i seem to remember Vince Staples (correctly) bringing up how overrated 80s and 90s hip-hop is. nobody needs to go back to anything, rappers who make trap music without any lyrical substance do so because they're not talented enough to do more than that. that's fine, there will always be a surface level to every genre. hip-hop is in the best state it's ever been. i would put El-P, Billy Woods, Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown, Earl Sweatshirt, Open Mike Eagle, Aesop Rock, Joey Bada$$, and quite a few other emcees up against any of the best rappers you can name from the previous eras.
here's the Vince quote btw:
http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2015/10/v...ere-overrated/