Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences
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I agree that most hip/hop and rap music is not what it used to be. When rap music first came about, it was about having fun, and there was no cursing in the music. Now it’s about sex, money and women. I can’t stand rap music now. Its not original. That also goes for other types of music, also.
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Name : Carolyn32364, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/White/American Indian, Religion : Methodist, Age : 27, City : Washington, State : DC, Country : United States, Occupation : Computer Programmer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Hip-Hop music covers many areas, and you may not fully understand the locations of it and culture. You may not like some of it, but my guess is that some of the music you do like is heavily influenced by Hip-Hop (and rap and is considered a part of Hip-Hop music). Have you ever listened to Eryka Badu, Lauryn Hill or Mary J. Blige (speaking of beauty and melody)? You may not like Hip-Hop or rap music, but many people do, and there is nothing wrong with that. If you don’t like it, don’t listen to it. I don’t think Hip-Hop will mind you not participating.
I like some rap and hip-hop. Just like all other forms of music, some of it is good and some is bad. Hip-Hop is not required to be a social cry for change. It is one of many tools that have been used to foster social change, but it is not limited to that use. As far as making a statement, any kind of musical form can be used to make a statement. Also, as far as racial identity, I am black and think you can be a Hip-Hop artist and/or a person who likes Hip-Hip regardless of race. Ask the millions of Hip-Hop heads worldwide of all races and colors. Ask Eminem. And there are some Latin Hip-Hop groups as well. You may want to ask them how they feel about Hip-Hop as racial identity – Jennifer Lopez may have a word or two on the topic as well. Perhaps you need to check your own bias issues about black people and Hip-Hop culture and what you think they mean before you get on your high horse next time. A book you may want to read to expand your knowledge of Hip-Hop is Vibe Magazine’s History of Hip-Hop. It talks about rap and Hip-Hop from the late ’70s to the present. I think it may help you see some things about that music that you may not understand.
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Name : Carmela, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 34, City : College Park, State : GA, Country : United States, Occupation : College Administration, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I enjoy listening to Rap and Hip-Hop because some of it is humorous, some has a good beat that gets your attention, or the words somehow relate to what I feel, about my past, or my goals for the future. I like all types of music, trom twangy country to classical to heavy metal and so on. It depends on my mood, of course.
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Name : Jesse30819, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 21, City : Spokane, State : WA, Country : United States, Occupation : Clerk, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Why does rap music have to defend itself to people who don’t like it? I don’t care for Latin music, rock or county, but I’m not saying the people who like it are insane or stupid for enjoying that type of music. If you don’t like rap or don’t undersand it, change the channel – it was never meant for you.
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Name : Jim-C30688, Gender : M, City : Laurel, State : MD, Country : United States,You know you’re an adult when you can’t get how kids could listen to the music they do.
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Name : Matt, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 25, City : Cleveland, State : OH, Country : United States,Rap music is no different than classical music, if you ever studied classical music, but classical music’s political intent is no longer relevant today. Classical music was very controversial when it was written. It’s intent was to stir nationalistic feelings in a given ethnic group during the rise of nationalism in Europe. Most of these ethnic groups have their own country in today’s Europe, so the political meaning is obsolete now. I listen to a variety of music depending on mood. Rap and hip-hop is great music to dance to, so I do listen to it often.
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Name : Eric25205, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 27, City : Kansas City, State : MO, Country : United States, Occupation : Technology, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,I agree that the rap music out now just sucks period. There is nothing to this music. Its all garbage. Back in the day rap music had some sort of meaning to it but now, I don’t know what happened. Its the younger generation thats coming up into it. They listen to anything. They want to be rough and all that. But thats not what its all about. I grew up listening to rap music. The music was a hell of alot better back then, than what it is now. No originality. Its just some B.S.
