TMZ.com
Lil Duval sparked a global debate by declaring Afrobeats would put the nail in hip hop’s coffin — but RZA, one of the guys who helped put rap on the worldwide map, completely disagrees with the controversial comedian.
TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the Wu-Tang Clan figurehead out in WeHo Tuesday and he argues Afrobeats artists are doing their form of hip hop … no different from rappers in the trap or G-funk creators out West.
afrobeats might be the death of hip hop as we know it
— lil duval (@lilduval) February 20, 2023
@lilduval
Duval was reacting to last Sunday’s Afrobeats takeover of the 2023 NBA All-Star Game halftime show … led by standout artists Burna Boy, Tems and Rema … and RZA says they deserve a chance to shine and feed their families, just like his generation did.
RZA also tackled another one of Duval’s recent hip hop hot takes — that podcasting has overtaken the music’s popularity, another point RZA understood but debunked.
Rappers-turned-podcasters such as Joe Budden and N.O.R.E. have achieved much success on their platforms, but RZA tells us he and the Wu-Tang Clan just sold out shows during their “NY State of Mind” tour … without the industry spotlight.
Seem like hip hop has become more about podcasting instead of music now
— lil duval (@lilduval) February 2, 2023
@lilduval
Bottom line, old school hip hop still lives … people like Duval just have to know where to find it!!!