The "King Of New York" has been a prominent topic of discussion of late. While the phenomenon was written about at length yesterday, the lively discussion in the comment section revealed a variety of differing opinions. The birthplace of hip-hop has spawned an insane roster of legendary talent throughout the years, and numerous rappers have enjoyed runs befitting of royalty. While some, like Jay-Z, Nas, Diddy, and 50 Cent, have gone on to enjoy the spoils of solid entrepreneurship, other young bloods continue to pave their own way through innovative and original music; after all, everyone must start somewhere.
Needless to say, the criteria for "King" status was hardly concretely defined. Some valued the accomplishments of the game's storied legends, while others tended to appreciate those currently contributing to the growth of the scene. The usual suspects were well represented, but our users left no stone unturned; a testament to the vast and eclectic taste of the community. Still, the general consensus seemed to favor the legacy acts over the talented, yet still untested up-and-comers.
While the idea that New York's King is a necessary figurehead seemed to be accepted across the board, it was still interesting to see resistance toward some of the more popular current artists like the divisive Cardi B and Tekashi 6ix9ine; the latter recently proclaimed himself "King Of New York," despite being one album deep in the game. Clearly, his proclamations left many feeling some type of way; people take the New York monarchy seriously out here. On that note, who gets your vote for the coveted title?
