Rap/Hip-Hop Music

[SkyCetacean]

Anyone a fan? There's a lot of really intelligent hip-hop out there if you sift through the bull and those songs are a lot of fun to listen to. I think that of all the musical arts, hip-hop is probably the closest to pure poetry, poetry with a tangible beat and rhythm.

[Calidore]

Rap doesn't do anything for me, but hip-hop I can handle because it at least has music in it.

[SkyCetacean]

Rap doesn't do anything for me, but hip-hop I can handle because it at least has music in it.

That's fine, but out of curiosity, what songs/artists are you judging "rap" by?

[Calidore]

That's fine, but out of curiosity, what songs/artists are you judging "rap" by?

Generally, whatever's playing on the stereos of cars driving by.

[SkyCetacean]

Generally, whatever's playing on the stereos of cars driving by.

Ah, then I think you have an incomplete view. There's a lot of lesser-known rap that's really great and intelligent and to judge based on modern mainstream (God I hate using that word...) tastes is to really miss out on the wider world of rap music out there. Now that's not to say there's not good artists in the mainstream right now... Lupe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3m3t_PxiUI) Fiasco (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22l1sf5JZD0) is a great example of that. (Links are to a couple of his better hits, note that most of his stuff is even better than that. He thrives on extended metaphors and symbolism and that's hard to get across in individual songs. I'd definitely recommend Food And Liquor as well as The Cool in terms of albums)

However, as I've said, that's just the tip of the iceberg. In terms of underground/older stuff you have artists like Big KRIT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xVEa0SMxFg), Canibus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1jCkXck_lU), Chino XL (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM6itMg9nGg), Cise Starr (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45X0N8HbFOU), Common (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C99iG4HoO1c), Emcee Lynx (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-BU1p6wRu0), Illogic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO0C_bcthUY), Killah Priest (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfL85k3Rcls), Mos Def (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5vw4ajnWGA), Nas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5PnuIRnJW8), Shing02 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTpBHKzaUOE), Substantial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQkZJwK0qWs), Talib Kweli (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SA7sD4A25c), Tonedeff (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwcN82yx0GY), and The Wu-Tang Clan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE3hb__ylG4). All wonderful examples of awesome and intelligent hip-hop, I'd definitely recommend checking them out if you wanna have a broader perspective on rap as a whole.

[Calidore]

Ah, then I think you have an incomplete view. There's a lot of lesser-known rap that's really great and intelligent and to judge based on modern mainstream (God I hate using that word...) tastes is to really miss out on the wider world of rap music out there.

[ker-snip]

I'd definitely recommend checking them out if you wanna have a broader perspective on rap as a whole.

Oh, I don't doubt there's a lot of stuff out there I might like if I took the time to search (and I hope I didn't sound like I was disparaging the form). That's the great thing about music--not to mention film, books, etc.: there's more stuff I'd like than I could possibly read/listen to/watch in my lifetime. But like I said, rap as a genre doesn't do it for me at all. If I happen to hear something that I happen to like ("Baby Got Back"!), cool, but I don't feel the need to look for a diamond in the rough when I could be spending the time looking for diamonds in a mine.

[E.A Rumfield]

What is with all these new rappers feigning sociopaths? As if having no feelings is an admirable quality. The rap music you hear on the radio is laughable. I highly doubt these guys are real niggas killas and drug dealaz. I used to think the Wu Tang was some bad *** muthas but it turns out GZA is a Republican, Method Man is a ****ty actor and ODB died. Look at Drake he was on some stupid wanna be Disney show. How does he even take himself seriously? I used to listen to KRS-One but he makes everything about race. Gang Starr was cool.

[OrphanPip]

Degrassi doesn't deserve to be compared to a Disney show.

[E.A Rumfield]

Degrassi doesn't deserve to be compared to a Disney show.

Point is clear nonetheless. I mean I can be a rap star tomorrow or at the very least I ca write lyrics for a rapper making fun of everybody who listens to the music. You'll see people in their cars singing my hit

Ima Ima *******
little twat
at noon I'll eat your pussy
that's a lunch box

see so easy and another thing rappers have no rhythm they just speak continuously in the same tone no matter what beat

[Volya]

E.A Rumfield has got the right idea.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Rap sucks.

[GreenLucky]

Wu-tang clan is the ****.
36 chambers is a classic.
R.i.p. O.d.b.

[Ughek]

Yes, I like hip-hop and rap. I grew up with it. Now that I'm a bit older, the sexist, macho, violent language really bothers me, though. I used to see it as innocent, silly and funny but I realise it's not. I still listen to it, though. My favourites are Dead Prez.

[Desolation]

I have nothing but respect for "conscious hip hop." There are some really profound, revolutionary rappers out there, if you look past the mainstream ****. Judging the entire genre based on that stuff is like judging rock based on Motley Crue or Nickleback.

That said, even though I respect it, it's not really my cup of tea. I just don't personally enjoy the sound.