In modern day media the biggest hypocrisies committed by todays rappers comes in the form of projecting a false image. Today’s rappers are a key example as many try to personify the idea of “Hood Ni**a’s” to try and make it seem like they are tougher than they actually are. They projection of a false image causes many rappers get bashed by media critics who say they personify all stereotypes of the typical black rapper. However rappers shouldn’t be hated for rapping about having rich fancy cars and a thousand different girls because like it or not they have risen to the top. Whether most people like to admit it or not background is a prevalent thing when it comes to a rapper’s credibility and some of the most respected rappers have seen both sides of the economy be it poor or rich. An essential component of today’s hip-hop scene is Big Sean who is often criticized for his lyrics and ascent to fame.

Sean Michael Leonard Anderson was born on March 25th 1988 in Detroit Michigan. Sean had always had an interest in the rap and hip-hop genre and had been rapping ever since he was a kid. Later on in life Sean began hosting his own rap show on a local Detroit hip-hop station known as WHTD. By 2005 Sean had been struggling with work as a telemarketer as he had not been gaining a well enough salary and one day just by chance famous rapper Kanye West happened to be at the WHTD radio station. Immediately Sean had gotten over to the station and using his good relationships with the people at the station Sean was awarded the chance to meet the artist. Anderson showed that persistence pays off when he finally got Kanye to budge to allow him to start rapping for him. Sean sang some of his verses to the famous rapper who reluctantly happened to like what he had to offer. Two years later Sean was signed to the GOOD music record label.

Big Sean came up to his fame through toiling, good relations, and patience. While he may represent himself a little bit more egotistically in his music he still isn’t as big of mark for critics as his other fellow rappers. In his new single “Control” ft. Kendrick Lamar, Sean says “You write your name in sharpie, I write mine in stone,” what this line does is exemplify the invisible contest which most rappers are competing in to become the most famous face of their generation through fancy cars or big homes. Many rappers try to garner as much hate as possible because it’s easier to become hated then to enter the hearts of millions of people around the world. Sean uses the metaphor of sharpie versus stone because stones outlast sharpie. Sean sees himself as the stone despite the fact that he is still not on the level of the best rappers and most respected rappers, which shows his hubris. However Big Sean is actually not exuding the same kind of arrogance as other rappers because many chose to rap about their wealth in comparison to others while he shows he has earned the right to his arrogance through his music, which is known for through his good lyrical premise.

Since Big Sean became a more common name in households he has released several albums and singles many of which detail the story of his upcoming such as his newer song “Nothing is stopping you” Sean takes a more humble approach and life and talks about karma and how he tries to give others the same chance he was afforded. “And that's around the time that I got stopped, by this shorty tryna rhyme, manager said we ain't got time, But time to time, you gotta make time when it's time for karma to come back around I say, "Aye dawg, What you got?"“ Big Sean thinks back to the time when Kanye West took the time to listen to his rap and gives another young rapper the same chance. Sean leaves this typical perception of the stereotypical black rapper only doing things for themselves to gain money and fame by giving another rapper a chance. By helping another rapper Sean is only creating more competition and strife for himself. This shows that Big Sean puts up two images for society to look at, one where is a really good rapper who has as serious ego and another where he cares about the future of rap music. By putting up these two images Big Sean effectively takes the idea rappers having a one-track mind and replaces it with a kind of code switching to show his diversity in society.

Another rapper who also more recently gained more fame is J. Cole (Jermaine Lamarr Cole) who also became famous for his lyrics, which bashed other rappers and made many cultural references, which caused uproar among the media. One key example is when he says “This is a message for some rappers trying to steal my spot, You - famous on the internet, I'm real life hot, Homie, get your weight up, Fake - get sprayed up” in his song Villuminati. Many young rappers try to get famous by starting off on YouTube posting short music videos or smashups, Cole attacks all of these young artist by saying “you rappers famous on the internet, I’m real life hot; Fake - get sprayed up” saying those rappers will never quite be as famous as he is and if they ever cross him then they will meet a gruesome fate. Cole Immediately puts down the next generation of artists showing off a type of arrogance where he believes that no one will be able to replace him in the future. Cole further reinforces the stereotype that rappers are in the industry for themselves and don’t care about what happens after they leave the business.

J. Cole and Big Sean are vastly different rappers in and of the fact that they both give off different intents when they rap. Sean looks to repay the other young artists so they get the chance he gets while Cole looks to try and not afford them the same opportunities that he himself has today’s rap scene consists of two different types of rappers who have different motives and thus the entire rap genre cannot be generalized by something that one particular rapper said. Just like different breeds of dogs for example, some are vicious while others are timid, tame, and even helpful. Generalization of the rap genre is inconsistent and usually attacks it for all the wrong reasons.