In 2017,  Hip-hop and R&B dethroned Rock to become the most popular genre of music in the U.S. That was when XXXTentacion’s “Look At Me!” jumped into the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, Playboi Carti’s Magnolia hit No. 29 and Lil Uzi’s XO Tour Llif3 peaked at No. 7.

SoundCloud rap took the world by storm. But that wasn’t the only kind of rap doing the heavy lifting.

Conscious rappers, known for their social commentary, technical flows and symbolic lyricism, also found success in popular culture in 2017. Tyler the Creator’s “Who Dat Boy” peaked at No. 87 and Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” hit No. 1.  

Hip-hop was, and still is, everywhere, and its success can be credited to contributions from both the SoundCloud and Conscious rap scenes. However, some Conscious rappers express disdain in being compared to their SoundCloud relatives. That animosity is often centered around how SoundCloud rappers portray the Black community in Hip-hop.

J Cole said in a recent interview with Vulture that SoundCloud rappers are “exaggerated versions of Black stereotypes” His concern for that portrayal is perhaps best illustrated in his hit song, “1985”: “But have you ever thought about your impact? / These white kids love that you don’t give a fuck / ‘Cause that’s exactly what’s expected when your skin black.”

J Cole backs the position that SoundCloud rap is doing more harm to Hip-hop than good. SoundCloud rappers, for their part, don’t really seem to care.