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The GRAMMYs At Lollapalooza With Deadmau5 And Atmosphere

Backstage with Deadmau5 and Atmosphere at the 20th anniversary of Lollapalooza

GRAMMYs/Dec 3, 2014 - 05:06 am

The Recording Academy Chicago Chapter played host for The GRAMMYs At Lollapalooza during the festival's 20th anniversary installment from Aug. 5–7 in Chicago's Grant Park. The Chapter conducted exclusive backstage interviews with artists performing at the festival, including GRAMMY-nominated electronic producer/remixer Deadmau5 and hip-hop collective Atmosphere.

Deadmau5 spoke about performing at Lollapalooza, music production, creating music for the video game "Minecraft," and transitioning from remixing to producing, among other topics.

"I like the subjectivity of music production," said Deadmau5. "I go home and I write [a] track but then other producers and placement agencies have this different vibe and take on the track, and apply it to their moment. It's something for everyone, literally."

Widely known for his oversized illuminated mouse-head mask, Canada native Joel Zimmerman (aka Deadmau5) has established himself as one of the most innovative and popular global live electronic acts. He has collaborated as an arranger/producer/remixer with artists such as Foo Fighters, Tommy Lee's Methods Of Mayhem and electronic artist Morgan Page, the latter project garnering him a GRAMMY nomination in 2008 for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for Page's "The Longest Road." That same year Deadmau5 won a Juno Award for Dance Recording Of The Year for After Hours. His most recent solo project, 2010's 4 X 4 = 12, cracked the Top 50 on the Billboard 200. Deadmau5 is currently touring the United States and Canada.

Minneapolis-based hip-hop collective Atmosphere features rapper Sean "Slug" Daley and producer Anthony "Ant" Davis. Daley discussed working with Davis, the evolution of the group's style, songwriting, and performing live, among other topics.

"We're interested in trying to find this place within the audience where we're all kind of on the same page," said Daley on performing live. "When I play sets it's about trying to run the gamut of everything that we've done and play a little bit off of all the different [albums]. That's a way of showing that [our music] is all tied together."

Atmosphere's Daley and Davis released their debut album, Overcast! in 1998, followed by 2003's Seven's Travels and 2005's Headshots: Se7en, both of which made headway on the Billboard 200. Their 2008 release, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S*** Gold, featured guest background vocals by the likes of Tom Waits and TV On The Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, their highest-charting album on the pop chart to date. Released in April, their most recent release, The The Family Sign, peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. The group is currently on tour throughout the United States.

Come back to GRAMMY.com tomorrow for more exclusive backstage interviews from The GRAMMYs At Lollapalooza.

(The GRAMMYs At Lollapalooza: Videography by Colleen Mares and Thomas Brankin; Interviews by Kiana Basu, Liz Gassner and Max O'Kane)

The GRAMMYs At Lollapalooza 2011: Arctic Monkeys, Atmosphere, Black Cards, Haley Bonar, Cage The Elephant, Cults, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Deadmau5, Dani Deahl, Deluka, DJ Lady D, Fitz And The Tantrums, Foster The People, Gold Motel, Ellie Goulding, Skylar Grey, Mayer Hawthorne, Kids These Days, Le Butcherettes, Maps & Atlases, My Morning Jacket, Tab The Band, and Young The Giant

REZZ Is Ready To Be Seen On New Album: "It Just Feels More Evolved"
REZZ performs at Escape Halloween 2023

Photo: Tessa Paisan

interview

REZZ Is Ready To Be Seen On New Album: "It Just Feels More Evolved"

Electronic producer and DJ REZZ has arrived in a new headspace, but a familiar place. Recorded in her hometown of Toronto, her new album, 'CAN YOU SEE ME?,' is the experimental, sonically far-out result of a much more chill outlook.

GRAMMYs/Mar 13, 2024 - 01:43 pm

REZZ thought she was going to die on her last tour.

The prominent electronic producer and DJ born Isabelle Rezazadeh was traveling through North America in support of her 2022 album, Spiral, when all of a sudden, insomnia reared its ugly head. 

She was sleeping two hours a night at most, which caused severe anxiety that prevented her from eating. But she was forced to repeat the cycle of getting on a plane the next day and playing headlining gigs. It was traumatizing. 

"It makes me laugh all the time because the title of the last album was Spiral, and ironically, I spiraled out of my mind that year," REZZ tells GRAMMY.com. "After I experienced such a terrible time, I really have changed." 

Now REZZ is settled into her hometown of Toronto, truly appreciating the little things in life. Getting a good night’s sleep. Taking a hot shower. Eating a solid breakfast. Most of all, she appreciates having time for her craft. "I am much happier being at home and making music," she says. "I feel normal. Every day is just chill."

In this happy and chill headspace, REZZ made her new album, CAN YOU SEE ME?, out March 14 on her label, HypnoVizion Records. Ironically, the record does not sound chill at all.

