Rap was pretty cool 25 years ago. Disco also had it's moment in the sun. But the disco beat got old and played out. It just took rap a little longer.
dude disco is dead. you may not like rap and that's your perogative, but its not dead. and its not dying anytime soon. its really amazing that its been this popular for this long considering people really thought it was a fad. I have a lot of theories on why its so popular. The first would be the honesty, obviously not so much what a lot of the rappers claim, as much as their values are really no different from a lot of mainstream america. we live in a very materialistic world and I find that the rap is all about bling complaint completely idiotic given that fact about our world. the womanizing is my one issue, but admit it, almost all of us do it in some form or another. Just look at some of the threads in the Hangout.
Hip Hop is a culture which started out as JUST music. Rap is a form of music that culminated from hip hop. Hip hop grew from a mixture of rock, funk, blues and jazz. Hip hop is now universally accepted with artist from many genres collaborating with hip hop personalities. The game for which this website promotes is permeating with hip hop influences. For most of the detractors of rap (not hip hop) you hear music that is pushed by people who are not within the demographic of who created these songs. The poeple who buy most of these rap records are not within the demographic of those who created these songs. BLACK Entertainment Television (a television station geared toward African Americans) is not owned by the demographic it targets. If it isnt owned or controlled by the demographic it targets then what that demographic and all others who see it, will only see what THEY want them to see. Correct? Detractors hear and see only what a certain demographic deems appropriate to be heard or seen. Let us not blame hip hop but blame those who don't allow the black impoverished young male, or the white valley girl to see what all of rap and hip hop is.
Many blacks find themselves in a position that many deem not on the level as other races. This is pushed on them by their environment, by the media, by music. If you tell a young soulja boy he can make millions to record "superman" What do you expect him to do? What stupid ish would you put on Youtube to make half of that. Let us understand why they put out this music. Record Execs get to kill two birds with one stone. They make money off of a hit song that may, depending on its content, solidify stereotypes and diminish the effects of the genre. I respect opinions of those who don't agree with hip hop but lets intellectually understand what it is. That would be like looking through the same glasses as Muslim extremists looking at America. Do not close your mind based on what you see because there is more to it. There is more to the black man (Not just thugs, and sagging pants) (A/C and street lights, Cush and the pyramids) There is more to white people (Abraham Lincoln and JFK died for equality) There is more to America (Democracy, freedom, Tolerance, founded on Christian Values) There is more to the Meowgis and Big Texx's There is more to the Pg's and K mf G's There is more to the Rockets struggles And there is more to Hip Hop-Its time to learn and become knowledgeable then apply effectively.
Hip hop can improve the condition by promoting better choices and decisions. If hiphop is a teacher and provider like the writer claims, then why not encourage positive images? All the arguments about good "underground" hiphop promoting a larger social awareness, deeper cultural understanding, and political and community activism seems to be a red herring against the point that people should accept and swallow mainstream hip hop for what it is.
You are absolutey correct. However, the majority of those artists pushing that positive music don't get record deals because those in control of mainstream media do not want to promote that type of product.
Its really a shame because hip hop used to very diverse. you had your public enemy, balance by nwa, balance by LL Cool Jay and so one. the problem is everyone thinks there is one formula to make a hit record now. No one wants to risk being different.
Its too much money to make being the same. That's why. If someone told you to scratch your butt on youtube for half a million would you do it? Some people feel they have the talent but have to breakthrough some how. Its tough. i dont hate the people making the music that sucks b/c they getting theirs but the people who showcase and broadcast it are the culprits. It isnt hip hop, its those that control it.
Television was suppose to be a great teaching tool as well . . . Question: Is it? for every PBS station . .their are 2 SKinemaxes Rocket River
Dude this isnt about hip hop vs. rap. People dont know there's a difference. People dont know except for what they see and hear. I hipping them to the fact there is much more to it than there is provided. Based on your posts before, I thought you could relate to me on that. They are different but go hand in hand. Rap, the music, has much more to as well as the whole of hip hop. CHuuch
The most intelligent music ever. Look out NASA! <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oDAxtgk5EJw&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oDAxtgk5EJw&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
here's some unneccesary Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musical_instruments I'm sure you like everyone else considers twanging out a tune on the guitar to be the ULTIMATE form of musicianship. Trapped in the mindset just like everyone else born after 1950. Worshipping the rock GODS (whatever the hell that is). You don't know CRAP about anything else besides what was presented to you on everyday tv or radio. . Weird Al can play a mean accordian which is a "pure" instrument and takes skill, but you dont give a darn about that...(but you'll still use that against "rap" because you definitely care about your air of superiority) "Music critic" is the most utterly USELESS form of person to exist in modern times. You only know about what you've grown up listening to. Which is artists trying to CHART their music, make a big bucks, attain fame and get laid like everyone else, regardless of the music genre they're in. Hendrix, Zeppelin, or whoever you support thanks you for supporting their mansion payments and drug habits in the name of pure "real" music. They're also glad just like hip hop artists that the whole population neglected to know there are thousands of other instruments and forms of music besides what they put out for us to listen to. And there's centuries of music before "top 40" was invented that "music critic" will NEVER attempt to look into.
The only purpose of hip hop nowadays is to make the scum of the society feel better. now it is actually cool to be a pusher and being from the hood. it is not even a US-only problem. hip hop here (germany) has gone into the same direction. there is also a difference between who listen to thuggish hip hop and the people who actually identify with it. The latter actually suffer from an inferiority complex and just need someone to look up to. hip hop just shows what a horrible country the USA is as far as poverty is concerned. I just laugh at the notion that the USA is supposed to be the best country to live in, because for a majority of people it definitely is not.
