Pharrell Compares Mumbling Rappers to James Brown During Discussion with Flying Lotus

As if there needed to be further evidence of Pharrell's wisdom and insight on all things music, consider the above discussion had with Flying Lotus on P's OTHERtone Beats 1 Radio show in which the producer defends the changing sound of hip-hop. The show's co-host Scott Vener asks if the deemphasis on lyricism has left hip-hop in a good place and the two musicians say that change and evolution to any genre is both inevitable and good.

"Ask yourself, how do you feel? So many people get caught up in the way the system used to be and what their expectations were," Pharrell says. 

"Here’s the good part, there’s room for everybody now. You can be super lyrical…you can say stuff, just ride the beat barely rhyming." Flying Lotus adds, with Pharrell saying that such artistry has been popular in the past. "We loved it when James Brown did that," he sad. "He didn’t always rhyme, it just felt right."

All parties involved make a point not to drop any names, though it's clear that their references to the pervasive sounds of the moment are allusions to Future, Desiigner and other rappers of their ilk. Pharrell does mention OG Maco and his "U Guessed It" record as an example of a song catching him off guard with its subversiveness, and concludes some of their discussion by saying, "We’re living in a time where theres a major transition going on. It just feels a little weird, but I’m telling you it’s awesome."

Catch the conversation up above.

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