In 2025, as we crown a new class of artists—1900Rugrat, Ian, Yung Fazo, Sombr, Luh Tyler, Cash Cobain, BigXthaPlug, Babytron, Slump6s, and Anycia—we’re forced to ask: Is this evolution or erosion? And more importantly, what does the modern rise of rappers say about what we’ve lost—and gained—since the 1990s?