Well, it really contains little that attracts me about music. Minimal (if any) melody, repetitive percussion (typically sampled or synthesized), little to no actual vocal talent, and generally uninteresting (if not grotesquely stupid, violent and misogynistic) subject matter/lyrics. NOTE: This refers only to what I've been exposed to (i.e. the mainstream) not the genre as a whole.
There's a reason why the fans and myself are more interested in underground hip-hop as opposed to the mainstream.
mojopin87 said:
That said I don't actively hate it. I hate the fact that its shoved in my face everywhere because the record companies know that it is selling right now make sure people hear it everywhere. I also agree that, for the most part, it isn't actually what I would consider art because it requires little to no craft, skill, ability, etc. and is nearly totally devoid of any meaning or real emotion. Can a rap song really express the range of emotions other genres are capable of without melody or actual singing? I think not.
Please, I beg of you, do not make such generalisations with little to no knowledge on the matter. Singing plays a single role in music, as does every other instrument. Singing does not convey the same expressions and atmosphere as rapping so to say one style is objectively better than the other seems rather pretentious. To say that hip-hop can't express the same range of emotions is well, foolish. I'll leave you with this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyYsr2WziPE
mojopin87 said:
That said, I like the Gorillaz as well as K-Os but they both contain elements of multiple genres that I already like as well as a tendency to record with live instruments and are actually musicians. So they don't really represent the genre as a whole at all. Although I wouldn't say I like them in spite of their genre, it isn't too far from the truth either.
In brief, I don't hate the genre as a whole. What I do hate is the dominant sub-genre (gangsta rap) and the vapid commercialism, violence, misogyny etc. that defines it compounded by the way it is being pushed on us all the time.
Heh, a sex oriented song. But to hiphops credit, anything that pitbull puts out is oriented around that, i've learned that there is a general consensus that he is shit.
50 Cent - In my hood
This is the epitome of what I hate, it pretty much hits all points of the negativity surrounding rap. He talks about robbing people, shooting people, hoes, tricked out cars. Theres even a point where he cocks his gun and shoots a glass, now this is prolly just sound effects mixed in, but the point is there.
Akon - I wanna fuck you
Jeez, didn't have to listen to that one all the way through to get the point
T Pain/ Flo Rida - Low (Apple Bottom Jeans)
General sex oriented song, tie in the useless money spending talk, you have what damn near seemed like the hit of the century.
Too Short - The Ghetto
I actually do enjoy this song. Talks about the hardships of living in the ghetto, such as how the education system is slanted against black people, and how that the only actual escape from such a place is learning to rap, or dying. Does talk about the negative aspects in an unglorified light. As a mark against Too Short, he almost says that black people will always be gangsters, and that white people should stay away because they won't be accepted.
I shall play at your game:
Song 1:
Vivrant Thing - A Tribe Called Quest
A song in which rapper Q-Tip talks about the love of his life in glowing terms.
Song 2:
What We Do (for love) - De La Soul ft. Slick Rick
The only song on the list involving sexually explicit material. De La talk about some of the insane things men will do to get laid including spending in excess. Bear in mind they are talking about it in a way which not only suggests but is about the fact that it is not a good lifestyle.
Song 3:
Why? (What's going on?) - The Roots
Talks about the difficulties faced not only by the black community of America, but the American lower class in general.
Song 4:
Do This My Way - Blackalicious
Much of this song isn't about a subject but rather is about the flow of lyrics and the sound of words. When it does speak out about something it's about the beauty of music and how they attempt to do music in their own way (make it their own).
Song 5:
This Is - Jurassic 5
Actually the intro to one of their albums. So why don't we just say I'll do another randomized song out of my hip-hop collection and see what comes up.
Try #2:
Talib Kweli - New York Weather Report
Talks about his struggles growing up in Brooklyn and social issues that still face the black community of Brooklyn.
See common themes? See any positive themes?
I have several hundred hip-hop tracks in my iTunes, these came up, I wasn't lucky: This is hip-hop.
