Poll: Metal and Rap Fans

[NezumiiroKitsune]

Somewhat spurred on by The Big Picture, I have been inspired to seek out the rare enough few who can say, despite the cultural animosity of the groups associated with the genres, they love both metal, be it heavy, death, goth, industrial, nu etc... and rap / hip hop, be it "gangsta", horrorcore, crunk, etc...

So...

Which of the two genres do you prefer if any?

Who is / are your favourite metal artist(s)?

Who is / are your favourite rap / hip hop artists?

What's your opinion on when the two come together? Both in the sense of Rap Metal and when metal artists and rap artists duet / gig together.

Personally: Metal, 36 Crazyfists, Jedi Mind Tricks.

 

[BonsaiK]

I like both, but I generally despise it when the two come together. People really need to stop combining them (and they mostly have, which is good).

I'd probably be more inclined to listen to rap than metal given the choice, but it depends on my mood. Metal is good for some things, it makes excellent FPS accompaniment for example.

Oh and I might as well post the single, solitary combination of rap and metal I've heard that I think actually works really well (and yes I have heard ALL the 80s and 90s ones):


It's easy to tell from this track that he has equal understanding of both styles, and the rap verses are deliberately full of lyrical references that only a metalhead would understand. Never heard anything else quite like this and that's not surprising - most rappers wouldn't have the specialist metal knowledge to pull off something like this, and vice-versa.

 

[hittite]

I do like some rap / hip-hop, just not very much.

 

[Bernzz]

While I like both (big fan of Eminem and Hilltop Hoods), the sheer amount of metal in my library would answer the question for you.

I prefer metal.

 

[badgersprite]

You know, the animosity between rap and metal doesn't make sense when you think about it. I mean, maybe it does now, but, if you think about it, both these forms of music arose as a type of counter-culture, deliberately rebelling against the "accepted" music and embracing unconventional, aggressive styles.

Sure, rap music now has effectively abandoned its counter-culture elements and is practically indistinguishable from pop music, as well as having been co-opted by whitey like nobody's business. A world where Justin Bieber gets to rap unironically is not a pretty one. Metal suffers from this a lot less than rap, because, let's face it, the days of hearing metal on the pop charts are pretty much over, and there weren't many bands that made it there to begin with, but most of those that did were indeed pretty shit, weren't they?

Anyway, my speculation aside, my favourite metal bands of all time remain Slayer and Iron Maiden, and as far as Hip-Hop, I really like the '80s and early '90s stuff like N.W.A., Public Enemy or Young MC, but I tend to like individual songs more than artists. I prefer Hip-Hop and Rap over Metal, which is weird because five years ago I loved metal and would have encased my head in stone rather than listen to rap...

And when you combine Hip Hop and Metal you get shit like Limp Bizkit, and that abomination of music is best forgotten by history.

 

[adderseal]

I used to be fairly into metal when I was about 14. Five years later, I'd much rather listen to rap. I dunno, I guess I like the funky beats a lot. Also it's a misconception that rap is all about shooting coloured folk, stealing their money and forcing yourself on their harems.
As Scroobius Pip says: "Thou shalt remember that guns, bitches and bling were not part of the four elements, and never will be."

Favorite rap artists: De La Soul, Eminem, Beastie Boys, NWA, Snoop Dogg (ok fine the last two are gangsta) and I'm partial to pretty much everything else.

Just don't go mixing rap and metal. Linkin Park need to fucking die.

 

[GartarkMusik]

I prefer metal, but I am very much open to good, meaningful rap. Not this crap that talks about nothing but having sex and making money, but stuff with deep meaning to it. Does anyone want to suggest a few artists with such songs?

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

i like both, my library of those two put against each other is 55% metal and 45% rap (i have plenty of other music too) but honestly i probably prefer rap over metal, its just more enjoyable when i want pump up music or just to chill to, metal is usually reserved for games/homework/etc..

I prefer metal, but I am very much open to good, meaningful rap. Not this crap that talks about nothing but having sex and making money, but stuff with deep meaning to it. Does anyone want to suggest a few artists with such songs?

ive been enjoying that alot as of the past couple days, give it a go perhaps?

