The Hip Hop/Rap Thread
 

My friend and I have been battling it out on whether hip hop/rap is decent music. He says yes, I say not anymore. I think I say so because a lot of the creativity I grew up listening to is all but gone, save a few people here and there (Kayne West).

However, I still do enjoy listening to older hip hop/rap, especially The Roots. It seems like most of the stuff I'm hearing on the radio is sounding more and more like watered-down club music.

What is your opinion of hip hop/rap?

I'm not really sure you can clump them together like that. They are two different styles of music... or at least they used to be. I think, over time, the line between the two has become blurred. As to whether either is actually decent music, I feel that it depends. Some of it is good (has a good message, flows well, etc.). Most of it seems to be either derogatory or obscene, though that seems to appeal to some people.

Acro-nym, I didn't really want to clump them together, but I think having two separate threads would confuse people because a lot of people think they're the same thing. What are some of the good ones you've listened to?

I hate the current situation of hip hop. The shit they put out and play on the radio is commercialized pop garbage. The whole genre has seemed to have been on a downward spiral ever since Biggie and 2Pac were murdered. However, I still enjoy listening to hip hop before this. There were so many great artists out back then, producing original material and going unnoticed by the majority of Americans.

There are a few saving graces for today's rap industry, though. As you mentioned, there are the Roots. They're a pretty unconventional hip hop band that just fucking rocks. Another one I love (and hold two uploaded albums, if anyone wants a listen) is Immortal Technique. His music is so great, and actually conveys a message. He also has a great range of songs. Some are politically fueled gangster raps, and others tell a story. Just a great rapper, overall.

Back in the day, however, there were so many more great rappers. Slick Rick is one of my favorites, as are Eric B. and Rakim. They weren't just the commercialized garbage of today that's giving hip hop a bad name; they made terrific music, with awesome beats, and great lyrics. Too bad this era appears to be over now. :(

Capo, I agree with you. I've already nicknamed today's state of hip hop commercial crap. It's sad to see the lack of creativity in beats, hooks, and overall lyrics. I remember when rap battles used to be cool (remember LL Cool J and Kool Moe Dee?). Now the cool people I grew up listening to have all but disappeared, like Pete Rock & CL Smooth and A Tribe Called Quest.

I went to the last concert of Fort Minor's tour, which was on the eve of hip hop producer J-Dilla's death (who worked with artists including A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, The Roots, ... awesome stuff). One of the pre-shows was one of his last products, called "Little Brother," the supposed future of hip hop. Man, that was some dull shit. The future of hip hop is grim.

Whoa! I had totally forgotten about Slick Rick. I always used to listen to him. Time to organize CDs.

My favourite rap group of all time has to be Public Enemy. Chuck D has one of the greatest voices in music. Pure authority. Besides that, N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton record keeps popping into my player. Nevermind if you don't like violent lyrics, that album is worth it for "Express Yourself" alone.

I think there has been a HUGE line driven into hip-hop and rap. Personally I enjoy some hip hop/rap, Fort Minor and Flipsyde are two of my faves right now. But there has been alot of change in the music styles.

I've been listening to a lot more rap/hip hop lately. I find Juelez Santana and Ludacris to be fairly entertaining to listen to. Kanye appealed to me more prior to last month. Jay-Z is cooler then I might have told you a few weeks ago, after listening to some of his older stuff via Dj Rectangle mixes. If you don't know dj Rectangle get Limewire or some similar program and search dj Rectangle immediately, that is if you like rap mixes that is. And heh, I like fiddy cent so :P
K-os is ok I guess to.

I tend to like almost all facets of rap today - both commercial and underground. Some cats out here like to disparage commercial acts, but sometimes I feel like people have a problem with these acts simply because they're popular. You know who I'm talking about - the so-called hip-hop 'purists' who only listen to cats like Aesop Rock, Necro, and Immortal Technique (among others). Nevermind that these cats don't have the kind of swagger or image to make it in the rap game even if they completely sold out and tried to make the same music say....Nelly makes.

Music is a business and when it's a business, businessmen are always going to cater to what sells - music that bangs in the clubs and that gets females dancing. Besides....I don't care who you are, if you can't enjoy a well-crafted club or party track you probably are a virgin.

