BigXThaPlug Says Rap Music Is Dying
The Texas rapper made the claim during an interview on the Club Shay Shay podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Hip-Hop and Rap
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Rapper BigXThaPlug answered yes when asked whether rap music is dying during an interview on the Club Shay Shay podcast, which premiered October 28. He said drill music is one of the leading causes of the genre's decline.
Why it matters
The remarks add to ongoing debate within hip-hop about the direction of the genre and the influence of drill and streaming-era trends. Comments from a working rapper with five years in the game give the argument a voice from inside the scene.
The interview timestamp places the drill discussion at 1:33:19 of the episode, and BigXThaPlug cited his five years of rapping as his basis for the assessment. No commercial chart, streaming or sales figures were provided to measure the claimed decline.
The players
BigXThaPlug
A Texas rapper whose five-year career placed him in the middle of the genre's current debates about drill music and commercial trends.
Shannon Sharpe
A former NFL player turned media personality who hosts the Club Shay Shay podcast.
The details
BigXThaPlug said a TikTok song should not earn the number one hip-hop song in the world and that the hip-hop game has become a money game. He compared the genre's possible recovery to the rebound of country music, which he said is flourishing right now, and said hip-hop needs to be fun again.
Timeline
October 28, 2026: The Club Shay Shay podcast interview premiered, hosted by Shannon Sharpe.
Culture Shift
The remarks reflect a broader argument within hip-hop about whether drill and TikTok-driven hits have pulled the genre away from its earlier emphasis on craft and entertainment. BigXThaPlug's comparison to country music's rebound frames the question as one of genre health rather than simple commercial success.
Listeners who follow hip-hop's direction can weigh these remarks when deciding which artists and sounds to stream. The interview itself is available through the Club Shay Shay podcast.
The takeaway
The claim that rap is dying is one artist's opinion, but it highlights a real tension over whether drill and viral trends are shaping the genre's future. Listeners and artists can judge the argument against the music being released.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Hip-Hop and Rap for context on the genre's ongoing debates.
Source note: This article includes information reported by XXL Magazine.
Live Poll
Do you think rap music is getting better or worse these days?
