to another's track. Collaboration is part of what makes Hip Hop and R&B such a melting pot of music.
Driving it Home
So, finding that next big artist might be as simple as waiting for the next big guest spot on a record. Kanye West gave ample air time to his protégé Lupe Fiasco before the latter's debut Food and Liquor hit the stores, and Akon has sang hooks for nearly 50 songs separate from his own albums.
In the end, it's a matter of marketing. Talent is key, but without the image, style, originality, and exposure, success is an unlikely future.
