It’s no secret that Atlanta birthed some of Hip-Hop’s most influential artists. As a result, the southern city has been praised for having one of best scenes of Hip-Hip, reaching fans globally and often merging different genres and cultures alike. But now, the city’s crown is at risk after it experienced yet another death of a hometown legend.
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News of 33-year-old Rich Homie Quan’s death sent the whole city into grief. Even Migos rapper Quavo took to Instagram, posting a throwback pic of him alongside the rest of Migos, Quan, and Young Thug. The caption wrote “May God be with us. Never saw this being apart of our journey,” and honestly... neither did we.
If you told us in 2014 that Atlanta would mourn the loss of rappers like Shawty Lo, Takeoff, Trouble, Bankroll Fresh, and Lil Keed, we’d bet money it’d never happen. If you told us then that YFN Lucci and Young Thug would now each be facing decades behind bars, we simply wouldn’t believe you.
With all the ongoing beefs, deaths, and court trials simultaneously happening in Atlanta, who is even left to sit on the thrown?! Of course Future, 21 Savage, and Gunna continue to produce hits, but can they manage the city’s Hip-Hop scene on their own?
It’s hard to imagine a city like Atlanta— home to hot lemon-pepper wings and Black Hollywood— could ever fall off, but with the untimely death of another prominent Hip-Hop figure, we might very well be witnessing the death of Atlanta’s multi-decade reign in Hip-Hop.
It all began in 1995, when André 3000 declared “the South got something to say.” Since then, Atlanta remained on top, even recently being named the number one Hip-Hip city in the world by Revolt and Complex. From the rise of Outkast, the too many to count dance trends from local schools, and the internet rap pioneer, Soulja Boy, Atlanta clearly is a hub for all things trend-setting and innovative.
The city’s most notable contribution to music, however, is without a doubt trap music. Rappers T.I., Jeezy, and Gucci Mane are often credited as the pioneers of the subgenre, per NPR. First created as theme music for the city’s most prevalent drug operations, trap music captured the ears of listeners not only relating to the vivid pictures painted in each lyric but also vibrating to the 808-heavy beats which boomed throughout car speakers.
Before long, what started off as a local craze quickly exploded to the mainstream. And now, trap is so embedded in all music that even country and K-pop artists often use its elements without even realizing.
Although, we predict trap music won’t fade away anytime soon, it’s clear people aren’t looking to Atlanta to lead the newest trends like they once were. Lil Baby, Latto, JID, and others still put on for their city’s Hip-Hop scene, but music fans around the globe can’t help but notice the sun quietly setting on the Big Peach.
This begs the question: with Atlanta arguably stepping down from the throne, which city will win the fight for the Hip-Hip crown next?
Straight From 
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