Is someth'in wrong with Rap or is it just me?

[Super D]

Are we in such a profound and sophisticated post-modern age of philosophical aesthetics that we can't understand why the southern drenced rap style of today's lyrical and visual exploitations of Black misogyny, Black materialism, Black hypocracy, is accepted with'in the norms of the younger society(Black and White)?--Or am I just nostagically crippled in a age of rappers that came out off the streets of Harlem and the "Boogie Down Bronx", that fused the rhythmatic and percussive elements of the spoken word with the syncopations of African-American music which revealed the inherentence of musical qualities of black speech like-- the Ultramatic MC's, Furious Four,and Kurtis Blow--or the verbal gyrations, chanted sermons, energetic autonomy of P.E., BDP, Ice Cube, Run Dmc-- The Pre-"Pimp'ish" Snoop Dog that feathured a thin and melodic hood' flow-- the Profound sohistication of commericalized reality and gutteral ellipses and labored pace of brilliant lyrics by Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. Is the rap games zenith today so high in intellectual reason that I cannot dig beyond the surface reasoning to explain this superpowered aesthectic paragon of the Bling, Bitches, Hoes, and Nigga's-- G-strings, Big Ballers, and the Downlowers?:o !!!!! help me understand :cry:

super d(motordetroit) 8)

[paul]

Well, Super D. This is something many of us here will agree with you on. Maybe it's age, maybe the music sucks, perhaps it's both. The rap/hip-hop stuff is boring, so mechanical, it's no wonder many of us who are used to the creativity of real musicians can't get with much of today's pop music.
I don't wanna put too much of the blame of the youth today though. I put much of it on a greedy industry who like the cheapness of one guy with electronic sound generators than pay to have several musicians working their craft.
This weekend I was cranking Chic's Dance, Dance, Dance (bet ya thought it was Cococmotion :D ). This kid asked me with serious interest what was that and I told him. He said he was a musician and liked what he heard. I think the kids would like better, they're just not getting it.

[Videoskooter]

I remember quite well going to the shopping mall with my parents in the early seventies and listening to the music that was played there. It was always the same sort of easy listening, muzak as we called that type of music.

When I go shopping now I'm experiencing the same feeling, but now with RNB/Hip Hop/Easy Rap. Every song sounds the same, the rhythms rarely change and originality is simply not present.

Nothing that really captures my attention, so my impression is that today's vibes are very similar to the muzak of my youth.

I'm sorry but I'm not amused! :cry:

[Super D]

Originally Posted by paul

Well, Super D. This is something many of us here will agree with you on. Maybe it's age, maybe the music sucks, perhaps it's both. The rap/hip-hop stuff is boring, so mechanical, it's no wonder many of us who are used to the creativity of real musicians can't get with much of today's pop music.
I don't wanna put too much of the blame of the youth today though.

I'm hip ta' dat "paul", and in no way am I referring to todays Rappers has Hip-Hops mephistoheles. I understand the music and its' artist are complex. And maybe understanding its context is truly an academic affair. Nevertheless, 'Niggaz', 'G-thangs','Blingology', 'pimp'in hoes' ,and 'cock'in glocks' has me flummoxed-- :-? "Paul" in an academic theory, maybe we are in a tug-a-war with a modernistic vs. postmodernistic viewpoint. We being modernist support are homegrown mentality of nostalgia and hungar for purity and "real-ness".....which is not allowing us to except raps postmodernism of disregard for musical conventions and its irreverent juxtaposing of cultural sacredness and profaness. In otherwords, like my young nefew said to me(by the way goes by the name of "Mass Kill"--talk'in bout' postmodernism confusion!),"There is a message to the madness"? Of course when I ask him to explain himself, he said,"Unc-d" you would'nt unda' stand yo'"....What! :o :o :o ---I guess in some-way raps supernatural context is describing the collapse of meaning in life---the eclipse of hope and absence of love, self respect, and the breakdown of family and neighborhood strength---"paul" I quess if this uneducated sentient is correct----we better take heed and dig deeper to the meaning of Hip-Hops postmodern day Rabbinicals commentaries and explanatory notes of scriptures. :( ---Are they try'in to tell us something? :-? :-?

super d(motordetroit) 8)

[QUINNY]

What's the problem?
It's an age thing.
Get over it guys.
Older generations should hate the popular music of the day. That's the way it was meant to be. Rejoice in your non acceptance and certain repugnance of it.
Therein lies happiness......for all.

