Death has become the fastest career upgrade in hip-hop. The moment a rapper passes away, something strange happens. Streams go up. IG followers go up. And people who never publicly supported them suddenly post broken-heart emojis and write paragraphs about “what they meant to the culture.”

Once upon a time, “underground” meant something. It meant: Do It Yourself. It meant rebellion. It meant going against the grain. It meant being yourself. It meant anti-corporate, raw, and uncompromising. But now? “Underground” is an A&R’s favorite word, a word they use to dilute our culture with mediocrity and talentless garbage!