Hip Hop Isn’t Dead, You Just Aren’t Looking Hard Enough

Hip Hop Isn’t Dead, You Just Aren’t Looking Hard Enough

JID | courtesy of Dreamville Records

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Hip-Hop is dead.

It’s a phrase you’ve probably heard recently, and if not, you’ve heard it at some point in your life. It’s in album titles and articles, echoed in pop culture in an attempt to tear down one of music’s most prevalent genres.

In Oct. 2025, no hip-hop songs charted in the top 40 on Billboard for the first time since 1990. This stat was eye-opening, and commercially, the genre didn’t have a great year in 2025.

However, a lack of commercial success is never a valid reason to tear down art. It’s definitely not a reason to tear down an art so creatively expressive and so integral to black culture as hip-hop. By labeling hip-hop as dead, you’re undermining every single artist and producer.

I’ve never been one to use my writing to undermine or to be negative, and here, through an analysis of some of my favorite current rappers, I will prove to you one thing:​

Hip-Hop isn’t dead; you just aren’t looking hard enough.​

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Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip Hop | via Amazon

​To understand the artists who keep hip-hop invigorated, it’s critical to understand what makes hip-hop great. I’ve been reading Books of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip-Hop by Adam Bradley, one of music’s greatest scholars, who thoroughly breaks down why rap is so lyrically impressive.​

It’s a fascinating read, and while it’s true that rap is proximate to poetry, I still think that sentiment underestimates what makes the genre so impactful.

Hip-Hop is also sonically impressive; it’s ear candy. There’s so much happening in the production and in the music that makes you feel inclined to bob your head.​

Yet a few artists give me that feeling. The feeling that makes you want to listen to every song they’ve ever made, the feeling that makes you want to buy tickets to a tour, a few artists that make me feel alive.

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JID | courtesy of Dreamville Records

JID is the first rapper I want to talk about. I’ve written about him at nauseam, but it’s still imperative that I highlight his skill set. JID is signed to Dreamville Records and has received co-signs from legendary rappers such as his labelmate J. Cole, Jay-Z, and Eminem.

The Atlanta-based rapper is a craftsman, a lyrical savant who’s mastered his flow. JID has perfected a fast-rapping flow that has fallen out of favor with hip-hop fans over the years. However, JID does it effortlessly.

On “151 Rum,” JID layers the song with a style that’s insanely quick and witty; if you close your ears for a half second, you’ll miss an innuendo. He controls the production for almost three whole minutes, and the result is one of the most lyrically and technically impressive rap songs you’ll ever hear.

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It is even more impressive that the track came out eight years ago. JID hadn’t even scratched the surface of the music he would create and the heights that he’d reach.

​The Forever Story, released in 2022, is JID’s magnum opus. JID broke into the mainstream with “Surround Sound”, a track that flips Mos Def’s “Ms. Fat Booty” into a back-and-forth banger from JID, 21 Savage & Baby Tate.

​He links up with legendary artists of the past and present, Lil Wayne, Mos Def, and singers such as Ari Lennox and Ravyn Lenae, yet he’s in the forefront of every single track.

JID isn’t one-dimensional either. On “Kody Blu 31,” he floats over smooth, soul-like production with his well-tuned vocals, and he pairs those with slick rhymes in one of his most emotionally and lyrically heavy tracks.

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The Forever Story was still only the precipice of the career that JID is building for himself. Last year, JID released God Does Like Ugly, a beautiful album that brings soul, love, religion, and personal troubles all into one record.

​He goes toe to toe with Clipse, Vince Staples, and Westside Gunn, pairing up with phenomenal rappers while still delivering some of his most polished work.

​He creates a hard-hitting rage track with “On McAfee”, while making a dance track with “Sk8”, and adds a yearning, heartwarming track with “Wholeheartedly.”

​There’s no way that anyone can say “hip-hop is dead” when artists like JID are at the top of their craft. With God Does Like Ugly, JID received his first Grammy Nomination.

​He’s hit the charts with surround sound, he’s reached hearts with “Kody Blu 31”, and now he’s got an opportunity to grab trophies with his newest record.

He is absorbed in his music, makes a concentrated effort to improve with every record, and is one of the driving forces behind hip-hop's flourishing. “I feel like hip-hop inspires everything,” said JID in an interview.​

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Niontay | Courtesy of 10K Records

​As great as JID is, he’s already mainstream, and chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve heard his music. I aim to use this platform to showcase the underground scene, and the first person I will do that with is Niontay.

​Niontay is a 27-year-old Florida-based rapper. He started his career making beats for local New York rappers, but over the past few years he’s begun rapping himself, and the results have been phenomenal.

​He released his debut album Niontay’s Inferno in 2023, where he raps over slick productions, includes some humorous punchlines, and also has top-tier lyrical ability.

On “Thank Allah,” he raps over groovy, dark production, but he doesn’t even take time to breathe; it’s just witty line after witty line, and both the Florida and New York influences are extremely apparent.

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There are also tracks like “Da City of a Hunnid Plays,” “Bac2highbac2reality,” and “Wheredeyat” with his label mate MIKE, where Niontay is undoubtedly focused, confident, and having fun making these tracks, and they’re incredible songs.

​Niontay’s Inferno is nine tracks and 24 minutes long. Niontay doesn’t rest the entire record, layering line after line, and the beats are amazing throughout; it’s an immensely fun record.

​MIKE and Earl Sweatshirt are other reasons to be excited about the future of hip-hop as well; just listen to “F.E.A.R.,” released a couple of months ago, where Niontay and MIKE pair up, making magic like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

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​One of the biggest reasons to be excited about Niontay is his work ethic. In 2025, he released two albums, Fada<3of$ in late April, and Souija Hate Repellant in mid-December.

