Poll: The Escapist's perception of rap music

[EndlessSarcasm]

I am a geek. I will get that out of the way first. Everybody I know knows I am a geek - I am not shy about it.

This for some reason makes it surprising when people learn my favourite type of music is Rap/Hip Hop/Urban. Apparently being a geek and liking rap doesn't happen. When I ask what they expected me to like, nobody has ever given me a straight answer.

I understand why many people think it is crass:

"Im soaking it all up, while your girls sucking me" - An Immortal line from Lloyd Banks
"I don't mean to be pushy pushy, I'm just in it for the p**** p****" - An awe-inspiring line from N-Dubz

But some urban songs have some quite deep lyrics

"Let's dance in style,Let's dance for a while,
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies"

Jay-Z ft. Mr Hudson

So I wanted to know what your opinion is of rap music and why, and if you have shared any experiences like mine.

 

[madcap2112]

If the lyrics are well written and meaningful, it's fine. As Chris Rock says, the older stuff like Run DMC and Tupac and Public Enemy, etc., were easy to defend because the lyrical content had some meaning to it. It's hard for me to like the crap that's out there now when it's all so ridiculous.

 

[Tharwen]

I don't really like it, mainly for the fact that most of it is sung by idiots in an idiotic way. I do, however, think that some of it can be musically, lyrically, and emotionally brilliant (example: Eminem).

 

[comadorcrack]

I honestly do not care in the slightest. Music is Music.
I'll listen to it if I like it.
I do listen to rap/hip hop on occasion.
Eminem, 50 cent, Hollywood undead etc...

 

[ethaninja]

I don't like it. Most of it is: "fuck you, guns, hoes, bitches, pools, cars, money, bang bang bang." And some thumps and beeps in the background. Well modern gangster rap. Old school hiphop (MC Hammer) I'm fine with.

 

[Cheesebob]

Nowa days its mostly crap, but with some superb albums in the past, its occasionally brilliant.

Classices like NaS, N.W.A., Cypress Hill, Wu Tang Clan, Dr. Dre, Yupac and Eminem make Rap and are some of the best lyricists ever.

Whilst shit like Fiddy Cent, G unit, D12, Mc Hammer, Lloyd Banks, Lil' Wayne and late Eminem give rap a bad name.

 

[Soxafloppin]

I really like some electonica/Rap Music.

Example


Hadouken! is pretty good too.

Allso, Plan B is to tappingly good!

 

[ThatTallGuy]

Rapper's Delight is an awesome song, even though it is incredibly long.

But yeah, I like Run DMC, some MC Hammer, and Ice Ice Baby is a classic. I don't care what you say.

[small]Cookin' MCs like a pound of bacon. Pure poetry.[/small]

 

[EndlessSarcasm]

I also forgot to mention Kanye West who has some awe inspiring lyrics, but not in many of his feature singles - see "Flashing Lights" or "Everything I am"

 

[WrongSprite]

"Let's dance in style,Let's dance for a while,
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies"

Jay-Z ft. Mr Hudson

Firstly, that's as deep as a paddling pool XD

But yeah, pretty much all of it I don't like...I'm a musician, so the fact that it's essentially poetry, rather than music, tends to grind with me. I don't hate it, I just don't listen to it.

 

[Sakurazaki1023]

While I have no problem with the actual music style, the vulgarity and disrespect towards women along with the entire gangsta subculture that surrounds it really makes me loathe it like no other genre. The old school stuff from the 80s is OK, but most modern rap/hip hop artists deserve nothing more than a slow cocaine fueled death and VD.

 

[Casual Shinji]

The tracks in Ghostdog were pretty good.

 

[EndlessSarcasm]

"Let's dance in style,Let's dance for a while,
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies"

Jay-Z ft. Mr Hudson

Firstly, that's as deep as a paddling pool XD

But yeah, pretty much all of it I don't like...I'm a musician, so the fact that it's essentially poetry, rather than music, tends to grind with me. I don't hate it, I just don't listen to it.

I was going to post a bad paddling pool depth joke but decided against it. I shall try to find something with a little more depth.

Oh and nice avatar, I loved the Shivering Isles.

 

[De Ronneman]

All rap about ANYTHING else then life in the ghetto's sung by someone who actually lives in those ghetto's is rubbish.

What do I care about your candyshop, your hatred against exwives and your adventures with prostitutes?

NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING.

Well, there you have it. For further information on the subject, I refer you to Yahtzee's Zero Punctuation review of 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand:
"Anyone who pulls their pants down below their knees, blows all their money on jamming diamonds in their teeth while living in a slum and treats women like dogs you can put your knob in, they're just as much a ridiculous, poisonous fuckhead wether they're black or white."

 

[Razvelius]

For me good rap music died with Tupac.I think that after his death,the idea of rap(the lyrics)took a whole new direction that I completely despise.

 

[SonicKoala]

Mostly rubbish - "all rubbish" is far too all-encompassing, and there is some rap music out there which is worth listening to. There just isn't all that much of it.

 

[Nickolai77]

Not my kind of thing, rap/urban/hip hop sing about the opposite sex, parties, clubbing, urban life i suppose- it's not something that really interests me, nor many other introverted gamers like myself.

Fantasy-esque songs about pirates, vikings, demons and space wars have more appeal to me.

 

[Souplex]

Where's the option for some is good, some is terrible?

 

[EndlessSarcasm]

Where's the option for some is good, some is terrible?

It's been stolen by Ninjas.