The Rap Thread

[Nirvanadude]

Don't slam - be honest It's probably not the most popular subject here on CRF.

Is there anyone here who gets into rap. I've heard the arguments that rap is not an art form- I have to respectfully disagree.

I get into Eminem, Dre and 50 Cent.

List some of your favorites.

 

[Martha Washington]

I like the west coast guys, especially the older ones.
snoop, nwa, that sort of stuff.
it's sort of unavoidable out here and that's the stuff I like best aside from what I consider "the golden age" of rap.

I really like the "old school" stuff best.
maybe I'm just the sort of guy who likes something better when it's been around for a while.
I'll get back to you on Eminem in a couple years!

 

[runtfan]

I don't like it. I don't get it. I don't see how it ever got as popular as is did. I'd say it's definitely an art form, but a pretty shallow art form. Calling it music would be a stretch. It makes disco sound positively refreshing.
It should have died a natural death a long time ago. Unfortunately, I think it's here to stay (Urp!)
Yes, I'm a hater.

 

[Martha Washington]

well, it's obviously here to stay.
I remember people saying it was a fad in the eighties!
far be it from me to try to deprive someone of their hate.
especially rap hatred, especially on a Classic Rock Board.

I get it. I think shallow is fair. I think, when you've been around people who do it, you appreciate it a little more. it's not as easy as it looks. I think "hip hop", like "punk" put a lot of power into the hands of the people who like it. Most people who get big in rap are people who love rap. I think that's great.

I do agree that it's been in a creative slump for a while but, face it, this is what most people who buy music want to hear. It doesn't mean that WE have to like it but I'm old enough to find that "it's not really music" argument a little too familiar for comfort.

 

[Martha Washington]

I'm not crazy about the Lion's Share of it myself. But, my hate ain't what it used to be. I know when I'm licked. It's easier to find something I like about it for me than to hate it. especially when I can tell that stuff aint going anywhere.

like rap.
or Madonna.

besides, I'm not gonna give my kids the satisfaction of hating it!

 

[Martha Washington]

I've noticed the one's I think rap really well
all sound an awful lot like HOWARD COSELL!

 

[Music Wench]

Not a fan in general. Don't like the violence, the cop killing, the misogynistic views and the general attitude.

However, I do like the more "watered down" things like Wil Smith. He's fun, he doesn't swear or kill people in his songs as he says. I can handle that. I like L.L. Cool J and I like Coolio.

I can't stand Eminem, Snoop Dogg or others of their ilk. Don't get them at all and I'm sure it's cultural. They are pretty much the antithesis of Asian culture for sure. Not that I'm all that enamored of Asian culture and it's repressiveness either. However, I am what I am. I am comfortable in the middle class white world portrayed on television when I was growing up and the Eminems and Snoop Doggs of the world annoy me to no end.

But, I think rap is as legitimate a music form as any other. Every genre apparently has something I can appreciate.

 

[runtfan]

But, I think rap is as legitimate a music form as any other. Every genre apparently has something I can appreciate.

For me, the legitimacy problem comes from the fact that, other than the canned rhythm tracks ( I won't do them the favor of calling it a "drum" track since they make no attempt to make it sound like drums - that would be an insult to drums and drummers everywhere), there is usually very little of anything "musical" going on, except maybe for whatever 70's or 80's song they happened to have sampled. Not only are most of THESE people NOT musicians, they don't seem to be able to align themselves with people that ARE musicians. It's seems to be mostly performance artists hooking up with people with access to recording facilities and people who are hooked into the promotional machine. You can call it "music" if you want to,but I won't.

And I agree, it's definitely a cultural thing. Some people can buy into it. I like to think I can hang with most any crowd (and, mostly, I have), but I'm just not feeling the rapper attitude and lifestyle at all. The attraction of it all goes completely over my head.

 

[Martha Washington]

It's supposed to, Daddy-O.
I think that's 80 percent of it's appeal. It's an affront to our delicate sensibilities. Just as rock and roll was an affront in the 50's and 60's.


also, an awful lot of working musicians get paychecks on sessions for rap albums and tours. do they think it's music? maybe not but I bet they cash the checks.

 

[runtfan]

also, an awful lot of working musicians get paychecks on sessions for rap albums and tours. do they think it's music? maybe not but I bet they cash the checks.

Well, that's something I TOTALLY disagree with you about. There's hardly ANY musicians involved in rap "music" at all. It's mostly done by somebody sitting at a computer and a mixing board, recording drum loops that don't sound like drums and layering computer generated sounds, which don't sound particularly like any musical instrument, and then having somebody rap over it.
From what I've seen, rap employs a helluva lot more dancers than musicians. There's very few instrumentalists making any money being involved with rap.