EDIT: Sorry, I'm going to prove my point a bit further. Your reply to my first post was in regard to people having to sift through a lot of shitty music to find stuff they like. Here is a list of hip-hop artists, off the top of my head, that I've heard, be that one song or their entire discography. I've bolded the ones I actually disliked:
Atmosphere
P.O.S.
Nujabes
DJ Shadow
RJD2
Danger Mouse
Redman
Methodman
O.D.B.
Ghostface Killa
RZA
GZA
Busta Rhymes
Raekwon
Wu Tang Clan
De La Soul
Camp Lo
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
Nas Necro
MF Doom
Jurassic 5
Gang Starr
Black Starr
Blackalicious
Dead Prez
Common
Mos Def
Talib Kweli
Kanye West
Lupe Fiasco
Jay-Z
Ice Cube
Easy-E
Public Enemy
Grandmaster Flash
Sugarhill Gang
Dr. Dre Snoop Dogg
Eminem 50 Cent
Buck 65
Motormouth
Booty Brown
Roots Manuva Soulja Boy
Lil John
Lil Wayne
Fat Joe
DMX
Akon
Run DMC
People Under the Stairs
Outkast
Doom Tree
The Roots
Notorious B.I.G.
Tupac
Q-Tip
Chali 2na
Dr. Octogon
Deltron 3030
Soul Position
Slick Rick
Beastie Boys B-Real Black Eyed Peas
Ja Rule
Schooly D
Flobots
Screwball Three-Six Mafia
T.I.
The Game
G-Unit
The Rascalz
Kaos
Kardinal Offishal DJ Kalid
So yes, considering that list, there are some bad hip-hop artists. But, let's look at the ratio of what I either liked or was neutral to [footnote]neutral meaning that I had no objection to it's content or style, I just wouldn't go out of my way to listen to[/footnote] versus the stiff I found objectionable.
Ratio of like/neutral vs disliked out of 80 artists:
64:17 (about 4:1)
If the amount of bad hip-hop out there is just a quarter of the whole genre, think how much you're writing off. Please refrain making comments generalizing such a large and thematically diverse genre of music.
I use to listen to Rap, then it just got annoying to hear. I hate hearing repetative beats and lyrics about sex, drugs, guns/gangsters. Unless it's got some serious meaning behind it I won't give it the time of day. I especially hate Soulja Boy and unfortunately I work with a girl who loves Soulja Boy and would prefer my ears to bleed. I got over 50 cent when he released P.I.M.P...in fact, that's when I divorced Rap.
Good hip hop just needs to be given a chance, much like good videogames or good movies...whatever. If people stop buying into the shite and actually open their ears, they'll be treated to something that isn't irritating to the point they say they "hate" a whole genre because of it.
It should also be given credit where it's due for paving the way for a lot of what you probably listen to now that you don't even consider hip hop and don't realize is affected by it.
Oh so you hate rap for talking about violence, bichtes etc , when most of you here are metal fans..and there is an enormous ammount of metal songs that refer to violence, sex and lots of bodily fluids. So yeah..I bet all of you hate it when people stereotype your favourite metal bands saying all of them worship Satan and sacrifice virgins backstage.
I agree the new rap is mostly crap, but don't stereotype it. There are some really great rap songs, especially the old ones.
I only like rap songs with good backing tracks and instrumental sections, as the lyrics are mostly the equivalent of me smashing my fist into the keyboard and making Microsoft Sam dictate it.
This is pretty much why I don't listen to it. I'm sick of hearing about how much money they have and how mo-thug they are...if they were so ghetto, they wouldn't roll around in expensive cars and have diamonds glued to their teeth. Real ghetto is bad. Therefore they are posers also.
I guess because there aren't many about normal things, just self congratulatory music from the makers.
I don't think that any form of music is bad, I mean it's all just saying words to a beat (or the beat itself). Also, I agree with Yahtzee that rap is poetry. Hell, at least rap rhymes more often...
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