Styles P breaks down why Billie Eilish’s recent comments on hip-hop authenticity.
Where once he threw chairs, these days Styles P is more inclined to throw gems. Held in high esteem by anybody with any semblance respect for hip-hop, The Ghost has earned the right to speak as an authority. There are some who might even deem him the game’s most consistent contributor. Suffice it to say, Styles’ input carries weight — even when he’s touching on some undeniably divisive topics.
Young megastar Billie Eilish, known for her caption-friendly brand gothic pop, recently made comments on hip-hop authenticity. “There are tons songs where people are just lying,” she said, in a Vogue Interview. “There’s a lot that in rap right now, from people that I know who rap. It’s like, ‘I got my AK-47, and I’m fuckin and I’m like, what? You don’t have a gun. ‘And all my bitches.’ I’m like, which bitches? That’s posturing, and that’s not what I’m doing.”
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It’s not the first time a pop star with rap ties has voiced criticism about hip-hop, with Post Malone and Miley Cyrus having made similar comments. As per usual, the backlash isn’t far. While many were quick to acknowledge that Billie wasn’t wrong in her assessment, they questioned her authenticity as a messenger. Styles P voiced a similar opinion, taking to Twitter with a few takes on the matter. “Who is Billie eilish ? Why the fuck do we care what she thinks ?? And she is sorta Of right but she don’t get the culture nor is she part it so why do we give a fuck ? How or why is her opinion important to us ?”
He acknowledges that while rappers do indeed veer into fictitious territory, it’s no different from actors or directors tackling violent subject matter. “Rappers can say whatever the fuck they want and pretty much all rappers lie,” he says. “If you don’t like it then don’t listen and mind your damn business.” Last but not least, Pinero issues an important reminder that rappers are human beings and suspectible to the same emotions as anyone else. “Stop putting us on such a high pedestal because you feel we should or shouldn’t do something,” he says. “Grow up.”