NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
Hip Hop has always been about competition. From battling on the corner to watching sales, or seeing who is at the top of those crappy Billboard charts, rappers strive to be better than the next one. But in New York City, it’s not about the sales. What sets a rapper apart from the next is their ability to brag and back it up. The title King of New York was bestowed upon Bigge Smalls in 1995 thanks to The Source Magazine.
For Biggie, he had every right to claim that title as he put NYC back on the Hip Hop map after the West Coast and even the Dirty South began their rise in the Hip Hop scene. Biggie labeling himself Frank White was fitting. While Nas would also stake claim to the King of New York, he and Biggie personified what the gritty NYC streets were all about and they did it with style and best of all, skills.
Following the death of Biggie, a new MC would stake claim to the title, Jay Z. While many scoffed at that, others agreed with his self-proclaimed title. But still, even in passing, many still believed that Biggie is the only owner of that throne. A King passes the torch either through death or by giving up the crown himself. The King of New York title was passed on and still to this day, only two rappers have a claim to the throne, Jay Z and Nas.
But fast forward, and these new rappers have tried their best to make a name for themselves by claiming they or someone else close to them is the new King of New York. For them, I guess it’s all about the album sales, views, and popularity. Skills are no longer the measuring point for King status as they use to be. Biggie brought the city back and Nas and Jay Z took the crown and watched it mature into something else.
The crown was passed to these two following the death of Biggie, however, these new-age rappers are trying to stake claim to something that is not up for grabs. You see, for any of them to get the crown, they must prove to be better than Nas or Hov, and none of these rappers are close to their level. Having success for 2-3 years in Hip Hop does not give you the right to wear that crown or even say on a song that you are the King.
Earn Your Place In Hip Hop Circles
Listening to ‘City of Gods’ made me realize just how watered down these new rappers are making the crown. Newcomer, Fivio Foreign spit these bars not only claiming he was in charge but that his fallen friend, Pop Smoke was the King before his death:
Nigga, this is my shit
Welcome to the City of Gods
Pop was the King of New York
Now I’m the nigga in charge
There is no shame in claiming that you’re the best, however, there is an issue when the current king/kings are still blessing mics. Nas is still dropping albums and doing features. Jay, while he hasn’t dropped a full album since 2017, is still dropping verses at 52 years old that these current rappers are still rewinding trying to figure out how he’s on that level.
Biggie was given that title. Nas and Jay earned that title. But these new cats are still chasing ghosts and living legends. You can’t be something if the king/kings are still sitting on that thrown. If you want it, you have to take it, and which one of these new cats can snatch the crown off either of their heads?
The King of New York is not only just the best in the 5 Burroughs, but it’s also an unspoken agreement that the title is also the King of Hip Hop. NYC is the birthplace of Hip Hop thus making it the mecca of it all. If you run this city, then you run Hip Hop. Fivio, Pop (RIP), Dave East, Bobby Shmurda, or Rowdy Rebel, have not put in enough work to stake claim to the title. And while Jay and Nas are still breathing, neither has decided to pass the crown to anyone.