Where Spiral was more radio-friendly and featured vocals from pop star Dove Cameron, CAN YOU SEE ME? is decidedly experimental. REZZ buries the melodies underneath gruesome sound design and explores a wide variety of BPMs, combining "a lot of my main inspirations. Fusing bass music with industrial sounds. Mixing crazy noises and crazy rhythms," she says. 

"DYSPHORIA" is a stuttering, slow-moving production that flaunts massive low-end frequencies. REZZ takes the tempo even slower and makes the bass even deeper on "CUT ME OUT"; in an experimental move, she goes double-time into a house music break at the end of the track. 

"The inspiration was super high. [CAN YOU SEE ME?] just feels more evolved," she continues. 

GRAMMY.com spoke to REZZ about how her artistry has evolved on CAN YOU SEE ME?, trusting her fans through this evolution, and how she plans to approach touring to maintain her chill state of mind.

The title of this album is CAN YOU SEE ME? Do you feel like you’re finally being seen as an artist?

That title came from the track on my album, "CAN YOU SEE ME?" I do like that interpretation of it, though. It could be perceived as a flex of "Check this production out. Can you see me now?" I’m super down for it to be perceived that way. 

I really like the music on this album. I think it’s really representative of where I’m at currently with my music production. It really capitalizes on the instrumentation. 

I realized that my favorite music I’ve ever made is definitely instrumental music. Sometimes that type of music isn't the most streamed or the most popular. But for me, to my core, my favorite stuff is instrumental, and I think this album is really reflective of that. 

One key difference between this album and your previous releases is that there are no tracks within the 90–100 BPM range. Why is that tempo absent from this album?

There are no mid-tempo songs on this album in terms of what I'm notorious for: the 85, 90, and 100 BPM range. But what I did try to do was execute some of the feelings of my previous instrumental music. The same feeling, but in a different BPM range; that was really refreshing. With that came some new styles for me. 

But I do think that while there's no particular mid-tempo on the project, I truly believe that my fans are going to connect with it super hard. I don't even think they will notice the difference in terms of the BPM. I think people will be like, This definitely still sounds like her, just a little bit different. A little bit heavier. A little bit darker

I plan to create more stuff that's around the 140–150 BPM range. It's a new pace for me. It allows for new ideas and new arrangements.

My favorite artists are the ones who are so fearless. They'll make whatever they want to make, even if it's the weirdest thing you've ever heard in your entire life. That, to me, is a true artist. I want to continue down that path and make whatever I want.

What song on this album do you think will challenge your fans the most?

Out of all of them, I think "Exorcism" will. I'm stoked, though. I made "Exorcism" with this amazing artist named Kavari. She is insane with her sound design.  

The sound design on "Exorcism" is so out there. It's so ear-catching. It's one of those songs that you almost don't know if you hate it or love it. I don't even know if I can call it a song. I don't know what it is. It's like a terror, horror track. 

Kavari already has the support of Aphex Twin. She's amazing; she's the epitome of artistic integrity. She's up and coming, but I really believe in her project. I feel really lucky to have worked with her in her, I suppose, early-blooming career.

What is it like for you to take younger artists under your wing?

It's awesome. It benefits everyone involved, but I don't care how big or small an artist is. It doesn't matter what their monthly listeners are or how popular or famous, or not famous [they are]. It just matters to me if I like their stuff. 

I love working with newer artists because their drive is so sharp. As an artist, when you start your journey, usually you're so fast. You're so quick. You're responsive. My personality is very much like that. I'm very impatient with making music. I love working with other people who are like that as well. 

I find sometimes, when people have been at it for a really long time, there’s a little bit of laziness going on. They've done it all, so they don't have that same hunger and desire to get the song done.

Deadmau5 took you under his wing; he signed some of your first releases and you produced "Hypnocurrency" together in 2021. Now your collaboration has reached new heights with your shared project, REZZMAU5, which has a song on CAN YOU SEE ME? What has it been like to take your working relationship to the next level?

There are no words. It genuinely is so insane to fathom. I know I've said this a million times in so many interviews about him being the reason that I started. But I really think that should never go unnoticed. 

It's the craziest thing when the reason you started doing something is because of someone that you perceive as a legend. You admire their art so much. Then to have a whole project [with them], it’s unbelievable. 

I remember the first show that we played. We headlined Veld Music Festival in Toronto. When I was 16, I attended that festival. I saw [deadmau5] perform there. It was unbelievable. Very inspiring. To then headline that stage in front of 60,000 people. It's just completely shocking. I cried a little bit in my room before I went on stage because I was just so overwhelmed by emotion.

How has your relationship with deadmau5 changed in terms of making music, if it has changed at all? 