These records are both very good, Fada<3of$ is Niontay’s most confident and in-your-face record yet, with tracks like “Top da Top,” “FULLCOURTPRESSHA,” and “Mr.HAVEMYWAY.” These tracks exude swag and aura, showing that Niontay is one of the coolest underground rappers currently.

​Just like I pointed out with JID, Niontay is also multi-dimensional. He provides melodic hooks and soulful verses over a smooth, jazzy piano on “So Lovely.” It’s such an amazing track and a soothing listen; this guy can do it all.​

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Souija Hate Repellant is in no way a drop off; in fact, it’s just as diligent as his other records. The production is some of the best that Niontay has ever rapped on, and Niontay shines on all of it on tracks like “100days100nights,” “Cressidaway/Tpgeek” with Earl Sweatshirt, and Dreamin (Of U;), where he flips an old soulful sample into a trap banger.

​Niontay’s got a lot of career left, and he’s already releasing some of his best work. His tracks are incredibly fun, and he’s immensely focused on his work, so you’ve got to hop on the hype train immediately.

​“I wasn’t trying to be the best artist ever. I was trying to be the best me.” said Niontay in an interview with Living Proof.

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​I have purposely refrained from using comparisons to describe what makes these artists great. While it’s true that comparison is the thief of joy, I also think comparing undermines the uniqueness of these artists.

​While JID draws from Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar, and Niontay draws from Kodak Black and his contemporaries, MIKE and Earl Sweatshirt, they are their own rappers with unique skill sets that make their music special.

Teezo Touchdown (left) | via Vashon Jordan Jr. of Getty Images & Jim Legaxcy (right) | Courtesy of XL Recordings

Speaking of unique skill sets, I want to highlight some other rappers who are leading hip-hop’s present.

​Teezo Touchdown is one of the single most talented and unparalleled figures in music right now. From his presentation to his performances, there are few people who have ever been as impressive as Teezo is right now.

​He’s on a ton of features, making the song pop, and he’s just as good on his own tracks. Songs like “Up and Down”, “Out of Respect,” and “Third Coast” are unbelievably good, and Teezo’s going to be a name you’ll hear in rap for a very long time.

​Going across the ocean to the U.K., Jim Legxacy is another phenomenal newer artist. He started his career producing and rapping on SoundCloud, and finally broke out in 2025 with Black British Music.

​The record blends jazz, hip-hop, grime, and lo-fi all into one packed, amazing debut album. On tracks like “Stick”, “Father”, and “3X” with Dave, Legxacy is at his best, and at only 25, he’s on his way to becoming one of the best young rappers in the world.

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slayr | via Rolling Loud’s Instagram

​I’ve always been one to focus on fun when listening to music. Artists who invigorate you, allowing you to lose yourself in the music through their ability to sonically float on tracks. That’s what’s drawn me to artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, and Playboi Carti.

​In the underground, there’s one artist who’s stood out to me in how thrilling his music is, and that’s slayr. slayr combines rap with rock and loud, aggressive, bass-booming production, and you have no choice but to move your body and bop your head.

​The 18-year-old Philadelphia-based rapper is taking over underground hip-hop with his unique sound and work ethic, releasing four albums from 2024 to 2026. He’s only 18, yet his sound is so polished, as if he'd been rapping for decades.

​His second album, HeavenTunes, is where he begins to truly shine. On “FirstTime,” he explores the feelings of love while switching effortlessly between singing and rapping on a rage beat flipped from a Taylor Swift (yes, Taylor Swift!) sample.​

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The samples are unreal throughout his music, and what makes it more impressive is that most of his beats are self-produced, as slayr has been writing and producing his own music since he was ten years old.

​2026 has been the biggest year of slayr’s career so far. He started this year by re-releasing his 2025 album Half Blood with a deluxe edition featuring 10 new tracks. These tracks are great songs, too, and some of slayr’s best work.

​He energizes every track with eclectic vocals. He starts the deluxe album with “Brain Fog,” an unreal track where he just does not stop with the intensity, and he keeps that going on “Flashout Freestyle,” “Toxic,” and one of his best tracks, which almost sounds like a video game; “Died But Came Back.”

​The original album is among his most renowned works, too. “Love Blur” is a melodic trip that takes you in multiple different directions, yet is enjoyable throughout the entire song. “24/7” is a special song where slayr professes his love for someone over a perfect, soothing background.

​”Set In Stone” and “Demigod” are great tracks that get a crowd going, they give you confidence to get anything done, and they highlight slayr’s skills perfectly.

​“Sloppy Joe” is slayr’s most popular track yet and is fast-tracking him into the mainstream. It’s a song that is ridiculously enjoyable, and the chorus so easily gets stuck in your head. “I call her sloppy joe, the way that she gets down.” It’s simple, yet glorious, and slayr brings his best, with incredible rapping throughout the entire track; it’s like he’s reached a flow state.

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His energy, intensity, and dedication are reasons to be excited about one of the best young rappers in the world, and another reason that hip-hop is far from dead.

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I hope I’ve been able to prove to you that there are some incredible artists keeping this genre afloat, and honestly, these artists are just the tip of the iceberg.

​Next time you hear someone say the infamous phrase, “Hip Hop is Dead,” let them know that as long as there are artists you enjoy, whether it’s JID, Niontay, MIKE, Teezo Touchdown, Jim Legxacy, or slayr:

​Hip-Hop isn’t dead; you just aren’t looking hard enough.