AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:

Hip-hop has suffered one other huge loss.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “VERSACE”)

MIGOS: (Rapping) Versace, Versace, Medusa head on me like I am ‘Luminati. I do know that you simply prefer it, Versace, my neck and my wrist is so sloppy.

RASCOE: Takeoff, who was a part of the Atlanta-based, Grammy-nominated group Migos, was fatally shot at a bowling alley in Houston this previous week. He was 28. To speak about who he was as an artist and what his dying means for music, we’re joined now by Elliott Wilson. He is the chief content material officer at Tidal and the host of “Rap Radar.” Thanks a lot for becoming a member of us.

ELLIOTT WILSON: Thanks, Ayesha. Thanks for having me.

RASCOE: Takeoff, he was solely 28 years outdated. And so the tragedy right here is simply immeasurable.

WILSON: Oh, it is monumental. I believe we’re all nonetheless stinging and nonetheless in ache proper now. I imply, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Takeoff, alongside along with his members in Migos, you understand, all through their rise within the 2010s. And, you understand, anyone that met Takeoff understood that this man was such man, such cool vitality. To suppose some hurt would come his approach on this type of heinous approach, it was unimaginable. He is a part of the Migos, man. The Migos is without doubt one of the best teams in hip-hop historical past. , they set the usual within the modern-day. He is a Corridor of Famer.

RASCOE: Speak to us about that as a result of whenever you say that they are one of many best hip-hop teams of all time and the way they set the usual, speak us by perhaps even only a tune that actually demonstrated their type and the way they set a regular.

WILSON: Effectively, I believe from the start, they got here with a distinct sound, and we did not actually even totally grasp “Hannah Montana,” “Versace.” , it is prefer it was this type of repetitive, sort of uneven romp type and mumble rap.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “VERSACE”)

MIGOS: (Rapping) Versace, Versace, Versace, Versace, Versace, Versace, Versace, Versace.

WILSON: A complete new sound, totally different cadences, simply totally different patterns. Like, you would really feel the affect from perhaps, you understand, Memphis hip-hop with Three 6 Mafia parts, Bone Thugs parts of it. The factor that actually stands out to me is that we’re in an age now the place a bunch could be very uncommon. , plenty of artists are particular person acts, proper? We promote individuality on this world proper now, proper? However the energy of unity, the ability of that brotherhood, despite the fact that these gents have been associated by, like, uncle to nephew and cousins, they transfer like brothers to me. There is a brotherhood. You hear it within the music and them taking part in forwards and backwards off one another with totally different rhymes and cadences and totally different rhythms. And I hope that that is their affect, that Takeoff can affect artists to band along with different artists, their brothers, and make nice music as a result of that is what he did along with his brothers, you understand?

RASCOE: I received to ask you since you’ve been chronicling hip-hop for a really very long time, these kinds of killings on the top of an artist’s success – I bear in mind, you understand, Tupac and Biggie. I imply, I cried for days when Tupac died, proper? A dying like this, what does it do to hip-hop as a style?

WILSON: Yeah. Sadly, dying has been a serious a part of hip-hop’s historical past. , like, I attempt to inform folks, when Tupac died in September 1996, he was undisputedly the most important hip-hop artist within the sport. He was No. 1. After which six months later, Biggie dies. , I bear in mind being at The Supply journal on the time. We’re like, yo, is hip-hop over? Like, we’re all in ache. Like, our greatest guys, the fellows that actually have been main the tradition are gone. After which out of that got here, you understand, Puffy’s ascension and Grasp P after which DMX. And hip-hop truly received larger than it ever was. , we go into the bling bling period. We turn into the profitable cultural juggernaut that conquers popular culture, however we’re nonetheless rooted in these darkish instances. And I believe these darkish instances do outline us, sadly. So hopefully, you understand, we will get out of that cycle, you understand?

RASCOE: Let’s convey it again to Takeoff.

WILSON: Sure.

RASCOE: And I wish to play a bit of little bit of him speaking in a clip that Complicated Music tweeted out.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

TAKEOFF: I would like longevity. I wish to keep constant. I wish to be eight, 10 years, 20 years later, you continue to bear in mind my music, nonetheless have the ability to dwell on.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Yeah.

TAKEOFF: And you continue to bear in mind me and nonetheless bear in mind all of the work we put out.

RASCOE: How do you suppose, you understand, Takeoff goes to dwell on by the music that he is made?

WILSON: Yeah. That willpower – I believe Takeoff’s affect will likely be that, you understand, you not solely wish to achieve success, you wish to actually, you understand, be a profession artist. You actually wish to put collectively a complete catalogue. You wish to hold going and evolving as an artist, that you simply’re not simply outlined by one hit. My hope is that Takeoff exhibits that he took rapping very severely. He used substance to all his lyrics and what he put down on paper and what he rapped about. And I believe that that is the usual that is all the time been the essence of hip-hop. And those that sort of give to that may have lengthy careers on this.

RASCOE: Elliott Wilson, chief content material officer at Tidal and the host of “Rap Radar,” thanks a lot for becoming a member of us.

WILSON: All proper. Thanks, guys. Respect y’all.

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