While I believe there’s something to the entirety of this, there are many points–especially with respect to examples–that are wide open to be challenged. Additionally, perhaps older voices are being silenced in a sense that most media outlets have to rely on what’s current as it relates to their bottom line. No one is gonna pass the mic or the pen to someone that says “This is garbage. All of it.” Not when there’s advertising to be sold. Read the whole thing, though.
“Furthermore, those most likely to challenge mainstream rap critics’ revanchist-influenced caricature of golden era fans—the disenchanted fans themselves—aren’t really represented in mainstream rap writing. There isn’t some grand plot to silence golden era fans’ opinions; these fans have virtually opted out of participating in the mainstream rap discourse. Why would anyone want to write about music that they don’t really like anymore? Moreover, why would anyone hire such a person to critique music? Due to the absence of these golden era fans’ perspectives as well as to the ignorance of mainstream rap critics’ readers, today’s rap criticism has become a series of echo chambers.”
“The Problem with These Kids Rap Critics Today, Part 1″ — Gordon / We Are Respectable Negroes