The art of the come up
What’s most thrilling about rap is watching artists develop in real-time. I spoke with a few friends, Christina Lee, Slim, and Wongo, about rappers and their favorite come-ups to watch.
Christina Lee’s Favorite Rap Come Up:
Who was your favorite rapper to watch come up? “That’s probably controversial now,” Christina Lee warned. Was it Kanye? “No!” With a sigh, she answered:
“Seeing the Migos achieve Culture, that was a moment.”
Talk about it. “Because, I think, we saw the full cycle, I guess, of them going from critical derision.”
“Remember, at the time when the Drake cosigns was the keyword, everyone wanted to downplay what the Migos had going on because of Drake’s “Versace” remix. That always had to be the caveat attached to them.
Even with Y.R.N., even with No Label, even with No Label 2, those mixtapes are so fucking good, but people only saw Drake. So to see them achieve Culture, that felt good.
Culture (along with folks like Young Dro and Gucci) also confirmed to me that straight-up lyricism (in the Funkmaster Flex sense) can exist in trap, no matter how many times folks tell you otherwise. Critics are liars!”
Slim’s Favorite Rap Come Up:
“I’m watching RMR right now, I think his come-up is really cool,” answered Slim (not the one from 112).
What is it about his come-up that you’re into? “Bruh, melodically singing “Fuck 12” at that time, it was literally the precursor of the summer. It was the summer of fuck 12.”
I feel like every summer is the summer of fuck 12. “Nah, but specifically last summer they literally burned a police station to the ground. Like, fuck 12.”
Good point.
“He’s just on some other shit. His whole EP, DRUG DEALING IS A LOST ART, was kind of country, he’s singing ballads over trap beats. I’m cool with a nigga holding that space, I feel like it’s what Post Malone does, but RMR does it well.”
I remember when “Rascal” dropped, I wasn’t attached to it like you were. I felt it was a little gimmicky.
“Have you heard his other music?” No, I haven’t. “Nigga, he got bangers.”
Wongo’s Favorite Rap Come Up:
“Can we count 6lack in this?” Wongo Okon asked.
Why not.
“Absoul-fucking-utley it’s 6lack! I was screaming about 6lack in 2016.
I would be blasting him in my room and people would be like, ‘Is this SIXLACK?’ NOOOO! It is 6lack! I fought dudes over and over about this.”
You wanted them to respect the name. “It wasn’t until East Atlanta Love Letter that they started to call him by his name.
“East Atlanta Love Letter was super crucial to me approaching adulthood. He would say things and I’d be like, yo, this is exactly how it feels. It’s the way he puts things into words. I would have to spend three or four months experiencing life to figure out what he sings and raps about on that album.”