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Name : Cheryl32338, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 28, City : Washington, State : DC, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,What you are probobly listening to are pop artists trying to be rappers/hip hop artists who are catering to the ‘majority’. The reason hip hop sounds different today as compared to before like Public Enemy, KRS ONE ect… is because these artists did not cater to the ‘majority’ they simply told the stories and vocalized the concerns of what was happening in their communities one of which wasn’t ‘flossin’. Seriously,if you think about it, people who have nothing to rap about except ‘ice’ couldn’t have too many problems. The direction of some has shifted. What most want to hear is what gets played. This country thrives on what sales,not necessarily what’s the best quality. To find the ‘quality’, you have to be open enough to take the time to look for it. Know what you are looking for. You need to understand that hip hop and rap have become a worldwide fad. Fads equal potential profit. Rap/hip hop have become controlled by people who have no clue what it’s about much less where it’s going as long as they make money. And another point, these days, anyone can come out and say that they are rap/hip hop artists. What is a hip hop artist? Is Jay -Z a hip hop artist? Mabe, but definately not the definition of hip hop. Usually, the songs heard on the radio are ‘politically safe’. The rest of the songs on the the artists cds get deeper into the ground of hip hop. Me, myself, I rarely listen to the songs a hip hop artist drops as singles, just because they sound the so ‘watered down’. Behind the fad and nonsense of what people percieve hip hop to be, stems truth, quality, meaning, culture, thought, experience, lessons, expressions, truth and goals. You will hardly hear any of this on the radio. Real hip hop may not get any play on the radio, but radio is not the only way of being heard by the people who are true members to the hip hop culture and not just guest members feeding into the hype. Record companies put out what people want to hear. If you want to hear more about ‘the real’, you have to look a little harder than media. Search for yourself. They play what they think you want to hear. I don’t want to hear any of it and I am a true hip hop follower. Find and listen to what appeals to you and not what radio djs, record execs, and others think you like. Think for yourself. Only after you do this will you be reunited with hip hop. P.s, a good start would be Commons latest cd, Electric Circus. Have fun
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Name : Kellee, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 22, City : Palmdale, State : CA, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,I enjoy many forms of Music. I mostly listen to R&B, Hip pop(Rap inclusive) and Soul. However, I listen to Rock, I listen to classic, country and various other forms of music. I believe that one’s mental diversity can be reflected in the diverse nature of the music they listen to. Music can show a mind that is broad, understands and appreciate the diverse cultures around the world. INDEED THE DIFFERENCES IN CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE ADDS A MYSTERY TOUCH TO LIFE WITHOUT WHICH THE WHOLE EXISTENCE WOULD BE TRULY MEANINGLESS!
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Name : Given C, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Age : 27, City : London, State : NA, Country : United Kingdom, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,to say music entails melody and beauty is making an assumption. there is some ‘music’ that ia hardly melodic or beautiful to some but are to others. you are right when you say that hip hop today is not what it used to be. I was raised in hip hop culture and it is more than music. I think it has been co-opted by white people wishing to exploit black people to make money. Hip hop used to be something from the streets, but once white record execs realized they could make money off of it, it began to change. The music that sells really well is most detrimental. It is the music that speaks mostly of black men disrespecting women, braggin about committing crimes against each other, and calling each other ‘niggas’ ‘bitches’ and ‘hoes’. All of this is detrimental to the black race, yet it is what gets pushed on our people the most. There are folks who are so hungry for money, they will participate in the degredation of their own people. The music that does not get enough promotion comes from people like Common, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, The Roots, Dead Prez or back int he fay with Poor Righteous Teachers, Public Enemy. The message is out there but the dominant culture does NOT want us to promote unity and respect for each other. They would rather pump negative music into our communities like drugs and weapons, in hopes that we destroy each other.
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Name : Michelle20568, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 24, City : Jersey City, State : NJ, Country : United States, Occupation : Non Profit, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,What you are probobly listening to are pop artists trying to be rappers or hip-hop artists and are catering to the majority. The reason hip hop sounds different today compared to before, like Public Enemy, KRS ONE, etc., is that these earlier artists did not cater to the majority, they simply told the stories and vocalized the concerns of what was happening in their communities, one of which wasn’t ‘flossin’.