 

[BonsaiK]

I prefer metal, but I am very much open to good, meaningful rap. Not this crap that talks about nothing but having sex and making money, but stuff with deep meaning to it. Does anyone want to suggest a few artists with such songs?

What a lot of people don't understand is that the sex/money stuff has often got more "deep meaning" to it than the "conscious" stuff which is usually just pure sloganeering and very surface-level explorations of social issues.

Most rap isn't about sex or money anyway. If that's all you're hearing then I guess you're only listening to the chart stuff. The link I posted earlier isn't really about sex or money for instance, and I wasn't even trying to post a "non sex/money rap song".

 

[Blue_vision]

I'll come out and say that I like Rap and Hip Hop far over Metal. Not that metal's bad as a genre, I just don't find the big appeal in it. Some of it's great, but overall I'd choose hip hop.

Some favourite metal: Evanescence, Three Days Grace (they're borderline,) Ra, Nightwish, and I can find things to like in most Math rock-based metal.
Some favourite hip hop: Keny Arkana, M.I.A, Molotov, Just Jack, K'naan, Fort Minor, and Movits! (they half count)
Idk, just off the top of my head.

Some Rap Metal can sound really cool, but then some of it is just terrible. I think that it'd be interesting to look for new formulas, or just new hip hop fusion genres in general.

EDIT:

ive been enjoying that alot as of the past couple days, give it a go perhaps?

I'm liking this. A lot. As in, new song of the week for me
ty good sir

 

[Infinatex]

Massive Hip Hop Fan. Also enjoy some metal too! Favourite artists would be Lupe Fiasco, Sage Francis and Atmosphere. As for metal I've always had a soft spot for some Disturbed

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

I am neutral, but I like rap/hip-hop more than metal...so maybe im not neutral haha?

Favorite Metal Band: System of a Down
Favorite Rap Group: Outkast, but can't really pick
Favorite Rapper: Can't pick

 

[mythtech]

i enjoy both rap and metal. i like bands like devil driver and lamb of god and at the same time listen to hiphop like sage francis and alias. i find that mixing the two is not usually a good idea however

 

[TeeBs]

I guess I enjoy rap more, the fans are more subtle and to me the music is more accessible, not to say I don't enjoy metal.

Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop - Sage Francis, Jay-Z , Kanye West, Dan le Sacs vs Scroobious Pip, Beastie Boys, and Illogic.

Favorite Metal - Between Me and The Buried, Isis, Sunn 0))) and Atheist.

As far as fusions go, most Rap-Rock, Rap-Metal is pretty bad, Beastie Boys is about the only thing I can stand. Rap-Jazz is far more appealing to me.

 

[Blue_vision]

What a lot of people don't understand is that the sex/money stuff has often got more "deep meaning" to it than the "conscious" stuff which is usually just pure sloganeering and very surface-level explorations of social issues.

Most rap isn't abotu sex or money anyway. If that's all you're hearing then I guess you're only listening to the chart stuff. The link I posted earlier isn't really about sex or money for instance, and I wasn't even trying to post a "non sex/money rap song".

Really, basically all the "good" stuff has almost nothing to do with money/sex/guns, at least not in the traditional sense that people think of. It's similar to how you could say that Metal's just full of random screaming. Sure, you get that, but there's more to it. Hip hop's similar, and you can get really complex issues out of it.

Spoiler: Examples:

 

[CarpathianMuffin]

I've grown to appreciate both genres for what they are, and enjoy both equally. While I may have more metal music, it gets equal rotation with my hip hop collection.

Favorite metal: Deathspell Omega, Iron Maiden, Cathedral, Sanctuary...

Favorite hip hop: A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, The Sugarhill Gang, Slick Rick...

 

[BonsaiK]

]Really, basically all the "good" stuff has almost nothing to do with money/sex/guns, at least not in the traditional sense that people think of. It's similar to how you could say that Metal's just full of random screaming. Sure, you get that, but there's more to it. Hip hop's similar, and you can get really complex issues out of it.

Spoiler: Examples:

I don't know, I'd prefer some simple sex-and-violence entertainment to the fairly condescending tone of the second rap song you posted. The Enimem one's okay I guess, because at least he makes it personal to himself rather than trying to lecture, and the good chorus helps, but the bogus philosophising of the other one is just awful.