1. Vince Staples, 23
2. Chance the Rapper, 23
3. Earl Sweatshirt, 22
4. Mac Miller, 24
5. Travis Scott, 24
6. Young Thug, 25
7. Isaiah Rashad, 25
8. 21 Savage, 24
9. Joey Bada$$, 21
10. Kodak Black, 19

It seems like the future of hip-hop, as a genre, is constantly being questioned with the passing of every successful Lil Yachty record. Hip-hop fans who yearn for the time when Q-Tip was dragging A Tribe Called Quest to stardom just can’t wrap their heads around that fact that the self-proclaimed “king of the teens” appeals to such a large audience.

What if I told you that the same person who hates on the Lil Yachtys and Lil Uzi Verts of the world is still wearing Enyce in 2016? Sometimes it’s essential to take a step back and look around at the people who share the same beliefs as you. Like when the Ku Klux Klan’s official newspaper endorsed Donald Trump for president. Except liking hip-hop exclusively from the ‘90s has no real consequences.

This list is evidence that the complaints toward the younger generation in hip-hop are largely overstated. Vince Staples has put gangster rap in a political context that’s reminiscent of the West Coast legend, Ice Cube. Chance the Rapper has created music that everyone’s grandmother can get behind without sacrificing any of the rebelliousness that has made hip-hop so appealing.

However, the balance of the old-school influences in modern hip-hop has brought the genre to its highest peak. So, embrace 21 Savage the same way you’d embrace Joey Bada$$, because they both have equally important perspectives.