Some of the songs you are listening to may have been sampled from a past song and you wouldn't know it. If you wanted to pick between the two you would have to account for one thing. The fact the present day musicians have the privilege to use the work of older artists. To use older songs and beats and sample it has become common in todays industry. This form of creating music has helped numerous artists and lead to a multitude of chart topping songs and albums.
The difference in getting your music heard between today and years ago is unmeasurable. Back in the day selling mixtapes out of the back of your car was how most of famous artists started. But now a days all you have to do is record yourself and post it on YouTube or the many different websites that let millions have access to your music. Which helps and hurts the culture because the simplicity makes it so that everyone can produce music, but this in turn dilutes the stream of music with god awful songs overcoming the superior music.
Past rappers have been killed before they could finish writing music, which leaves the mind to wonder what could have