At the end of the day, it's entertainment and there's gonna be different strokes for different folks.

That's why we all have our own opinions on it. That's what makes us unique as individual people. You're entitled to your opinion just like we're entitled to ours.

Thanks for rewording my last sentence because it needed that much clarification.

You're very welcome.

Exactly. I much preffered the term "different strokes for different folks." <3 Miyomi

My question is, how come when it comes time to criticize a genre, it's so frequently rap? Surely this isn't the only genre that puts out 99% pop garbage that sells. If we analyze a genre that way, it would appear that all genres currently suck.

True or false.

Only Sith deal in Absolute questions ;)

I'd say every genre has crap in it, but right now, Rap and Hip-Hop are popular with all the kids, so they focus on that, instead of something like... Big Band Swing or Classical Opera.

Well to be truthfull, I'm more in rap for the sense of a story or some lyrical talent that someone can demonstrate. Not to see some one who can get there rims bigger then your rims and how there Grills only costed them 500 000 Dollars while little timmy at the dentists braces only costed 500. But really there are some good beats I find in mainstream but thats about it, No real talent from many MC's in main stream cept Nas. Although the way I see it, If someone likes it, Then they like it. I just don't feel that it's that great.

Lol, Basically I just added on to your last sentence.

I was excited when I heard the Fugees were making a new album, but their recent single sucks ass. It fails on a hip-hop and mainstream rap level.

I thought there two albums were great and so was Lauryn Hill's solo album. They've been some of the few rap/R&B albums I actually enjoy entirely. So what the fuck happened with their single. It doen't represent several years of a breakup.

I'm surprised Lauryn Hill is even rapping after what appeared to be some kind of spiritual crisis that involved shaving her head and playing accoustic guitar for MTV.

I dig rap alot of times, my fav group is probably the coup. Everything they have ever done is fucking amazing.

So a new thread has appeared for HipHop/Rap now huh. It's about time...
Sup Lady Miyomi, has been a while. Seems I lost my account so I'm back to newb status >_<

Anyways I have to agree there's a fine line within the HipHop/Rap/Commertial whatever you wanna call it... As Night said "different strokes for different folks" is pretty much the genaral though I have into it. This genre has split into so many different styles is hard to keep up with anymore and is hard to explain to people since they are all basically categorized simply as "RAP".

There's still good HipHop out there Lady....is just not as simple as turning on the radio or the TV anymore though that's all.

OMG, WEAPON!!! Sup, man! Long time no see! :D

I know good hip hop is still around. I'm having a hard time finding some. :(

May I recommend, via Iwata's recommendation to the Music Exposure Club, Edan's Beuty and the Beat. Seriousley great, fresh sounding rap. He flows over a 60's psych-rock background, and the result is phenomenal. Everyone needs to check this out.

I completely agree. Definiely grab this.

I think that the best rapper, the two last years, is MF DOOM (also known as Viktor Vaughn). But i really appreciate the works of some producers like El-P.

Beauty and the Beat is some messed up shit. So that's what psych-rock sounds like? It reminds me of Boards of Canada. Also, for those of you that enjoy MF Doom, expect many uploads of his albums in the coming weeks. I just downloaded a discography of his stuff today.

Back to the topic - I think that we really need to stop associating the mainstream acts with the more underground acts. It seems to me like there are two different mentalities between the groups:

1) The mainstream people (50 cent, Nelly, Eminem, etc...) are generally more concerned with making some cheddar. They'll bust out the banging club tracks and the stereotypical slow jams (occasionally) because it's what sells. Hence they appeal to the mainstream.

2) The more underground MCs definitely seem to be "artists". Yes, they are hoping to make some money, but they obviously won't make as much as the mainstream guys because they do not spit to hot club beats. They definitely produce music that is more artistic than a club hit, and because of this, they don't sell as well. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule and some of these artists do become quite successful (e.g. Common, Mos Def, The Roots), however they do not make anywhere near as much cash as someone as mainstream as Jay Z or even P.Diddy (or wtv he calls himself these days).