[Super D]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

What's the problem?
It's an age thing.
Get over it guys.
Older generations should hate the popular music of the day. That's the way it was meant to be. Rejoice in your non acceptance and certain repugnance of it.
Therein lies happiness......for all.

"QUINNY", I don't think it's about age.....I like neo-jazz, new jazz, house, minimal techno, detroit techno, lounge, neo-soul, disco-house, and the like......I think we are all sophisticated enough to know what it good and what is not---even "true" hip-hoppers of today support the old-school__thus the popularity of the old-school genre---I guess Quinny, I'm more concerned of the negativie contribution that rap is having on the community here in the states of short-term stimulation, instant titillation, and the preoccupation with "gett'in over"--pleasure, and power by any means necessary even if it is there own community.

super d(motordetroit) 8)

[QUINNY]

SuperD: You're reacting just like previous generations to popular music.

Remember, since the original Jazz era (and probably before) older generations have fretted over the moral decline of the younger generations, instigated in part by the younger generations' liking of a different, degenerate music form which only appealed to them. It's nothing new, is it?

Maybe art follows life in this case and music will be a good benchmark by which the decline of Western society will be able to be traced by historians in a few hundred years time. Almost every civilisation has eventually collapsed due to moral decline, corruption and decadence. They've all developed a soft, festering underbelly at some point.

So I guess what I'm saying is there's nothing wrong with modern day Rap and yet everything's wrong with it.

[DiscoMan]

Maybe that's the way you Limeys look at modern music but 25 - 40 years ago my parents loved Disco The Beatles and Rock 'n Roll. Rap isn't music it's just vulgar noise.

[Super D]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

SuperD: You're reacting just like previous generations to popular music.

Remember, since the original Jazz era (and probably before) older generations have fretted over the moral decline of the younger generations, instigated in part by the younger generations' liking of a different, degenerate music form which only appealed to them. It's nothing new, is it?

Maybe art follows life in this case and music will be a good benchmark by which the decline of Western society will be able to be traced by historians in a few hundred years time. Almost every civilisation has eventually collapsed due to moral decline, corruption and decadence. They've all developed a soft, festering underbelly at some point.

So I guess what I'm saying is there's nothing wrong with modern day Rap and yet everything's wrong with it.

Eloquently put and point taken "Quinny" :D Art follows life and Rap is Art__ which plays the role of cultural expression__I suppose, we have to be careful about scapegoating and stimatizing the rage that burns in the rap culture, and figure a way to make us corporately responsible for the enormous rates of violence, sexism, nihilism in the community. As for "DiscoMan","Rap isn't music it's just vulgar noise" :o :o check out brothas' like Common, Conye West, Mos Def and the like--and you will have a different outlook.

super d(motordetroit) 8)

[DiscoMan]

I will. I used to like Rap but the last several years' product just makes me shit myself and forget who I am for an hour or so after I hear it.

[Super D]

Originally Posted by DiscoMan

I will. I used to like Rap but the last several years' product just makes me shit myself and forget who I am for an hour or so after I hear it.

I hear that "DiscoMan" I have to turn off most popular music these days. :cry: ....you being a "east-coast" kat---I'm sure you don't have to look far for serious, "beats and rhymes".

super d(motordetroit) 8)

[Dirk Diggler]

As mush as I dispise Rap, I feel some artist are doing efforts to make quality music (Alicia Keys, and the latest Common is brilliant "Fantsay")... And then again, we have to admit that every House remix of a R&B track is usually a lot better (Quentin Harris, Daryll James, Spinna, Spen& Karizma remixes)...

It's a talent to have the guts to stand out in crappy world, yet not many acknowledge that...

[midas]

I love rapp.


but I would love it more if rappers rapp about
something else than...money , girls , getting high , cars ,
bitches ,heartbreakers, crome wheels , bmw.......to bentleys .
smokin'

i remeber, fatbacks- is this the future,
cdIII - success (sp)
.....white lines,,,,
street justice - rake .... :-?

and ,I love alanis morisette,,,,



im 38btw

[efunk_adelic]

what's wrong with club rap?

my example 50 Cent - In Da Club

it has a catchy beat a great hook to suck you in.... definitely a dance floor filler. :D

[DiscoMan]

Still gives me the shits.