He definitely respects me a lot. He doesn't love a lot of electronic music and a lot of electronic music artists. So it feels really special to me to feel his respect. He definitely cares a lot about my opinions when we're working together.

He's very honest with me, too, which is amazing. If I have an idea that he doesn't like for a track to be included in our set, he'll very quickly tell me, "I don't like this. This is trash." But I really respect the honesty. 

How are you going to approach touring for CAN YOU SEE ME? so that issues like insomnia and anxiety don’t arise?

Well, first of all, there isn't actually going to be a whole album tour. That experience was so traumatizing that I changed the trajectory of my touring. I'm not spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on production. I'm not doing any of that. 

I picked select CAN YOU SEE ME? themed shows, and it's going to be sprinkled throughout the year. There's going to be Red Rocks. There's going to be one in Phoenix, Miami, and New York. But these are all spaced out. It's not within one month. 

For someone else, [a larger tour] would have been easy. But for me, it is what it is. You can change a lot about yourself, but some things are not so natural to be changed.

As the Serenity Prayer goes, "Give us the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

So true. If I had a choice, do I want to love touring all the time? I'd say yes because that would just mean more shows and more success. But I don't have that choice. I prefer to be home. The nature of my being is different. 

It's like forcing an introvert to constantly go to parties every weekend. They don't want to do it. You can't force that. It's going to cause them a lot of damage because they're trying to mold and shape themselves into something that they're not.

It’s impressive that you were able to become more self-aware from that experience.

It’s not always easy to do. Certain circumstances will traumatize you and keep you traumatized for a long time. That's totally understandable. But in my specific case with that experience, I'm so grateful it happened, even though it was single-handedly the worst thing I have ever experienced in my life. 

I felt totally out of control. It felt like something had taken over me that I couldn't fix. Once you experience a situation where your life feels like it’s out of your hands, that's when you get slapped and you realize what's really important. 

So was the new album made after you realized what’s really important?

Absolutely. This album came together very quickly for me. Very effortlessly. There was no strain. There was no stress. There was no overthinking. It was very smooth because my brain had space for it. My brain had the clarity and the vision.

I think that's why I love this album so much, too. It's very representative of where I'm at. It's really high-quality stuff. Being in this headspace has a lot to do with the project and the way it's turned out.

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How Singer/Songwriter Camden Cox Brings Lyrical Integrity To Dance Music
Camden Cox

Photo: Jeff Spicer / Stringer / Getty Images

interview

How Singer/Songwriter Camden Cox Brings Lyrical Integrity To Dance Music

The multi-hyphenate has worked with some of dance music’s biggest acts — including John Summit, deadmau5 and Kaskade — and is on a mission to "write from the soul" in a genre where lyrical depth is often underappreciated.

GRAMMYs/Dec 15, 2023 - 04:24 pm

Underneath much of dance music’s beat- and melody-driven landscape is shallow lyrical content — unless Camden Cox is holding the pen. 

The 30-year-old singer/songwriter’s philosophy — write not just from the heart, but also from the soul — is a defining aspect of her fan-first artistic identity.  This deeply personal creative process has also enabled her to transcend the genre’s vacuous, garden-variety lyricism. 

Cox’s voice quivers as she recalls the start of the songwriting session that would spawn John Summit’s "Where You Are," a song that embodies this ethos. "I was going through a breakup and I was wondering if they were thinking about me as much as I was thinking about them. I take myself back to that moment and I get emotional talking about it," she says. "I just love putting emotions into my lyrics — it’s such an incredible feeling."

"Where You Are" is not the only dance/electronic consensus hit to which Cox lent her lyrical muscle this year. The British songstress also co-wrote "Escape," the single with which  Kaskade and deadmau5 debuted their joint project, Kx5, in 2022. Penned by Cox, Hayla (who vocalizes its ruminative lyrics), Eddie Jenkins, and Will Clarke, the song was released on Kx5’s eponymous LP, which has been nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album at the 2024 GRAMMYs. Fellow nominees in the category are Playing Robots Into Heaven from James Blake, the Chemical Brothers' For That Beautiful Feeling, Skrillex's Quest For Fire, and Fred again..'s Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022)

Beyond her indomitable collection of writing credits for esteemed producers like Eli & Fur and Dombresky is a repertoire of work that’s entirely her own. Cox's recent work includes a solo single, October’s "Touching Me," and a just-dropped collab with Summit and Mathame called "Hungover" in which Cox is the featured singer.

In an interview with GRAMMY.com, Cox details her refusal to write anything "half-ass," subverting dance’s often tepid interest in lyrics, and how her time behind the decks has informed her approach to singing, songwriting, and DJing.

"Escape" and "Where You Are" were two of the biggest dance records this year. What about these songs caused them to skyrocket?

We followed the same formula. We wrote "Escape," and we had no idea that deadmau5 or Kaskade were going to get their hands on it. It was just a normal, ordinary session. 

