Boosie Badazz recently announced what he said will be the defining album of his career: BooPac. "I'm my generation's 2Pac," he told VladTV about the meaning behind the title. It's a bold claim, no doubt, but Boosie doesn't think many of his contemporaries are even trying to make a brand of hip-hop that resembles 2Pac's. In fact, Boosie thinks that "lyrics" and "reality" -- both essential to his music -- are barely relevant in today's rap scene.
"It's basically about the beat," said the Baton Rouge rapper. He added, "It's basically about an image. It's not about the music, you could just have an image that everybody pertains to. And everybody would just start to love you because of your image."
Many of today's rap fans aren't even aware of the lyrics to their favorite songs, according to Boosie. "They don't know not one word he's sayin' on the song!" exclaimed Boosie. "But they love it."
Boosie isn't necessarily nostalgic for the old days, though. "I'm happy with the change," he surprisingly admitted, "'cause it gets me to stay in my own lane. Like I have an own lane of the music I make, and that's what keeps me relevant."
The interview also touches on how few rappers -- Boosie being one of the few exceptions -- are writing their lyrics these days. Boosie provided the first snippet off BooPac the other day, rapping along to a song that deals with his time spent on death row. "Got me thinkin' what my last meal might be!" he roars. Such cathartic passion is what makes him an anomaly in today's game.
Do you agree with Boosie's observations on the current state of hip-hop?
