Poll: What's your opinion on Rap and Hip Hop?

[Apretentiousname]

Now, I gotta say, I love rap. I think it's a great genre, but I know a helluva lot of people who don't think so. I just want to know what you're opinions are.

Edit: Please, I encourage you to post on the thread and give your opinion a name and some evidence. I will not berate you for your thought out opinions.

Edit2: Before stating your opinions, please read through the topic and respond to previous points that are against your opinion. Putting baseless opinions or hate speech is in no way or form contributing to this thread.

 

[SimuLord]

It contributes to continued racism by emphasizing the worst stereotypes of the groups it represents, it's aesthetically unpleasant, it relies on "samples" rather than originality, and to steal a line from Ren and Stimpy, "No sir, I don't like it."

 

[Lullabye]

Eh, like every other genre of music, I don't mind it. It's specific songs and artists rather than whole genres i have problems with.

 

[AvsJoe]

There are some high-quality, awesome songs out there and they remix very well, but otherwise I dislike the genre. I would never say it sucks though, that's just being a dutch-bag.

 

[Dark Knifer]

As a music genre it isn't my thing. I enjoy music with meaning and unique sounds to it. Rap and hip hop seems to lack both of these things. Also, the people I have met who are into rap are complete pricks (no offence to you sir). So it fails badly in my books, but it is still music, technically.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

that's just being a dutch-bag.

A whatnow? You mean douchebag? Or do you have a bag to put dutch people in, a bag that you hate?

 

[Apretentiousname]

Well, I'd like to point out a few things that most people who aren't completely into rap don't know, and that the better rappers jack it completely full of Double and TRIPLE entendres. If you dissect the lyrics of a good rap song you will find it propagated with them doubles and maybe a triple or two.

Another thing I'd like to point out is that the rhymes within rap use the wordplay that you can not find in any other music genre, except for maybe a select few artists. For example, I believe Jason Mraz could have been a pretty good rapper.

Raps frequently use Multisyllabic rhymes, complex rhyme schemes, and internal rhyming, and are chocked full of consonance and assonance.

Also on sampling, the creative sampler will generally use music from cross genre music so that you can make a unique sound rapping over it where it wasn't rapped over before. A rapper's "flow" can completely change the feel of a song. I don't feel it's unoriginal, it's just finding something they really like and trying to make something out of it. It's the same as copying anything else, it's like saying a rock artist using an electric guitar is unoriginal, which, I suppose, you could make the argument it is. It's an instrument of rap.

 

[AvsJoe]

that's just being a dutch-bag.

A whatnow? You mean douchebag? Or do you have a bag to put dutch people in, a bag that you hate?

Sorry. Inside joke. My little cousin tried to pronounce douchebag a little while ago and said Dutch-bag instead (he was too young to be using that word anyway). So whenever I censor the word douchebag, I use the culturally-insensitive Dutch-bag in its stead.

 

[phenity]

I like good rap. Most of the mainstream artists are pretty terrible; they have no skill, they rise to fame only because of their stupid, filthy lyrics that only bros and bro-ettes who watch MTV reality shows all day like.

 

[Betancore]

I only listen to Eminem, and a couple of Aussie hip-hop groups. I don't mind it, and I wouldn't say it isn't music, but I'm not out to join their culture or anything. It's just something else I listen to.

 

[viranimus]

It contributes to continued racism by emphasizing the worst stereotypes of the groups it represents, it's aesthetically unpleasant, it relies on "samples" rather than originality, and to steal a line from Ren and Stimpy, "No sir, I don't like it."

Wow.. /applaud

Basically said everything I intended to, just more eloquently.

Only thing I can add is that is based in anti melodic and extremely repetitive musical theory. From a musical standpoint it is basically reducing the music down to the lowest common denominator.

 

[zen5887]

I love Hip Hop, one of my favourite genres.

A lot of the hate on Hip Hop is totally unjustified. There are heaps of Hip Hop artists that use live instruments/have positive lyrics/have talent, you just wont find it on MTV. Yes there is a lot of shit on the TV and the radio, but hating Hip Hop because you don't like 50 Cent is like hating Rock music because you don't like Nickleback.

Also - There's nothing wrong with sampling.

 

[Apretentiousname]

Only thing I can add is that is based in anti melodic and extremely repetitive musical theory. From a musical standpoint it is basically reducing the music down to the lowest common denominator.

I disagree completely, there are many, many rappers that use melodies. And if it's so simple how come no one complains about Acid Jazz's musical repetitiveness.

Let's take for example, 2pac. He was, indisputably a musical genius. He was able to churn out the records (and lyrics and stories) like crazy, leaving over 700 unreleased records when he died. While he was alive he released 5 albums, he has now released about 37. He always incorporated melodies.

It's a similar case with Eminem (along with many other rappers, but I'll include the most famous) he always, always includes melodies. And as songs go on there are often little added parts to the beats.

 

[theSovietConnection]

I wouldn't say I love rap and hip-hop, but there is definitely a lot of it that I listen to. The real thing is digging through all the muck to find the gold and jewels of the lot, so to speak. Some of the older stuff is also quite good, in my opinion.

 

[Blueruler182]

I hate modern music... I mean, there is the occasional song I enjoy, but generally the music that everyone hears and listens to, all this dance crap with no heart and soul, I just hate it. Rap used to be cool, but now it's just... like everything else.

 

[zen5887]

Only thing I can add is that is based in anti melodic and extremely repetitive musical theory. From a musical standpoint it is basically reducing the music down to the lowest common denominator.

I disagree completely.

I've heard a bunch of Hip Hop albums that are just as interesting musically as they are lyrically.

 

[scorptatious]

I like some rap or hip hop. Lonely by Akon was pretty decent. Run Away Love was also good, I also used to like the Black Eyes Peas (before they became shitty) Besides those songs and a few others, I think the genre is absolute shit.

EDIT: Also, Kid Rock and Eminem are good.

 

[Sleekgiant]

Mainstream rap can go die, now as for actual talented rappers, I'm down with listening to it.

 

[AwesomeExpress]

I like hip-hop more than rap, and the only artists I listen to are: Beastie Boys, Will Smith, and Gorillaz. Otherwise I'm not into it.

 

[Apretentiousname]

Oh yeah, and for the record, hip hop is commonly misrepresented as a music genre, however this is not the case. It is the culture +associated acts, such as breakdancing, Djing, graffiti, etc.

I like some rap or hip hop. Lonely by Akon was pretty decent. Run Away Love was also good, I also used to like the Black Eyes Peas (before they became shitty) Besides those songs and a few others, I think the genre is absolute shit.

Wow. Just wow. Those two artists you just named are more pop than rap.
Here, let me post a rap and a beat, and I want to hear your opinions.

Here's a link to a guy making a beat. After halfway he plays the beat in its entirety.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktKYjr3lki0

Here I posted one of 2pac's most famous hits, Changes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Y9-JlSRXw

So as to not present a biased account of rap I also posted one of his other songs called "Fuck Friendz" which is pretty ghetto.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fuck+friendz&aq=f