We wrote this song, knew it was amazing, and then nothing happened with it for a year or two. Then, all of a sudden, I heard this random demo from deadmau5; he'd done a version of it. Once Kaskade got involved, they revamped the whole song. 

John Summit heard it and absolutely loved it; he was playing it out everywhere and he also did the official remix for it. His team reached out to us and said, "Can you write something similar?"

Deadmau5 has been an incredible influence on you, how did the song find its way to him?

Eddie Jenkins also wrote both of these songs with Hayla, and his management knew deadmau5’s management. He sent the song to deadmau5 and was like, "Hey, this your comeback, I think." It wasn't very deadmau5 [at that point]; it was a lot darker and a lot more progressive. 

I've based my entire sound and influence around that [deadmau5 type of] sound...It was so validating because I spent my entire career, my childhood, and my teens listening to Random Album Title by deadmau5. As a writer, you write what you are inspired by because it's just in your blood, in your mind, in your soul. 

So, it goes to show how much I did listen to Kaskade and deadmau5 to be able to get a song to them, however many years later. 

There will always be a place for beat-driven tunes in dance, but do you also get the sense that people are looking for a little more emotional resonance from dance music now?

Yeah. What I love about these two records is they can be stripped to piano and they're literally like ballads. They're so meaningful and they’re so from the heart. We wrote them with absolute integrity — they’re not just something you throw away. 

When  you do these sessions where the writing just takes more time and effort, it's so worth it when you get the final outcome. I think people love that because you not only can rave to it, but you can cry to it as well.

How do you balance your lyric-forward approach in a genre where lyrics aren’t always as appreciated as they are in other genres?

It's such a tricky one because I've been in sessions where the songwriters have been like, "It doesn't matter what the lyrics are as long as the melody is good," but lyrics are my thing. I love writing lyrics. I always dig deep and take my time. I’ll have rhyming dictionaries open; it's an operation for me. 

Even though lyrics can take a backseat, I don't let that affect the way I write. Even if people don't listen, I'm still going to write it from the soul, because you will get those musical people that want to break it down and hear the story, and they're the people who are really going to appreciate it. If one person can listen and appreciate it, that's good enough for me.

Do you often find yourself pushing back in these situations?

As I've grown in confidence and experience, I push back more and more. Whereas a lot of producers will say "Oh no, this is fine," I'll say, "No, I've heard it before." I've heard it a million times and I want it to mean something to me and to whoever gets to listen. Eventually, they just give in because they know that I'm not going to settle. So, I'll hone in on the lyrics, and then I'll send them a new version with better lyrical content.

You grew up in a very musical home; your dad loved rock and your mom, drum ‘n’ bass. How you made your way to dance music is clear, but what’s kept you here?

It's the one genre I just don't ever get bored of it. It's in my blood; I grew up on drum ‘n’ bass music, so I just love heavy, heavy beats and big basslines. As a little girl, I used to prance around singing along to the Prodigy and stuff like that, so it's in my soul.

I find that dance music is the most timeless genre. Pop is pop, and you’re always going to get songs that stick around for years, but those dance tunes that came out 20, 30 years ago that are absolute classics. In the dance world, when a song hits, it will stay with ravers forever, and I just think there's something really special in that. I listen to dance in my spare time when I'm not even working or writing. All I really listen to is dance. 

You used to start your songs as poems. Tell me how that started; did you read a lot of poetry when you were younger?

I didn't read it, but when I first started writing, I struggled with lyrics. I remember the first song I wrote. I said to my mom, "Can you write me a poem and I'll make it into a song?" And she did. Then I asked my dad, and he did the same thing. I made them into a song, and that unlocked a part of my brain. After that, I just started writing the poetry. 

Now, the melodies usually come before the lyrics, but if I have a sentence or something in my head that I think is really inspiring, I'll write it down. I never go full poems anymore. I go for a quote, for example. I recently found one, something "like remember when this all seemed impossible?" and I had a session with John Summit and I was like, "I wanna write that concept." So, I went in and sang something to those words. There’s no rules, and that’s what I love about it.

You’ve said you’ll often go into the studio and freestyle since the first take is often the best. 

It's my favorite way to write. When I freestyle, I always do it with a handheld mic, because I just feel like I can be a bit freer; I can walk around, I can sit down. The trick is to put autotune on pretty full blast, with loads of nice reverb and delays and compression, so it almost sounds ready when you hear it back. 

It'll all be a bit messy, but then you'll hear it back with the tuning on and you're like, Yeah, that's what I was trying to do. I just love working like that. I find it the most creative and the most productive because you come out with so much stuff and then you just narrow it down until you get the best three sections.

Learning how to DJ has to be transformative when it comes to conceptualizing new songs.

