LUCKI Criticizes Lil Wayne and JAY-Z’s Influence on Freestyle Misconceptions

LUCKI recently blamed Lil Wayne and JAY-Z for misleading the younger rap generation into thinking writing verses is a flaw, rather than appreciating the art of freestyling. The Chicago rapper explained on Twitter that while Wayne and Hov are “literally the two best rappers EVER,” their influence has led many artists to prioritize written verses over improvised flows.

Dreamville’s JID co-signed LUCKI’s take, saying he “hit [that motherf**ker] right on [the] head.” Another commenter went further, suggesting post-mixtape era music be classified as a genre separate from traditional hip-hop, citing artists like Young Thug, Future and Lil Uzi Vert as spawning “a generation of ‘rap fans’ who don’t actually like rap/rapping.”

LUCKI’s comments were prompted by his defense of Rich Amiri, who walked out of a cypher for XXL’s 2024 Freshman Class. LUCKI argued the format is outdated, saying “Nobody even [freestyles] anymore” and that there are no “lyrical geniuses” left. He’s not entirely wrong – in 2020, Coi Leray faced backlash for her freestyle skills, which she dismissed by saying she’s a “trendsetter.”

hit dat mf right on da head

— (J.I.D) 🥷 (@JIDsv) July 4, 2024

Nggas need to differentiate post Future Keef Thug Carti Uzi music as a diff genre from actual rap/hip hop cuz its killing the genre. all the ppl named have made good stuff here and there but they spawned a generation of “rap fans” who don’t actually like rap/rapping

— DOC (@backendoc) July 4, 2024

Interestingly, Lil Wayne himself has credited JAY-Z for inspiring him to freestyle rather than write verses. In a 2023 interview, Wayne revealed Jay’s “Show Me What You Got” freestyle made him question his own place in rap. The two have a competitive but respectful relationship, with Wayne calling Jay “a real man” for supporting him through his legal battles with Cash Money.

So while LUCKI may have a point about the current state of freestyling in hip-hop, it seems the art form’s decline is more a byproduct of the genre’s evolution than a direct result of Wayne and Jay’s influence. Their innovative styles have undoubtedly shaped multiple generations of rappers, for better or worse.