Being in a collective has always made me as a creative feel like I’m part of something greater than myself and my work, the collaborative energy that brews
from sharing an idea and wanting to push the same narrative to a mainstream audience feels like a recipe for greatness, every project that gets churned out
challenges to be the groups magnum-opus, due to the fact that it isn't for one person's gain but to equally propel the collective to a new dimension of “popularity”.
Let's take a less subjective view on the subject/topic
Pre 2000’s Era Rap Groups
NWA, Wu-Tang Clan, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5, Public enemy, The Fugees and Run DMC are some of the household names in the rap game with their influence in the industry being inseparable from the history and current popularity of rap itself. These groups were pivotal in the shaping of culture and entertainment in their era and that influence has bled into contemporary music and style. From speaking against power structures and fighting against oppression in the case nof N.W.A with “F*ck tha Police, to setting fashion trends through their pens in the case of Run-D.M.C with “My Adidas”, a song that led to a $1.6 million endorsement deal, marking the first time a rap group partnered with a sportswear brand.
This era was also marked by innovators like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, whose groundbreaking techniques and equipment expanded hip-hop’s sound. It's safe to say the very nature of what we now understand as rap and hip-hop culture wasn’t shaped by 1 artist or creative, it took the effort and collaboration of multiple creatives to create a new and lasting narrative.
2000’s Era Rap Groups
New Age rap collectives like A$ap Mob, Odd Future, Migos and Pro Era, have in no way dimmed the light on what is possible, with these groups churning out chart topping projects and facilitating “HIP-HOP X HIGH FASHION” collaboration.
DECLINE OF HIP-HOP COLLECTIVES
The very nature of a group is an eclectic combination of different personalities and talents with a common goal. Playing devil’s advocate, The idea of a common goal can be conflicting with the interest of the already diverse nature of the groups members, often leading to internal disputes and consequently the group breaking up. In some sense a collective provides the opportunities for a complete team to create interesting projects but the fact remains that individual members desire a creative path for themselves.
SELF SABOTAGE
With all the rap groups highlighted, one name comes to mind as the “lead act” in each collective, this truth poses another challenge, what happens when one member becomes more famous than the group itself, who gets the recognition? This causes an inevitable imbalance that sabotages the longevity of the collective. A hard pill to swallow as a rap and hip-hop enthusiast, there have been fewer leading collectives in the game in recent years, but I understand from the artists perspective to want a personal image and brand.
To the remaining rap groups and to the independent rapper, Godspeed.
