Vince Staples has become a unique voice in the young hip-hop community. He's one of Rap (and NBA) Twitter's top trolls, but oftentimes, he provides insightful commentary on rap music, social issues, and the nexus between the two. Due to his intriguing viewpoint, the 22-year-old Long Beach rapper has been invited by CNN to "get political," as the latest focus of the news outlet's ongoing video series.
The clip begins with Staples sharing his misgivings with the term "conscious rap": "I don't really understand the 'conscious rap' label at all honestly. I feel like the more we understand, the more we relate to each other, the better off we will all be, and the better we'll all...be able to coexist."
This isn't the first time Staples has expressed his frustration with the widely used term. His opinions on the subject were the inspiration for our recent editorial feature "Stop Saying 'Conscious Rap.'"
Also in the new video, Staples discusses how high suspension rates in schools are damaging the education system and how drugs have always been a major component of rap music. In more recent times, he notes, the music has began focusing on drug use rather than drug dealing.
