Rick Astley and Yung Gravy are two musicians from different eras who have made an impact on pop culture and internet memes. Astley is best known for his 1987 hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up” and its association with the popular internet meme known as “rickrolling”. Yung Gravy is a newer artist who rose to fame in the late 2010s with his unique style of hip hop and references to nostalgic pop culture. Though they are from different generations, Astley and Gravy have some similarities when it comes to revitalizing past trends in new ways. However, their opinions of each other are not widely known. This article will explore what Rick Astley may think about the music and cultural impact of Yung Gravy.
Rick Astley’s Background
Rick Astley first gained recognition as a singer in the late 1980s. His debut single “Never Gonna Give You Up” was released in 1987, when Astley was only 21 years old. The song became a number one hit on several charts and helped propel his career forward as a pop star. Some key facts about Rick Astley’s background and musical style:
- Born in 1966 in Lancashire, England
- Rose to fame with dance-pop music
- Known for his deep baritone voice
- Achieved 8 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart
- His 1987 debut album Whenever You Need Somebody sold over 15 million copies worldwide
Though he had several popular years on the charts, Astley stepped back from his music career in the 1990s. However, his fame saw a resurgence when his song “Never Gonna Give You Up” became the basis for a popular internet meme known as rickrolling. This involved tricking people into listening to Astley’s song through disguised web links. The meme brought Astley’s music to a whole new generation. He has since embraced the meme’s popularity and returned to performing.
Yung Gravy’s Background
Yung Gravy is a much more recent musical artist who emerged onto the rap/hip hop scene in the late 2010s. Some key facts about Yung Gravy include:
- Born Matthew Hauri in 1996 in Rochester, Minnesota
- Began releasing music on SoundCloud in 2016 while still a college student
- Known for his unique style combining rap, pop, and references to 2000s culture
- Popular songs include “Mr. Clean” and “Betty (Get Money)”
- Has collaborated with artists like bbno$ and TrippythaKid
- Has over 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of 2022
Yung Gravy has earned praise for his clever lyrics and nostalgic pop culture references. His songs are often humorous and light-hearted while showcasing his fast rapping abilities. The generation gap between Astley and Gravy is evident, but they share some similarities when it comes to reinventing throwback styles in fresh ways.
How Their Music Careers Compare
While Rick Astley and Yung Gravy are from completely different music eras, there are some interesting parallels between the arcs of their careers so far:
| Rick Astley | Yung Gravy |
|---|---|
| Gained fame in his early 20s with dance/pop music | Broke out as a teenager with his unique hip hop style |
| Achieved huge chart success in the late 1980s | Built following online first in the late 2010s before charting |
| Disappeared from music scene for much of the 1990s/2000s | Still early in his career with potential ahead |
| Rediscovered by new generation through rickrolling meme | Appeals to millennials/Gen Z with nostalgic pop culture references |
| Embraced internet meme popularity | Utilizes internet and collaborations to grow fame |
The most striking similarity is how both artists capitalized on nostalgia and retro trends to fuel their popularity. Astley’s rickrolling meme brought the 80s pop icon to a new generation. Yung Gravy uses throwback references to appeal to millennial and Gen Z demographics. Both show how repackaging nostalgia can work across different eras of music.
Astley’s Potential Views on Yung Gravy’s Music
Given their overlapping retro revival themes, what might 1980s pop star Rick Astley think about the postmodern style of rapper Yung Gravy? Here are some possible perspectives:
- He may appreciate Gravy’s clever use of pop culture references and find the lyrics humorous and nostalgic.
- Astley may notice some musical similarities between their eras despite the genres being different.
- He might find Yung Gravy’s modern hip hop style and flows to be unique and innovative.
- As an older artist, Astley may not entirely understand all of Gravy’s millennial and Gen Z focused references.
- He could respect Yung Gravy’s DiY approach in building a following independently online before going mainstream.
- Astley may see Yung Gravy as continuing the tradition of reinventing retro styles in a new way for younger generations, much like his own rickrolling meme.
Overall, Astley likely appreciates the nostalgic pop culture themes in Yung Gravy’s music and recognizes the similarities to his own 80s revival. The specific lyrics and flows may be more unfamiliar to Astley given the generation gap. But he probably respects Yung Gravy’s creativity in bridging older throwback trends with a fresh new sound.
Astley’s Potential Views on Yung Gravy’s Cultural Impact
In addition to his music, Yung Gravy has had a sizable cultural influence, especially when it comes to nostalgia-fueled internet memes and references. Here are some ways Rick Astley may view Yung Gravy’s wider cultural impact:
- He may see Yung Gravy as a huge source of nostalgic Gen Z and millennial memes similar to his own rickrolling.
- Astley could view Gravy as opening the door for other retro-inspiredartists and trends to go mainstream again.
- He might recognize Yung Gravy’s appeal to younger generations who discover older pop culture through his music.
- As someone who stepped back from fame, Astley may be impressed by how massively Yung Gravy grew his fandom online.
- He could see Gravy’s collaborations and merchandising as examples of new ways to spread the nostalgia brand.
- Astley may also feel that Yung Gravy overturned conventions by merging old school references with new school style.
Yung Gravy’s nostalgia factor, internet popularity, and unconventional image could be impressive to Astley. Just as rickrolling reinvented Astley for newer generations, Gravy is introducing Gen Z to decades past through memes, fashion, and music remixes. The two artists showcase the lasting cultural impact of nostalgia.
Potential for Collaboration Between Astley and Gravy
While their musical styles differ, could there be potential for Rick Astley and Yung Gravy to collaborate on a nostalgia-fueled project together? Here are some possibilities:
- They could remix one of Astley or Gravy’s retro tracks together.
- A rickrolling-inspired music video featuring Astley’s iconic song and Gravy’s humor.
- Yung Gravy could sample or reference Astley’s music in a new throwback song.
- The two artists guest feature on each other’s remixes or original tracks.
- Astley and Gravy co-headlining a 1980s/2000s nostalgia tour or festival.
- Collaborative merch fusing retro Astley imagery with Gravy’s hipster style.
The combined nostalgia powers of Astley and Yung Gravy could be massive. Fans young and old of 1980s pop and postmodern hip hop would be drawn to anything they create together. Their viral meme powers combined opens doors to all kinds of creative mashups with huge internet potential. Hopefully, this dream team nostalgia collab happens someday.
Conclusion
Despite being from totally different eras, Rick Astley and Yung Gravy have similarities when it comes to revitalizing throwback trends for newer generations. Astley likely respects Yung Gravy’s creative spin on nostalgia in his hip hop style and internet fame. He recognizes parallel paths in bringing old school cool to new school audiences. There is great potential for these retro-inspired icons to join forces on a viral collab. While their musical styles may contrast, their shared cultural impact shows no generational divide. More than three decades may separate Astley and Yung Gravy, but their music proves nostalgia never goes out of fashion.