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Accolades are not difficult to come by in hip-hop. This is a land built on the fundamental conflict between props and disses, love and hate, truth and lies.

And if you like dope lyrics, you’re probably not a fan of southern MCs.

That is, until Lil’ Wayne muddied up the stream. Lil’ Weezie is something of a horribly normal rapper. He began rapping unremarkably as a preteen, but what forced him on is his relationship with Cash Money Records that started when he began growing pit hairs.

Weezie released a few region specific albums, which were not groundbreaking pieces of art, but they worked for what they were. However, as he’s moved into his early 20s, he’s obviously expanded the diameter of his influences, rocking with a swagger reminiscent of Jigga and some ol’ Grand Puba in spots, what with the non-sequiturs seeming less non and more sequitur depending on the pauses surrounding them. Essentially, the kid has become nice, by traditional New York based hip-hop standards.

However, Wayne’s being lauded as one of the best alive on some weird, roundabout, foolishness. The fact that he’s dope is not the reason for his critical celebration, the fact that he’s nice and from the South has more to do with it.

To be honest, he’s obviously only as good as middle-tier New York mixtape stalwarts/major label floperoos. Joe Buddens, Saigon, Graph — who all completely smoke the kid on every level.

For better or worse, rappers from below the Mason Dixon aren’t supposed to be on anything other than wiggle your drunken booty business.

Accolades are not hard to come by in hip-hop, because the stereotypes are so loud, defying them can be a secondary byproduct of just being honest.

Somewhere, I know Joe Buddens is angrily flipping through XXL, wondering what the point of being good and from New York could possibly be. Because it’s not enough.[[In-content Ad]]

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