Some of us hip-hop fans are starting to get old. The all-time rappers we grew up with and watched become superstars have become fathers. Now, some of those kids are branching out, carving out their own paths and sounds.
Two of them come from Kanye West and Lil Wayne as North West and Lil Novi, respectively. The two of them paired up again after their January collab “Justswagup” with a new song “MULA THA ROOT OF ALL EVIL”.
The song plays out like your typical rage rap thrasher, where Novi shows flashes of his old man with how he dresses and the way he tweaks and bends his vocal delivery. But rather than favor Punchline Wayne, he opts for something closer to Rebirth era Wayne, where the New Orleans legend went full rockstar. Through his son, you can start to trace back how that style informed other rappers like Lil Uzi Vert over the years.
Meanwhile, North West shows a pretty keen observation of modern internet rap production. The young protégé mimics her dad in being able to distill an artist and a style down to its minute details. The searing synths, the anxious hi-hats, and the deafening bass are all staples within the post-Playboi Carti Whole Lotta Red style. Even if it’s not your cup of tea, it is deeply considered rather than lazy.
People Are Trying To Wrap Their Heads Around the New Lil Novi and North West Song
The reactions from social media have been mixed to say the least. Some are extremely pessimistic, dismissing the record entirely and dooming an entire generation of children. “Sad how the kids nowadays make music for negativity and gothic-themed sad culture. Where is the creativity and the actual music?” one person lamented. “Anyone can make this song, but when are the new gen gonna make hits?”
Meanwhile, others are a bit more lenient towards the North West and Lil Novi collaboration. One person argued that if you don’t like “MULA THA ROOT OF ALL EVIL”, “you hate havin fun.” Another fan argued that this was a glowing endorsement of how the underground sound has evolved and expanded over the years. “The two greatest artists alive kids taking influence from the underground’s sound and people still want to disrespect the scene,” they said.
Naturally, neutral listeners can’t believe they’ve become so old to see their GOATs’ kids make music. “Never thought I’d see the day that Kanye & Lil Wayne’s kids would make music using the sound that WLR Carti started,” one person wrote of Novi and North West.
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