Seriously,if you think about it, people who have nothing to rap about except ‘ice’ couldn’t have too many problems. The direction of some has shifted. What most want to hear is what gets played. This country thrives on what sells, not necessarily what’s the best quality. To find the ‘quality,’ you have to be open enough to take the time to look for it. Know what you are looking for. You need to understand that hip hop and rap have become a worldwide fad. Fads equal potential profit. Rap/hip hop have become controlled by people who have no clue what it’s about, much less where it’s going, as long as they make money.
Also, these days, anyone can come out and say they are rap/hip hop artists. What is a hip hop artist? Is Jay -Z a hip hop artist? Maybe, but that’s definitely not the definition of hip hop. Usually, the songs heard on the radio are ‘politically safe.’ The rest of the songs on the the artist’s CDs get deeper into the ground of hip hop. I rarely listen to the songs a hip hop artist drops as singles, just because they sound so watered-down.
Behind the fad and nonsense of what people perceive hop to be is truth, quality, meaning, culture, thought, experience, lessons, expressions, truth and goals. You will hardly hear any of this on the radio. Real hip hop may not get any play on the radio, but radio is not the only way of being heard by the people who are true members of the hip hop culture and not just guest members feeding into the hype. Record companies put out what people want to hear. If you want to hear more about ‘the real,’ you have to look a little harder than media. Search for yourself. They play what they think you want to hear. I don’t want to hear any of it, and I am a true hip hop follower. Find and listen to what appeals to you and not what radio deejays, record execs and others think you like. Think for yourself. Only after you do this will you be reunited with hip hop. A good start would be Common’s latest CD “Electric Circus.” Have fun
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Name : Kellee, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 22, City : Palmdale, State : CA, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,I agree that the rap music out now sucks, period. There is nothing to this music. It’s all garbage. Back in the day, rap music had some sort of meaning to it, but now, I don’t know what happened. It’s the younger generation that’s coming up into it. They listen to anything. They want to be rough and all that. But that’s not what it’s all about. I grew up listening to rap music. The music was a hell of a lot better back then, compared with what it is now. No originality. It’s just some B.S.
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Name : Cheryl32339, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 28, City : Washington, State : DC, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,your description of what metal and hard rock sounds like isn’t much different from how hip-hop was described when it first began to break-through to mainstream audiences. Also, you would be surprised at how similar their roots are. Music is a reaction to one’s surroundings or state of mind. Metal was born in the West Midlands in the UK, Birmigham to be more specific (Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and even 1/2 of Led Zeppelin were from that area). It was (and still is) the industrial center of the country where you see nothing but factories and smokestacks for miles. Add the dreary weather, working-class neighborhoods and this music was begging to be born. Hence, music as as a repsponse to one’s surroundings. If you’re at all familiar with early hip-hop, it’s creation stemmed from similar (if not more despairing) urban conditions. Metal to this day is a protest against authority of any form, at least it gets you thinking. Can hip-hop today make a similar claim? I’d say no, at least not since Public Enemy has rap had anything worthwhile to say. Also, since when does music needs approval to thrive? I’m curious to know who must this approval come from? last I checked, most music thrived even without the corporate and marketing support that hip-hop gets.
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Name : Christian32030, City : Boston, State : MA, Country : United States,To say that rappers now-a-days have no interest in discussing social issues shows everyone that you’ve only taken time to look at the most popular mainstream hip-hop artists before making a stereotype. Not many young people want to sit down to a song and truly think about its meaning, so a song about living the gangster life, smoking the best green, drinking the most expensive liquor, driving the most luxurious cars, and partying is more suitable to them. Hip-hop artists like Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Common, and Dead Prez are out there spitting the truth on every track, yet somehow in your search for any social discussion in hip-hop you skipped over them and many others.
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Name : Tom24134, Gender : M, City : Hudson, State : MA, Country : United States,Why are the Roots the 1st major rap band? I respect hip-hop artists who avoid sampling and computer music 100x more than those who don’t. Blacks brought over a rhythimic tradition from West Africa that is found in Gospel, Blues, Jazz, Ragtime, Soul, Funk, R & B, early Rock, etc. I’ve always wondered why the people who taught America how to dance would need a machine to make a beat.
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Name : Jahny, City : Chestnut Ridge, State : NY, Country : United States,
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