Poll: Rap, Because its about gangsters and hoes.

[the Dept of Science]

Anyone can throw together a drum track and yell a couple swear words these days and call it a song, and this frustrates me. Although, If the lyrics are good/deep and not too redundant, I can stand it.
As a musician, what I really hate is the fact that it's considered "music" despite the fact that it lacks so much musical creativity. There are so many people out there with so much underrated talent that deserve to be recognized, but they're overlooked because most (not exactly all) mainstream "music" is appreciated because "da b3@t is hella siiiiick" or whatever.
It saddens me to know that no my age loves Zeppelin, Rush, or The Who anymore. There needs to be more bands like that around, and there probably are, but we just can't see them past all the "musicians" being shoved in our faces that rap about partying and cash and all that cliche' BS.

Gah, sorry. I could rant about this forever, this really is something that grinds me gears, but I'll stop.

First of all, in hip hop, the musical talent generally (not always) lies in the rapper. While the instrumental section of the music may be simple at times, I don't see it as any different from a folk singer using three chords to back his lyrics. Led Zeppelin have some pretty lame lyrics at times, but thats not the reason I listen to LZ. In other words, complaining about the instrumental side of it is almost missing the point.

However, this is not always the point. There is such a thing as instrumental hip hop, and some of it is very good (a lot of it is very bad, but hey, Sturgeons Law).

Also the idea of it lacking creativity; the idea of sampling by its very nature relies on the work of previous artists. However, bringing new life or new takes takes to old art is almost as important as the creative process itself. I don't see how a DJ sampling a track is very different from a guitarist taking someone elses chord progression or melody and changing it slightly. Most people have seen that "4 chords, 36 songs" that has been on Youtube for a while, showing that rock musicians are just as guilty as DJs and that just one element of a song can be used for lots of different iterations and styles.

Here is a documentary about the history of DJing and the skills involved in it:
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/scratch/

Oh yea, and check out the Roots, a rap band who use entirely live instrumentation. They are currently Jimmy Fallon's house band and have 2 albums in Metacritic's top 200 albums.

 

[AbsoluteVirtue18]

I actually miss early 90's rap and hip hop. It almost seems as if the quality was better when everyone was trying to kill each other.

 

[-Drifter-]

I love rap that DOESN'T focus on those things. I tend to enjoy rap that focuses on social justice and responsibility.

I think you'd like Blue Scholars. Ever heard of 'em?

 

[Eggsnham]

I like most rap, I listen to music mostly for the sounds and not for the lyrics, but on occasion when I do listen to lyrics, I like rap that doesn't focus primarily on drugs, sex and violence.

I like most music in general, actually.

But in all honesty, I don't see the hatred towards rap and hip-hop. A lot of it just seems generalized and baseless.

 

[Sexbad]

I don't hate all of it, but I voted for the most severe option because there's still a fuckton of hatespeech with no talent involved floating around what's popular. When someone takes time to work with the lyrics and provide good accompaniment that's a nice thing, but I dislike nearly all else. "wuh wuh wuh niggers prison hoes guns (auto-tuned chorus) niggers prison hoes guns"

 

[AMMO Kid]

Rap? Meh. I hear the occasional good song, but it's rare.

 

[Lancer723]

I don't like most rap because it lacks any sense of subtlety. There are some artists out there that I like or at least respect, but most I just can't stand. I find that the excessive use of profanity does less to make songs feel more... "hardcore" is the only word I can think of, but I don't think that's what I mean to say. Instead it just seems childish, like 12 year old that just figured out he could say curse words with his friends, and so uses them excessively simply because he can.

 

[cheese_wizington]

You are now a Hilltop Hoods fan.

Yes I am.

Now I'm not only sure there are good white rappers, but I'm sure there are good white European rappers.

Edit: Before someone shoots me, I'll correct myself: Make that Australian rappers. Although, that's not too surprising.

In my experience, white rap/hip-hop is better than black. Not racist or anything, it just seems like it.

 

[lokun489]

i like rap that just is in it to make fun of itself.

 

[cheese_wizington]

I appologise if anyone takes offence to this next point but I can only think of one mainstream white rapper, just one.

Just one? I'm a rap fan, so although I know I'm going to have an advantage over you on this, but before thinking about it I'd be prepared to say I can think of... 10? Hmm...