It’s helped me even further. Now being the one in control of the decks and understanding what keeps a crowd has unlocked a whole new world. It's crazy because I thought I knew everything that you could know about dance music — I grew up on it, I write it, I live and breathe it — but there's a whole other perception with DJing, and it's really helped me with my writing.

It's also hard to get a booking as a singer on a dance song. One of the reasons why I wanted to start DJing was because I knew I could probably get some bookings out of it. Two was because I'm writing all these dance songs, and all these DJs are playing them out and no one knows I've written them. I just wanted to get behind the decks and play my portfolio. It's opened up a whole new fan base for me.

Speaking of, you recently wrapped your first residency in Ibiza. How was that?

I go to Ibiza every year anyway, being a dance head, and I've been to all the clubs. I've gone and watched my songs being played out, but I just never envisioned myself doing it. And then this year, all these bookings flooded in because I started DJing. 

I've only been DJing for a year and a half, but because I had already made a bit of a name for myself in the dance world as a singer when people started to realize I was DJing, I was getting bookings a bit easier. I started suddenly seeing my name on some posters and it all became very real. 

I had the time in my life, but I also did find it very exhausting because there's so much traveling. Tour life is actually quite hectic, and it really hit me, but it was also very incredible and such a learning curve. Each gig, you learn something. 

Now that you’re doing the singing, the songwriting, and the DJing, how do you find balance? 

I'm a machine. I think I'm a bit of a workaholic because I just love it so much. I genuinely know how lucky I am that I get to do what I love for a living. But I found the more gigs I did, the more traveling I did, I knew that as much as I wanted to be in the studio — and I was getting offered good sessions — I'd have to turn them down because I knew I'd need a couple of days to recover. 

I did my last show, and it felt so fulfilling. Now, I'm back in the studio, and I built up so much inspiration over the summer because I couldn't write as much as I wanted to, so I was bursting at the seams. I'm going like 100 miles an hour right now, writing five days a week. I'll be doing this until I burn out.

Given that you’ve been writing so frequently, what has the process of shaping your musical identity been like these days?

I feel like I'm starting to find a few identities in my writing. There's a darkness to what I'm writing, but there's a good balance between brightness and darkness, as in this raw emotion that will come out in a really pretty melody. I'm good at finding that balance where you could cry and dance to it. 

Thinking about how this relates to your music, where do you hope to take your artist project next?

Getting nominated for a GRAMMY for something of my own is the dream. Getting nominated as a writer is such a big tick for me. So now, I want to aim for the next level, which is maybe getting nominated for something that I'm singing on, and eventually getting nominated for a GRAMMY for something that is just mine.

I've also got some really exciting collabs coming up. Me and John [Summit] have a song coming out together in two weeks. Right now, I'm establishing myself in London, in the UK a little bit, but it just takes a lot of time. 

Some people have one song and then that's it — they're blowing up in the charts. It's not happened like that for me; I've been working away behind the scenes. I'm just hoping that through some collaborations, I will be introduced to new audiences who will then discover my music, which will allow me to keep releasing.

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
Kendrick Lamar

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

video

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

GRAMMYs/Oct 13, 2023 - 06:01 pm

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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Hip-Hop Just Rang In 50 Years As A Genre. What Will Its Next 50 Years Look Like?
(L-R) Cardi B; Ice Spice; Tyler, the Creator; Flo Milli

(L-R) Marc Piasecki/WireImage, Jason Koerner/Getty Images, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella; Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

interview

Hip-Hop Just Rang In 50 Years As A Genre. What Will Its Next 50 Years Look Like?

Since its invention in 1973, hip-hop has hurtled ever forward in its evolution. In honor of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, a roundtable of artists and industry experts consider the future of the sound and culture.

GRAMMYs/Aug 11, 2023 - 02:59 pm

With the official 50th anniversary of hip-hop on Aug. 11, the music industry worldwide is vaunting this quintessential American artform.

In honor of hip-hop's golden anniversary, a global community has given the culture's leading lights their flowers, unpacked its regional sounds, and debated its most important releases.

Throughout, the genre's fans have marveled how it blossomed throughout the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s and into present day, permeating absolutely everything.

“It has become a lifestyle. It has simply become part of the air,” Andrew Barber, a hip-hop writer who founded the blog Fake Shore Drive, tells GRAMMY.com. “From sneakers to fashion to slang — even how records outside of the genre are promoted and created draw from hip-hop.

“It's such a force of nature,” Barber continues, “I'm not sure people even realize it's everywhere we look now.”

But as far as it’s come, it might be just getting started. After all, it’s unfathomable how far hip-hop’s come since the days of “Rapper’s Delight”; where it could propagate and flourish into the next half-century is anyone’s guess.

Obviously, nobody can predict exactly how this will happen. But by examining the first 50 years of hip-hop, one can ascertain a few clues as to where this cultural juggernaut is headed.

Read on for a roundtable discussion with creators, movers and shakers in the music industry, who offer insight as to how hip-hop will continue to resonate decades from now.

