Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug has said hip-hop is dying, arguing that viral TikTok songs, commercial pressures and drill music have weakened the genre’s traditional hierarchy of skill and longevity, per hiphophero.com.
Speaking on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, which premiered on October 28, BigXthaPlug said he should not be among rap’s leading artists after only five years in the industry. He questioned how an artist with a viral TikTok song could hold the No. 1 hip-hop position while established performers such as Future and Drake remained in the same commercial category.
“It need to be fun again,” he said. “I feel like it ain’t fun no more.”
BigXthaPlug said the modern rap business had become “a money game,” in which financial backing and short-form virality could place newcomers alongside artists with long-established careers. He argued that this blurred the distinction between a passing viral moment and sustained artistic achievement.
He also criticised drill music, saying its rise had made aggression and a “gangsta” persona feel compulsory for younger rappers. While acknowledging that drill had affected other genres, he said it had also “killed hip-hop” by narrowing the sound and attitude associated with rap.
His comments came shortly after the release of Better Over Time, his fourth studio album, on October 30 through 600 Entertainment and UnitedMasters. The record marks a return to rap after his 2025 country-leaning album, I Hope You’re Happy, which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 2 on both the Country and Rap album charts.
BigXthaPlug’s earlier albums have both been certified platinum. His remarks add to an ongoing debate over whether streaming platforms, social media and commercial incentives are reshaping hip-hop faster than its artistic standards can adapt.
•Featured image: BigXthaPlug/Hip Hop Hero/YouTube