Hyphy is a thing of the past…

Hyphy is near its end, if not already there. The end being that it will be labeled as a trend and will remain solely a regional sound that never reached its potential. Moving from LA to the Bay three years ago, I had a hard time understanding what this “Hyphy Movement” was. Being a DJ and getting a better sense of it from the local homies, I understood what it meant. At its best, it was creative and the social rebellion that hip-hop encompasses. At its worst, it was stereotypical, minstrel, and irresponsible. In 2006, E-40 looked poised to be the ambassador of the Bay to the nation but in 2007 and 2008, we saw its potential fizzle away like its movement named drink. It will still be played in the clubs and streets but never reach the national impact some hoped for. Read the articles on the how and why the Hyphy movement has passed.

Marian Liu’s “What happened to Hyphy?”

Eric Arnold’s “Whe Demise of Hyphy”