Kathy Iandoli

Kathy Iandoli

*Photo: Krista Schlueter*

Hip-hop journalist, author of 2022’s God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

I would say that as the tax bracket of hip-hop has changed, so has everything else. From the subject matter to notoriety, to fashion, to even geotags where it's thriving — everything has shifted in waves.

In many ways, it's definitely progressed and improved — especially as it pertains to the prominence of women. Considering hip-hop has always remained on the pulse of nearly everything, it's also always ahead of the trends. We witness that in real time when it comes to platforms like TikTok, and even the adoption of AI.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

I would give the most credit to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill for expanding the parameters of what is categorically considered hip-hop — since half of the album is sung, which has lent itself to the ever-evolving trend of rappers also singing.

I would even throw the Fugees' The Score in there, as an album that showed just how far hip-hop can go when truly allowed to swim in the mainstream.

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

I think we will see this continuation of experimentation with other genres, while at the same time witnessing artists return to the purity of the art form.

The younger generations of hip-hop artists are now finally learning about the legends and the music they created, so there will be a group of artists who will want to tinker with that sound, similar to when rock musicians of the early 2000s adopted a '70s vintage/punk rock sound. Everything happens in cycles.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

The essential component for any long-term growth is acknowledging the power of hip-hop and its impact on a global level. If at any point that needs to be re-stated, then the message was already lost in translation and won't contribute to the growth of the genre as a whole. 

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

Coi Leray, hands down. Not only does Coi acknowledge, respect, and collaborate with the legends; she constantly innovates, while working not only on the music, but also the fashion and visuals. She embodies her moniker of Trendsetter. I hope other artists of her generation do the same.

Kid Kenn

Kid Kenn

*Photo: Rueguh*

Chicago-based rapper

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years?

Hip-hop has come a long way in the past 50 years! It's a whole new game. It's not just the guys spitting bars anymore. We got badass female artists and gay artists representing. There’s more variety in the industry than ever!

What has changed, progressed or improved?

You can create your own lane. We got the internet and social media. Anybody with a dream and a mic can blow up! It's opened doors for all kinds of talent.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider essential to the genre's evolution?

I have to give props to The Pinkprint; that’s prime Nicki Minaj. And "Busy Being Bad," my upcoming project — it’s coming out soon and I’m excited!

Can you predictwhere hip-hop's gonna be in the next 50 years?

Hip-hop will become even more free. Artists will be able to express themselves in ways nobody has thought of, and it will be exciting. 

What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Sounds, styles and visuals that'll blow your mind. Artists like me will be pushing the envelope. There won’t be any holding back and we'll be rocking to beats we ain't even imagined yet.

What's needed for hip-hop to keep growing internationally and staying lit for years to come?

It's all about staying true to who we are. You have to be authentic. We gotta keep telling our stories and collaborating. Hip-hop is going to keep blazing trails worldwide.

Who's leading the charge into hip-hop's next 50 years in your book?

I'm ready to tear it up and redefine the industry. There's a whole new wave of artists who are pushing boundaries. We're the ones who are going to keep hip-hop fresh and unforgettable.

Peter $un

Peter $un

*Photo courtesy of the artist*

L.A.-based rapper

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

The styles, melodies and cadences have changed for sure. There’s different rhythms and rhyme schemes always, and it’s exciting. The beats have improved and there’s a lot of innovation in the way things are sampled/flipped. There are artists like Knxwledge and Terrace Martin who are innovators progressing the genre, and so many others.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

There’s a lot [laughs]. Of course, Nas’ Illmatic, everything by Jay-Z basically, DMX’s Hell Is Hot, Goodie Mob’s Soul Food, Outkast’s whole discography, Lil Wayne’s The Dedication, “Run,” and Tha Carter, and more recently, Drake.

Then, you’ve got DJ Harrison’s Tales From The Old Dominion, JID’s The Never Story, Kendrick Lamar’s Damn., and J Cole… Like I said, there are a lot!

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

I believe hip-hop is always evolving, but there’s a lot of golden-era rap that seems like it will forever be here. People will always love a fire sample with some hard bars over it. 

But I feel like there’s a space opening in alternative rap with songs genre-blending, so I think in 50 years it will be a mix of those two areas.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

Support and good music. Good music is always undeniable regardless, and can stand the test of time. I believe we also need the artists, DJs, etc. in the genre to usher in the new acts and put on artists that have something to say.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop?

Honestly, besides me, Tyler, the Creator has always pushed it. Liv.e, Knxwledge, Pink Siifu, Jordan Ward, Young Nudy, Larry June, Smino, Flo Milli, Gwen Bunn, and Kamaiyah are just a few others, and more. 

I think there’s a lot of innovation in the genre and things will become more blended between R&B and rap. But samples will forever be the core of hip-hop and I think diggers will dig harder and there’s always going to be a space for that for sure.

