Lil Duval sparked a global debate by declaring Afrobeats would put the nail in hip hop's coffin -- but RZA, one of the guys who helped put rap on the worldwide map, completely disagrees with the controversial comedian.
TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the Wu-Tang Clan figurehead out in WeHo Tuesday and he argues Afrobeats artists are doing their form of hip hop ... no different from rappers in the trap or G-funk creators out West.
afrobeats might be the death of hip hop as we know it
— lil duval (@lilduval) February 20, 2023
Duval was reacting to last Sunday's Afrobeats takeover of the 2023 NBA All-Star Game halftime show ... led by standout artists Burna Boy, Tems and Rema ... and RZA says they deserve a chance to shine and feed their families, just like his generation did.
RZA also tackled another one of Duval's recent hip hop hot takes -- that podcasting has overtaken the music's popularity, another point RZA understood but debunked.
Rappers-turned-podcasters such as Joe Budden and N.O.R.E. have achieved much success on their platforms, but RZA tells us he and the Wu-Tang Clan just sold out shows during their "NY State of Mind" tour ... without the industry spotlight.
Seem like hip hop has become more about podcasting instead of music now
— lil duval (@lilduval) February 2, 2023
Bottom line, old school hip hop still lives ... people like Duval just have to know where to find it!!!