why i have an issue with soundcloud rappers

When I say I have a problem with Soundcloud rappers I use this as an umbrella term. To me (at least) a Soundcloud rapper is a young male, usually in late teens, early twenties, covered in irrelevant and meaningless face tattoos that have been used to 'harden' their appearance.

For me, Soundcloud rap artists are not my personal taste but many people enjoy their tracks which is fair enough. For me, my problem with these Soundcloud rappers lies within their values, or the values they project. When someone mentions 'famous' Soundcloud rappers the names that come to my mind are, lil Xan, lil Pump, XXXtentacion, tekashi69. You'll notice, these names are ridiculous. Listen to any single track and you'll notice within the first verse that the morals of these people lie in the wrong place. They speak about 'getting fat stacks', brag about shagging underage girls and casually advertise hard drugs and violence to anyone who will listen (which really isn't that many people). I'm not here to bash people struggling with addiction or people who like drugs in general, I'm merely confused by the massive influence these Soundcloud rappers have had on popular culture.

Generally speaking, artists who have done wrong lose fans, as they should. But soundcloud rappers seem to be defended when they do something awful. A good example of this is XXXtentacion, I know he died in awful circumstances and I have no intention of bashing a dead guy but he was an awful person, yet he had so many fans despite them knowing what he did. How can anyone support a guy who beat his cell mate simply for being gay? The same kind of idiots who supported him after he stabbed a pregnant woman I guess.


Lil'Xan as his name suggests, is a guy who like Xanax. This drug has been a leading course of drug related accidents and deaths, how does someone feel its morally right to cash in on popularity caused by addiction? Maybe it's just me who is affected by my conscience, but I don't feel a need to support anyone who doesn't care or realise what their influence could do.

Maybe these young wannabe artists are trying to make it big by creating an image no one can ignore, and in a sense it has worked - they've gained millions of followers online by unapologetically being themselves, selling this idea of their lives filled with what many young people crave. When you think about any artist, they aren't just selling an album or a single, they're selling themselves and need an image that will help sell them to the audience.
Maybe as well as judging these soundcloud rappers I should also be judging the world they live in. A world which has created a need of rebellion, maybe this is their unique way of fighting the power. It doesn't mean its right. It also doesn't mean I have to like any of them. I still don't.