Spoiler: Just Jack

Spoiler: Pegz

Spoiler: Funkoars

Spoiler: Hilltop Hoods (Pressure, Suffa and DJ Debris, all white)

Spoiler: Asher Roth

Spoiler: Eminem

Spoiler: Dr Awkward

Spoiler: Mike Shinoda

Spoiler: Abdominal

Spoiler: Example

Damn, you are so right! Not only are all of those songs by black gangbangers, they're all about guns, bitches and bling!

Oh wait... Sorry, I forgot that was just a stereotype. Still, we've all got to hate something unreasonably, right?

You are now a Hilltop Hoods fan.

You. You, I like. Have you heard any of Pegz or Funkoars? I think Australian rap in general is doing fantastically for overturning the Guns Bitchez + Bling stereotype. Keep spreading the good word!

Yeah, I've heard of Funkoars and do enjoy them. The whole Certified Wise crew is incredible.

This track features the whole crew, and it's fucking awesome. I can't stop listening to it.


Might as well share this while I'm at it.

 

[cheese_wizington]

You are now a Hilltop Hoods fan.

<youtube=6s7ywGSm6B4>

Awesome haha. I just love showing anti rap/hip-hop people this track and watching their jaws drop. The reaction is even better for real fans. I think what makes Aussie hip-hop so great is the way they mix it with soul and funk.

 

[ReligiousNutEruption]

Oh boy, this thread again. Has anyone made a "Retards Attempting Poetry" joke yet?

 

[RedBeta22]

"My addiction makes me piss on floors, and go home with these scabby whores. I took too much LSD ..."

Yeah, Rehab is really deep.

Rap doesn't appeal to me. It's all about the same shit, drugs, whores, violence...

I'm sure some exists that isn't, I have yet to find it, and I don't really care to.

Why does something have to be deep to be good? Most rap i've heard is just about having fun and a good time. Although the point of rap is to dance to so i think lyrics kind of come second its the rhythm and beat that comes first

People dance to Rap? Really?

 

[RedBeta22]

No, I dont think its all about gangsters and Hoes. Just most of it, the shitty Stuff. I still dont like it. But lots of people do and that's fine by me.

 

[Limzz]

It's just boring. I'm a very musical person. I don't want to listen to some chap talking at me for hours when I can listen to beautiful melodic music, which oodles of variety.

You're a very musical person? Like, you took kazoo lessons or something? What does that even mean??? I won't start preaching music theory but I'm going to assume you don't really know what defines melody. There is certainly rap that is "melodic" by definition. But yeah, I listen to rap, death metal, ska, folk, whatever. There's good music from all genres if you know where to look.

 

[Jake the Snake]

I, in general, really don't like music that doesn't have anything to say. You'd really think a genre of music built around poetry would have some profound meaning within, but, sadly, most of it doesn't. There are some rap artists that defy this (eg Brother Ali, Atmosphere) but apart from the slim amount there are of these GOOD rappers, everyone else is bland and sucks.

 

[lacktheknack]

I love rap that DOESN'T focus on those things. I tend to enjoy rap that focuses on social justice and responsibility.

I think you'd like Blue Scholars. Ever heard of 'em?

Nope. Inform me.

 

[the protaginist]

Considering my affection for Nerdcore Hip-hop, I can't really say i hate rap, but what most would label "Gangster Rap" I don't like strictly because it's lyrical content isn't what i'd call "Compelling".

I don't hate all rap. I like a few artists but i hate most of the 50 cent Club bouncing ***** slapping shit.

Pretty much that, people saying they're hot shit, whether or not it's true, really annoys me for some reason. Examples of this include Asher Roth, Kanye West, and 50 Cent.

Now i'll link some videos for ya'll to enjoy:

For some satire of the aforementioned "I'm Hot Shit" rappers by LoadingReadyRun Pre-Escapist, see:


For some rap that I enjoy, see:

 

[Harkonnen64]

Boats and hoes!

 

[-Drifter-]

I love rap that DOESN'T focus on those things. I tend to enjoy rap that focuses on social justice and responsibility.

I think you'd like Blue Scholars. Ever heard of 'em?

Nope. Inform me.

These guys.