“My mama knew she was feeding the goat,” raps Childish Gambino’s son Legend Glover in “Chaka Khan”, a collaborative song previewed at the Bando Stone listening party last week (July 8). This appearance was the latest in a growing trend of hip-hop’s biggest names featuring their children on tracks, including North West’s verse on Kanye’s “Talking”, Drake’s son Adonis on “My Man Freestyle”, Young Thug’s children’s Gunna diss, Westside Gunn’s daughter WS Pootie’s feature on “Nigo Louis”, and more.

This trend emerges amid wider lamentations of hip-hop’s recent decline in popularity. Last year, as it celebrated its 50th birthday, hip-hop was also deposed as the most popular music genre in the US. “Rap’s superstars are ageing into a different chapter in their careers, less invested in chasing hits,” proclaimed Billboard in the wake of the news, while, separately, musicologist Zachary Diaz spoke of the “dilution” of hip-hop into mainstream music. “It’s everywhere but at the same time nowhere,” he suggested.

For the likes of Childish Gambino and Kanye, whose decade-spanning careers have produced some of the genre’s biggest hits, these comments ring particularly true. Childish Gambino’s Because the Internet and, of course, Kanye’s College Dropout played a huge role in the dissemination of sampling and rapping into mainstream consciousness. To this day, tracks like “Jesus Walks” and “3005” can be heard everywhere from Samsung adverts to churches. 

They were also responsible for pushing the boundaries of what is considered to be hip-hop. Kanye’s 808s & Heartbreak was pivotal in welcoming auto-tune and themes of vulnerability into the genre, whilst Gambino’s third album “Awaken, My Love!” was a notable departure from rap altogether. Though by no means a bad thing, both artists substantiate claims that the genre is becoming diluted and changing as its biggest names transition into new stages in their lives.

Through this lens, the Rapo Baby trend appears less like nepotistic attempts to launch their children’s careers and more as extensions of their own artistry, which has evolved to reflect their new roles as parents. Rather than forced insertions, both ‘Childish Bambino’ Legend Glover and North West’s features appear to fit conceptually and sonically within their respective tracks. “Talking”’s lo-fi sample and stripped-back production allow North West room to stomp all over the mix, whilst “Chaka Khan” is a straight-up playful conversation between father and son, replete with references to cuddles, kisses and love. In these songs, at least, Kanye and Gambino's creative visions remain the driving force.

What these tracks don’t represent, however, is an anthem for young people in the same way that “Jesus Walks” or “3005” were – performances from both Rapo Babies are rather intimate, but unlikely to chart anytime soon.

Amid reports that Childish Gambino’s upcoming Bando Stone project is to be his last (and likely an even greater departure from rap than “Awaken, My Love!” was), perhaps the most damning evidence for hip-hop’s impending transition arrived last week (July 10), when news broke that Kanye is considering retirement. If hip-hop is declining because of ageing talent and diluted sounds, then these Rapo Babies appear to be the horsemen of this apocalypse.

In its place, country, Latin music and K-pop are reported to be on the rise. What is particularly interesting here is that – be it country-pop icon Taylor Swift’s collaborations with Post Malone or Latin music paragon J Balvin’s penchant for rap verses or K-pop’s general obsession with breakdancing and baggy pants – all of these genres are now incorporating elements that hip-hop helped popularise. While it’s difficult to predict what the future of music might look like, it’s clear that hip-hop’s dilution and decline is opening a gap for new sounds to fill.

In a funny way, then, the appearance of these Rapo Babies are paving the way for a new generation of music – it’s just one that they likely won’t be at the forefront of.