I've mostly always been into rock and heavy metal, but I'm also into hip-hop. It might not be to everyone's taste, but I love anything with a strong beat. I'm really interested in urban music because of their backgrounds. I think it's amazing that so many of them have managed to harness their talents despite some truly horrific childhoods and pasts, and use their music to become a voice for people stuck in some of the rough urban areas. It's easy to snub the kind of "gangster" attitude they have, but that's because, sadly, a lot of people don't seem to give Hip-hop enough thought to analyze it.
I'm more of an alternative/rock/pop/indie gal, but I enjoy a few hip-hop songs. I'm curious though, what are the criteria for something to be hip-hop, R&B, rap, and so on? The differences are more blatant in the music I listen to, so I was just wondering .
To be honest with you I never have enjoyed it to much extent. I beleive most of that to be because it is outside of the realm of anything I've ever heard. I've listened to Rock, Country, Metal, and many other things, but it's something about it that doesn't catch my ear.
I can't stand hip-hop. It is aggravating. In my opinion, if it ain't metal, it ain't worth listening to. My partner on the other hand, is into rock. It gets painful at times, but the sacrifices we make for the ones we love.
I used to listen to a lot of A Tribe Called Quest back in the day. They're one of the few good hip-hop artists.
Like any genre of music it has its good and bad. When I listen to the charts I am struck by the quantity of atrocious offerings that probably qualify as hip hop. That is more a reflection on chart music than any particular genre. There is some clever, fun and highly musical hip hop around but you have to sift through the sh** to find it.
It is what it is, a popular genre of music with some good stuff, and, like every genre of music, much that sucks.
This is quite possibly the whitest thing I've ever read I'm not super into hiphop, but a lot of my friends are, so we always force each other to listen to different music. I give them indie mixtapes, they give me rap mixtapes, it's pretty sweet. Mostly the stuff I like is the stuff everyone likes...wutang, jay-z, kanye...I'm not really discerning... I'm madly in love with Nicki Minaj at the moment though...she's amazing...
Lmao, so white it hurts. There's a reason why Eminem was so controversial for being white in what is predominantly a black industry. Any contribution just looks weird. I really do find a lot of it quite insightful, though. I read up about Missy Elliot and was pretty baffled. Besides, a lot of the hip-hop music is just so good to dance to.
I'm afraid that I have to agree with you. Actually, I think a background that includes a period of low prosparity (excuse my spelling) is best for writers of any kind. Connects you with reality more than anything else ever will.
^ And that's what I like to appreciate. I like the grounded, rawness of some of the lyrics. It keeps you down on earth. I might not have experienced the same cultural background as them, but I can understand it. Besides, being white doesn't make me some sort of toff. I've grown up in urban areas all my life, and pretty much everyone listens to hip-hop. They must be able to relate to it on some level.
Is it bad if I like Ford trucks, Apple Pie, Bald eagles, Baseball and Freedom? OK, back on topic: I enjoy meaningful lyrics, but I think the bluntness that they use gets rid of the immagination of a listener. In the rock music realm I think Nickleback uses the hip-hop typical bluntness and that takes away from my enjoying of their music. I might listen to it 20 times and love it, but when I return to it I always get the same meaning. Creed's "My Sacrifice" I think is the best at giving you a different feeling every time. For me that song never gets old.
Someone asked about the difference between hip-hop, rap, etc. Hip-hop is the culture encompassing 4 elements: rap music (the music side), breakdancing/bboying (dance side), graffiti (visual art side), and DJ'ing/turntablism (more music, but not vocally). As KRS-ONE said: hip-hop is what you live, rap is what you do. I'm interested because a lot of MC's cross over into spoken word - see Eyedea, Atmosphere, Sage Francis. I'll link some songs that I think might change some of the "hip-hop is only good for dance" opinions. There's a whole underground aspect to it, and like some people were saying, you have to sift through a lot of crap, mainly the commercial/radio stuff to find the gems. Personally, it appeals to me just because it speaks in the most direct way, and once you find those artists who are really worth listening to I think you might get addicted http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-8GUXaRig8 ^ Eyedea (RIP) - Even Shadows Have Shadows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eL01wxJm7I ^ Atmosphere - Don't Ever ****ing Question That (Slug is the MC/rapper who pens and performs the lyrics) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRFGqrXj81Y ^Mac Lethal - Oak Tree Take a listen
I've dabbled in Hip-Hop over the years, but it wasn't until recently that I actually found an appreciation for it. My husband is a huge Hip-Hop fanatic, specifically southern hip hop, and from the amount of it he plays, it was inevitable that I'd pick up on it too. I really like it, and it's a nice break from everything else I listen to. I particularly enjoy the bass lines, and hooks. Personally, I think that hip hop artists are some of the best 'poets' out there. Lyricism is an amazing forte.
When I first saw Eyedea and Slug freestyling, I was in absolute shock. It was sooo good. My husband is big into the hip hop culture and has taught me a lot about it. Especially with graffiti. I'm more of the traditional artist and he's the one with the blackbooks.
Glad to know I've been surrounded by the culture for some time now... cousin is huge on graffiti, I rap on the side with a lot of my friends who DJ and what not. As a matter of fact, my interest in english - writing it, taking it apart, creating my own poems/essays/etc. - all came from rapping first. When I started to study my craft was when I really found my passion beyond the music and lyrics and into the realm of writing in general.
I don't like hip-hop at all. I'm into classic rock, folk rock, prog rock, roots rock, and basic plain old rock. Also folk and jazz, to a certain extent. My favorite band is The Who. I also like Jethro Tull, Yes, The Doors, Dire Straits, The Band, CCR, and on and on and on. Music with attitude but no melody hasn't earned its attitude. You gotta get me listening before you strut your stuff.
Ahahahaha! Good stuff, man. I dig your taste. Seems like with any musical genre (maybe even with art in general) the popular stuff is lame and the good stuff often goes almost unnoticed. I just discovered Brother Ali. He's got this song "Babygirl" I listened to like a hundred times the other day. Also love Blackalicious. The thing I like about hip-hop is that since you can get a lot more words in it lends itself well to brilliant lyrics. Problem is brilliant lyricists are rare. They're there, though, for sure.
I was referencing lyrics by a hip-hop group called Das Racist I'ma buy me a speaceship space race man das space racist...
