I actually perform some hip hop (not exclusively, 'cause as a listener of all types of music, I also like to play all sorts of original songs in my band [singing/sometimes rapping drummer]), so definitely.
And it's not to say that musicians themselves gain some 'greater understanding' compared to those who don't play an instrument; whether it be solo, with a group, in front of people or not. It doesn't matter. That's pure pretentiousness. It's also why I opted out of going to music college. I was in choir for half my life, had about a year's worth of lessons on drums and learned everything else by ear. Music theorist types kill it for people like us.
I like all forms of music. I "latch" onto certain artists I feel truly make a difference in the big picture and in my life.
And I'm pretty sure artists weren't the ones who started this "genre classification" thing.
Reminds me of this video my friend posted awhile back that involved a neurological study on creativity and improvisation. Some of it's really interesting, no doubt, but they weren't artists. The ones in the MRI thing were.
And that's the key word here: Artists. It's not just music. It's a process like any other, that we pour our soul into. When I'm singing on-stage or drumming, I'm figuratively naked, in full expression, and nervous too sometimes, but I man up and do it. I may zone out in a jam and it can take me somewhere I couldn't even think possible; maybe listen to a recording afterwards, trying to remember, and use it for something further down the road. And I don't expect every single human being to love or even like what I do. That's what I listen for; to find what I personally like or don't regardless of outside influence. It's the same reason I watch tons of movies, play tons of games, draw, etc.
Escapism. What good is a forum for a site that boasts and promotes this, if people are constantly questioning it?
cue flames.