Andrew Barber

Andrew Barber

*Photo: David Cabrera*

Hip-hop writer, founder of Chicago hip-hop blog Fake Shore Drive

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

It has become a lifestyle. It has simply become part of the air. From sneakers to fashion to slang — even how records outside of the genre are promoted and created draw from hip-hop. It's such a force of nature, I'm not sure people even realize it's everywhere we look now. 

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

Hip-hop is so vast and music taste is subjective so this is a tough one to answer. It's kind of a choose-your-own-adventure situation. Different ages and different regions will have different answers.

But one thing I can say for sure: Album or single sales aren't the end-all, be-all. Sales never tell the full story.

MF DOOM never really charted or sold much while he was alive — especially when he was at this output peak in the mid-2000s. But now many of his songs have hundreds of millions of streams. 

Sometimes it takes years for artists to get the respect and accolades they deserve, while albums that were multi-platinum upon release are now forgotten punchlines. 

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Songs will get shorter and the lines between genres will continue to blur. Also, smaller regional markets who aren't traditionally known for breaking hip-hop talent will continue to grow and become a force — which is something I'm most excited about. 

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

Innovation! Not being scared to take risks with your art. Standing out instead of fitting in. Stop chasing the algorithm.

Sowmya Krishnamurthy

Sowmya Krishnamurthy

*Photo: David Noles*

Music journalist, author, pop culture expert

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

Hip-hop has gone from outsider to insider, from the streets of New York City to the dominant culture around the world. What began as underground — what some deemed as ephemeral, noise, a fad — is now the biggest genre. Hip-hop has grown to be a commercial juggernaut and the harbinger of all things cool.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

I’m a firm believer that if you can’t recite the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy,” you’re not really a hip-hop fan.

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Hip-hop will definitely be on Mars! In all seriousness, I see the sound becoming more diversified with hyperlocal scenes and niche artists. Personally, I’d love to see a return to valuing lyricism and venerating artists that can actually rap over data and the cult of personality.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

Hip-hop resonates around the world because of its universal DNA of rebellion and youthful energy. You don’t need to speak a singular language to understand it. Industry gatekeepers should embrace international artists and global sounds. I’d love to see more collaborations across borders and seeing hip-hop as a form of diplomacy.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

The playing field is wide open. Female rappers like Cardi B, Ice Spice and GloRilla are at the forefront of what’s new and what’s trending. There’s a resurgence of nostalgia and old school artists such as Jadakiss and Noreaga are enjoying a second act.

Meanwhile, Jay-Z was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Pharrell Williams has hip-hop on the Louis Vuitton runway in Paris. Anything is possible.

Bryan Michael-Cox

Bryan Michael-Cox

*Photo: Kobe Boateng*

Producer, songwriter

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

The evolution of hip-hop has been the most incredibly advanced of any genre. Think about it, DJ Kool Herc threw a back-to-school jam back in 1973. And that spawned an economy for young creatives to make a proper living. A lot of us are wealthy because of it. That in itself is amazing!

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

The list is kind of long, so bear with me:

Sugar Hill Gang, “Rapper’s Delight”
Kurtis Blow, “The Breaks”
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5, “The Message”
LL Cool J, “I’m Bad”
Run-D.M.C., Raising Hell
The Beastie Boys, License To Ill
Big Daddy Kane, Long Live The Kane
Biz Markie, Goin’ Off
Too Short, Born to Mack
Public Enemy, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet
X Clan, To The East, Backwards
N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton
M.C. Hammer, Please Hammer Don’t Hurt Em
Geto Boys,
We Can’t Be Stopped
Heavy D & the Boyz, Big Tyme
Ice Cube, Amerikka’s Most Wanted
3rd Bass,
The Cactus Al/Bum
2 Live Crew, As Nasty as They Wanna Be
A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders
Dr. Dre, The Chronic and 2001
Snoop Doggy Dogg, Doggystyle
Kris Kross, Totally Krossed Out
Bell Biv DeVoe,
Poison
Da Brat, Funkdafied
Pete Rock & CL Smooth,
Mecca and the Soul Brother
The Notorious B.I.G.,
Ready to Die and Life After Death
Nas,
Ilmatic, It Was Written, and Stillmatic
2Pac, Me Against The World and All Eyes On Me
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Creepin on ah Come Up
Jay-Z,
Reasonable Doubt, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life, The Blueprint, American Gangster
50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin’
DMX,
It’s Dark and Hell is Hot (specifically, “Get At Me Dog”)
Puff Daddy and the Family, No Way Out
Jermaine Dupri, Life in 1472
Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Jay-Z and Kanye West,
Watch the Throne

I have so many more but I am going to stop here [laughs].

