There’s something deeply depressing about the way black people all over the world produce the dopest artifacts and collectibles in the culture, only to make them disposable like a wet wipe.

Hip-hop debates sounded very different. People argued about lyrics, flows, albums, and influence. Fans debated whether a rapper had the best verse of the year or if an album would become a classic. Now the conversation sounds more like: first-week numbers, monthly listeners, and how many streams. Somewhere along the way, hip-hop stopped sounding like a culture and more like pocket watching.