This year marks the 50th anniversary of hip hop music, and to celebrate, Essence Fest is hosting a special hip hop concert in New Orleans. Unfortunately, the lineup for the show has been met with criticism from the hip hop community, as many popular artists were left out of the lineup.
One artist who was notably absent from the lineup was Juvenile, a rapper from New Orleans who is widely considered to be one of the most influential hip hop artists of all time. After seeing the lineup, Juvenile took to social media to express his disappointment, saying that he was “disrespected” by being left out.
Juvenile’s comments have sparked a debate online about the importance of giving credit to the pioneers of hip hop music. Many fans have argued that without the contributions of artists like Juvenile, the genre would not be where it is today.
The controversy has also highlighted the issue of “gatekeeping” in hip hop. Gatekeeping is the practice of deciding who is and isn’t “authentic” in the hip hop community, and it often results in newer, less established artists being excluded from events like Essence Fest.
In response to the criticism, Essence Fest has released a statement apologizing for the oversight and saying that they will be adding more hip hop acts to the lineup. While it’s unclear if Juvenile will be included in the new lineup, the controversy has certainly sparked a much-needed conversation about the importance of recognizing the pioneers of hip hop.