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Fifty years ago, when hip-hop originated, we had no idea it would sound like this today. My guess is the genre will continue on the trajectory of world domination and the additional genres will blend, with hip-hop being the foundation.

Hip-hop has transcended all of our hopes and dreams — out of the public housing communities of New York City to all over the world.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

I think we already have what is needed. It is embedded in youth culture, and it’s just going to continue to get passed down. Hip-Hop is literally everywhere and in everything.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

People like Tay Keith, Metro Boomin’, ATL Jacob, Nineteen85, Wheezy, and Southside are leading the way when it comes to the genre. And of course, the legends are still holdin’ it down with them. There are so many more, but these are the first names that come to mind.

Atmosphere

Atmosphere

*Photo: Dan Monick*

Minneapolis hip-hop duo

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

As a form of culture and music that has given voice to communities that have historically been unheard, it continues to grow and speak for, about and towards more and more people. 

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

Jungle Brothers, Done by the Forces Of Nature.

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Obviously it’s impossible to answer this. But I do predict that this will continue to be an artwork that manages to engage in commerce with the right hand while still challenging the status quo with the left hand.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

In my opinion, it only needs to remain genuine in its messaging.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

I avoid questions like this because of potential gatekeeping. This music is at its best when it’s made by the youth challenging the old guard, and I’m slowly naturally becoming a part of the old guard.

I think the best response I can give is to advise people to explore and listen to things that they’ve never heard before. Take a risk, and listen to something that expresses ideas that you don’t already agree with.

Carl Chery

KenTheMan

*KenTheMan. Photo: Marcus Ambrose Williams*

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

I feel like everything has changed about it, it changes year to year, which is the beautiful thing about hip-hop. I wouldnt say it has improved because its always been great in its own way over time. I also love seeing the younger generation getting involved in the genre earlier year after year. 

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

Nicki Minaj — any of her early albums, because she brought a certain rap style that was fun and wild. The Migos, because they changed the sound in general. Drake because he brought the diversity in music — one artist doing multiple styles and sounds. 

Hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

I don’t believe hip-hop is a genre you can predict, because it’s already gone unpredictable places. And that’s the beauty of hip-hop. 

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

By staying true to the roots and the core of what it’s always been.  We are already 50 years in; it’s never going anywhere. Like you said, hip-hop has already established itself as a dominant cultural force. I couldn’t see if going backward — only forward to another 50 years. 

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

Everyone currently is a part of these next 50 years, if the aliens don’t take over first. 

Carl Chery

*Photo: Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy*

Head of Urban Music at Spotify

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

It's been innovative every step of the way — from the music itself to the way hip-hop executives have approached business.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

There's too many albums to list. I immediately think of Nas' Illmatic and how it's changed the way artists approach production. Prior to Illmatic, albums were produced by one producer in their entirety.

I think of Jay-Z's The Blueprint and how it's helped usher in the soul sample sound. I think of OutKast's entire discography. They put Atlanta on the map years before it became hip-hop's new mecca.

OutKast is the only group to sell more albums with each of their studio albums. Kast also expanded on the idea of what hip-hop is supposed to sound like on Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Rakim introduced a new, conversational way of flowing on Eric B & Rakim's Paid In Full. Rappers used more of a shouting technique in the early days. Can't forget N.W.A's Straight Out of Compton

Gangsta rap is one of the most commercially successful subgenres in hip-hop history so, of course, I think of Dr. Dre's The Chronic and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle. There's simply too many albums to list. 

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

I jokingly call Playboi Carti onomatopoeia rap. I know he's saying actual words but his delivery occasionally makes it sound like he's making sound effects.

I think we're going to see that approach continue to grow. I think we're in the midst of one of the most disruptive times in hip-hop history, so it's harder than usual to forecast where the genre is heading.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

At the risk of sounding cliche, music is the key to a continued growth globally. It's no coincidence that we're seeing UK rappers rise in popularity in the U.S. They're currently making some of the most interesting music.

American rappers are still the genre's biggest ambassadors so I think it's important for them to cover more ground. Certain markets are harder to penetrate. They require artists to spend time in those markets. We saw Drake go to Brazil for the first time in recent years.

That was a strategic move to keep building his audience in that part of the world. Japan is a market American artists still need to crack and it's largely hip-hop influenced. We need more rappers on the ground there.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

The female rap movement has seen incredible growth in the past four years and it's just scratching the surface. There's a new crop of women being inspired as we speak. Imagine what the movement is going to look and feel like in the next five years and beyond.

I think Latto is positioning herself to become a leader of the pack. She's currently building the foundation to a long-lasting career. I'm excited to see where Doechii goes. She's an artist who has the potential to help us reimagine what hip-hop is supposed to sound like.

Baby Keem is also in a great position. He's steadily building, similar to Latto, and his team is intentional. He's poised to become one of the artists who helps us set the tone into the future. 

50 Artists Who Changed Rap: Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem & More