Rap Music.

[RIOgreatescapist]

1- The "singer" isn´t singing.
2- I already know you have all the blings n bitchez, you said it like a thousand times
3- The instruments and the beat itself are all too similar in every song.

 

[Byrn Stuff]

I can appreciate that if your only experience of hip hop music is a few songs with simple beats and simpler lyrics; however, stereotyping the entire world of hip hop music (and it is world wide) as being simplistic is absurd. Spend some time with fans of the art/culture, and you can have your opinions changed if not completely reversed.

I've mentioned before that I prefer emcees with intricate rhyme and word play, but I still appreciate songs that use Neptunes and Timbaland production. I love when producers/DJs blend a number of interesting samples into something wonderful. Damn the lyrics at that point; I'm impressed by the talent and skill of the dude on the tables, MPC, or laptop.

 

[Lemon Of Life]

I enjoy rap, Eminem and 2Pac feature quite heavily in what I'm into at the moment.

 

[YoUnG205]

I don't hate rap I hate the people who sing rap.

 

[ItsMine]

I can't stand Rap becuasethe VAST majority is a pile of sexist, racist, religous, or otherwise diturbing to my sensibilities.

One of the most common misconceptions about hip-hop on the whole.
To say that the vast majority are anything is an ignorant statement because the amount of hip-hop outside the mainstream and underground is staggering. Just because mainstream hip-hop artists are ignorant, doesn't mean that gives you license to be about a whole movement of music.

I'm just going to point out that someone else said that they aren't going rifle through all of it to find the few gems. It cycles through that never ending pit of "oh well you haven't heard THIS song, trust me, you'll love it if you don't love any other rap song." And after awhile, that gets really old when it actually does regurgitate the same shit that turns us away from the genre.

Personally though, I don't like rap because of the lifestyle it promotes. speaking in wide generalities, it promotes a lifestyle of piss poor decisions, mental weakness to give into group-think (being a gangster in general), being a tough-guy douchebag wherever you go to whoever happens to cross your path, and treating women like shit.

Thread/ especially the last paragraph

You are still basing your last paragraph on the (little) mainstream rap you've heard. I know it's your opinion and you probably won't change it because of what I say, but it IS a common misconception that all rap is about the things you mentioned in the last paragraph. There are so much more rap songs that aren't following the cliché's which have beautiful and creative subject matter and beats.

With that said I would like to conclude with:

Spoiler: You Gots To Chill: Dela - Chill ft Large Professor & Meemee Nelzy

 

[Nickolai77]

Well, my experience with rap is rather limited, i can only go by bits and bobs that i have heard, and the word of others.

I baisically like music that expresses a thought or idea that i can relate to, or at least is about something i find "interesting". It should also use some interesting and innovative instumentals which take a degree of talent to perform sucessfully, and finally sounds good.

I usually find classic metal, proggressive metal, rock, symphonic/ gothy metal...that kinda stuff is the stuff i like.
Pop music, rap music, hip-hop, whiny emo hard rock...indy rock- they tend not to fullfill what i demand from a song.

As a note, i find lots of sounds in music good, but just because i like the sound of something doesnt mean i think its "good". It has to fulfill the other catagories as well.

 

[KnowYourOnion]

Here is a Modern Hip-Hop artist who is an example of what Hip-Hop should have evolved into. Rather than that mainstream nonsense.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItjNnzEhMC0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRlzM4a1ll0

One of my favourites, he's a Canadian, so any of you who may be prejudice towards Canadians and therefore will hate it simply because I've told you he is Canadian be aware!

Great shout sir,
ever listened to Busdriver, atmosphere and early Jurassic 5?

OT: most people who say that rap is shit have no idea what real rap is all about, i know because i used to be be one of those folks then i realised that there are lots of bloody genius rappers about who make really deep intelligent music

 

[ShotgunSmoke]

Mainstream rap is a big, steaming pile of crap. Kill it with fire.

On the other hand, I love artists like Immortal Technique and Nas.

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

 

[Wadders]

I know next to nothing about rap, but I like to listen to Jay-Z, Eminem and that kinda stuff now and again.

I like it because it's totally different to anything else I listen to, and it's just entertaining to listen to the lyrics.

 

[mojopin87]

Ok, so the songs you linked me to were ok. Still didn't grab me though.

@Clanyx: And sorry all mighty genre master for offending you with my lack of knowledge of the names for the sub genres of a genre I don't listen to. The point I was making was not that melodic singing was objectively better but that TO ME, it is more interesting. I'm sorry but the combination of melody, rhythm, instrumentation, singing, etc. has more emotional range than rapping because theres only so much you can do with your voice as an instrument when rapping. There is much less variety in your tone and volume and you are bound by the fact that it is, essentially, spoken word. It can still be very powerful in the right hands but it takes more to really move me.

As to the example you provided, its attempt to convey the tragedy of the subject is undermined by the fact that the beat is louder than anything else. The repetitive nature of the backing music sample and beat also totally deprives the song of any feeling of progression. Also, speaking in a near monotone is not the best way to convey emotion. The video may convey the emotion, but thats because you are picking up almost all your emotional cues from the visuals, not the music. Again, this is just my perspective.

Also, this whole thread is mostly opinion. Do I really have to put IMO at the end of every sentence? I notice you didn't jump on anyone else who didn't explicitly state that it was just opinion.

 

[wordsmith]

Don't dig the fact that rappers constantly rap about the same thing. Chicks, whores, guns, gangs, gangsters, bullets, partying, drinking, spending all your money oh and babes. It was kinda interesting first time you heard it, now I'm just sick of it...

There are many good rap songs and rappers ofc. My favorites being Eminem and Swedish rapper Timbuktu. Me like

I'm just going to leave you with a couple of my favourite tracks, take 10 minutes out and listen to them.

Hilltop Hoods- Breathe. One of the most laid back tracks I've heard. Keep in mind that it IS a live track, the track starts around 0:50 in

2Pac- Thugz Mansion. Listen to the lyrics, don't just hear "blah blah guns drugs bitches blah blah". Also, I defy you to watch the video and not get a shiver down your spine

Lupe Fiasco- Daydreamin'. Samples the track Daydream, pretty much slaughters the whole "guns bitches and bling" thing

 

[LogicNProportion]

I like MF Doom, MC Chris, and other more hidden gems, but as a whole, I dislike it.

Why? ...Not sure.

I just don't get that whole 'soul touch' bit from it like I do when I listen to Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns n Roses.

 

[Low Key]

I hate rap cause its just a person talking really fast with a beat of three hits of the drum for 3 minutes, "singing" about either shooting people, having a lot of money, molesting women, driving fast cars, not caring about anything, and songs about how everyone doubted them but they "made it" - what they accomplished is not explained, since making a song costs about 20 bucks.

Rapping is just like singing, poetry, except without the melody. If you want the vocalist to have melody, that's just dandy. I assume you didn't read any of the replies in the thread from what you posted. It would be weird to think of many Escapist forum goers listening to gangsta rap. The persona it entails doesn't fit at all.

And no, making a song doesn't cost $20. Using a professional studio costs about ten times as much, not including the engineer who has to run the boards or the mixing and mastering of the track. One could hypothetically spend nearly nothing to make a song on their own, but if the goal is to make a profit, that person would have a hard time doing it.

 

[Cianyx]

ABCDEFGHIJKLMONP

I'm quite aware that you posted based on your opinion as all music is subjective and I'm just expressing my opinion against it. Technical wise, you're right, perhaps it isn't as diverse as your conventional singing but you aren't meant to view it the same way as you view singing.

Emotional cues from the visuals? It's his album cover which remains the same throughout the video so really can't see how that makes sense. I find it emotional based on his lyrics and presentation which manages to paint wonderful pictures in my mind.

Opinion can be debated. I went to the last page, your post was up so I replied to that. No specific targeting system. You denounced it as art and made a number of generalisations which offended me so why shouldn't I respond?

I've read other posts as well, but most of them are just blatant flaming and showed that they have the intelligence of a rock covered in moss and well, I wouldn't be having this delightful conversation with them as I would be having now.

http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858765294/
Hmm, try this then. I don't expect one to like everything but it would mean a lot if one could understand it.

 

[jamiemac]

I'll admit to accepting what is called -ahem- "Old School" rap.

Also I first read the title as "Rape Music"
Is there a song that fits rape? I mean like a scene where someone's getting raped, can you think of a song that would fit such a scene?

[Note to self: Stop letting mind wander]

/Lol

Also by old school rap I hope you mean some awesome MC Hammer shit man. That and Vanilla Ice.
I still remember the Ninja Rap by Vanilla Ice....

Possibly, may need to check the Old school section of Sirius to make sure I've got the right kind, seeing as you aren't sure what I meant.

Can you think of a Rape song?

It's been mentioned elsewhere in the thread, but 'Dance with the Devil' by Immortal Technique would probably fit the bill here.

Because there's no music in it. Your title is incorrect.

Don't be so dismissive. Perhaps even explain your point.

I'll assume you're complaining about the fact that a lot of rap is just words over a simple beat, but this isn't always the case. First thing that comes to mind is 'Empire State of Mind' by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys; that's just because of the massive airtime it's currently receiving, but check it out anyway.. I'll probably pop back later in the thread with further suggestions.

 

[SulfuricDonut]

I hate rap where there talking about is gangsters, violence, and bitches...

I agree!
We should rap about how our mom will take away "TV time" if we don't do the homework assigned to us.
Does that suit your gentle needs?

It isn't that the language is too violent, it simply shows how arrogant rappers are when they talk only about how they are better than everyone else. Swearing in songs is fine as long as the lyrics have a deeper meaning, and don't need to have an incoherent jumble of swears and sex references designed solely for the amusement of immature kids.

Alternatively, rapping is usually not music, because music requires coordinating a pitch with a rhythm. Rap usually has only rhythm and no pitch, therefore is not music. The parts of a hip-hop song that are "singing" are done entirely with auto-tune anyway, which is even less musical than rap.

I'll assume you're complaining about the fact that a lot of rap is just words over a simple beat, but this isn't always the case. First thing that comes to mind is 'Empire State of Mind' by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys; that's just because of the massive airtime it's currently receiving, but check it out anyway.. I'll probably pop back later in the thread with further suggestions.

I'm not denying that there are a few good rap songs out there, but the general trend follows the patterns I mentioned above. Perhaps some of the songs do have meaning and are awesome despite lack of pitch. Handlebars-by Flobots for example, is one of my favorite songs because it is one of the few rap songs I could find with deep lyrics, and it doesn't need to use violent language portray it's meaning.

 

[Cianyx]

It isn't that the language is too violent, it simply shows how arrogant rappers are when they talk only about how they are better than everyone else. Swearing in songs is fine as long as the lyrics have a deeper meaning, and don't need to have an incoherent jumble of swears and sex references designed solely for the amusement of immature kids.

Alternatively, rapping is usually not music, because music requires coordinating a pitch with a rhythm. Rap usually has only rhythm and no pitch, therefore is not music. The parts of a hip-hop song that are "singing" are done entirely with auto-tune anyway, which is even less musical than rap.

I know what you mean. It boggles the mind thinking about how Blink-182 got big.
It is music and there is pitch so I don't really understand what you are getting at.

Music is an art form whose medium is sound.

 

[blankedboy]

Also I first read the title as "Rape Music

A guy in my band wrote this in his Music assignment:

"I don't like rap because it's usually about bad things and the sound of people raping is just not that good to me."

Epic win.