rap is crap

It looks that way, nimh, but you can still buy the stuff: http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Just-Ice:1927018835 Call me old, the album I own, on vinyl, is Kool and Deadly, 1987. I dunno, I'm 33, and remember the good days.

finally somebody who truly respects the music...thank you *bows repectfully*

the problem with the genre is, i think, the war between 'art' and 'commerce'!

while there are still groups, and individuals (in a music form that, as aquarious... points out is 'old' in terms of longevity; exceeded only by "R&R" which i insist is 'DEAD') producing worthwhile sound, the bulk of what is being churned out is generic regurgitation.

[oddly, in Canada, there is a new life being given to 'Rap' by various ethnic groups within the sociatal mosaic; aboriginal groups like "War Party", and Asian, and East Indian bands.]

Ok but how does that make Hip Hop any different than every other music form. It's always the cats below the surface, and the one's who die tragically who actually made the worthwhile music. Look at any genre of music, and you will always find one of two types: 1. the kids who've been making music for years but can never seem to emerge into the mainstream but this keeps them in the houses of art critics or 2. The cat who makes the most legendary music, dies tragically at the peak of his career, and from then on he becomes and idol for everyone else to missue, and try to get themselves a rep by either mentioning or biting him.

So nothing changes, the industry is always the industry, you go out into the mainstream and you have to change your image to survive, that's why I don't blame these "rap" kids for what the've done to Hip Hop, they do that so they can survive...that's how I see it

aquarius, you have it right about the music industry, which has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. The last supposed 'artistic outbreak' into the 'industry' was Grunge, and look what happened there. Complete sell-out, and now the industry can package lame copycots and sell product. It has always been that way, but today, it is worse than ever.

Yep, me too, 33 I mean - so that explains the hip-hop heritage, I was into the same people.

there was actually a good to and fro here about hip-hop for a while, exchanges of tips on what to get and stuff ... you could say the hip-hop people temporarily took over from the bashers. Course it reverted again. When I woke up the thread again just now with a note on some tracks and stuff I was hoping to get it back off-track so to say ... and well, here you are.

Well, in a week, I was getting ahead of myself here ...

Seriously, I mean look at hip hop which is like the perfect example of industry control. It starts out with cats like Rakim, Krs-One, oh god and LL Cool J. Now look at them, the only one who still has the fame due to skill is Krs-One. LL only sells his image in music, and has completely conformed to mainstream. And Rakim...rakim,rakim,rakim. But It's like Hip Hop started out as a true art form, and then this schism happened and turned it into Hip Hop(underground), and Rap(mainstream). You wanna make meaningful music and make absolutely no money turn to underground, wanna make loads of money with absolutely no effort try mainstream...simple as that

aquarius, stick around A2K; I like you.

thanks man, I'm just voicing my little opinions.

And they are ones that some people need to hear!

man I don't know what to say, people keep prasing my little ideas, I mean I'm glad people are noticing me . But I think we getting off topic a bit. How about instead of talking about the newbs good ideas we get back to the discussion of hip hop. Like how many people listen to underground hip hop, and actually know the difference between rap and hip hop.

Just when I was about to hop into bed
I just so happened to peep this ignorant rap-hater's thread
It looks like to me he's just got some time on his hands
So to make the time pass he talks $h!t about the urban bands
Now I don't gotta resort to flippin' the bird
Cause A2K lets my opinions be heard

Hey I respect your opinion and everything, what you believe is your own. But you can't expect to talk shiznix without getting a piece of somebody's mind, and that person is gonna be me.

Number one, it all has to do with the times. Now back in the times when hippe love music was "cool" and "in," I'm sure those teen's parents didn't approve of it. Just as I think many suburban middle-class white communities don't appreciate rap. Don't get me wrong, I'm not racist, but that's just how it is. I have plenty of white friends who appreciate rap, but their parents sure don't. It's just all in the times baby.

If you happen to be in the younger generation, and you find your music taste other than rap, that's koo. Nobody has a grudge against you because of that. I myself listen to a variety of music, little bit of this and a little bit of that. I was raised to appreciate different styles, unique techniques in music that makes it so damn wonderful! I love selected oldies, rock, ska, rap, r&b, hip-hop, country, techno, 80's... My Asian parents loved the Beatles and that decade of music, and so I was influenced at a young age and was exposed to that type of music. Growing up in an urban neighborhood as a child exposed me to so many other music genres. My school (thank God,) was a sea of different faces that brought culture to my life.

If you don't understand something, I suggest you go out there and try to understand it, because otherwise you are ignorant. Without knowledge. If your taste isn't in rap, that's ok. But if you don't like it, talk mess about it, and never tried to understand it, than you are ignorant. And if you would like a lesson on rap, just PM me. Rap grew out of urban neighborhoods, and the people in those urban neighborhoods created a whole new way to express themselves. Rap is no longer underground, it's full blown and mainstream, and it's gonna be headin' in that direction for a while. There are many important and beautiful messages in many rap songs that you may just not understand. If you think Ja Rule and DMX are rappers, than you are exposed to just the tip of the iceberg.

Tupac, in my opinion the greatest lyricist of rap, talked about life, love (love for all things.. money, woman, freedom..), the struggle, the victories, the battles, the hate. All these topics happen in everyday life. When he rapped, he sent a message. He put the gritty out there in mainstream music and in your face, and made everyone listen. His raps are stories. Stories about growin' up "ghetto," and living his urban-American dream.

So please, if you plan to hate, please educate.

y'all might like this thread, from a while back:

Foshizzle my nizzle

rap is about smart lyrics that don't hide from the truth i agree some rap is vilent and unnessessary but alot is far smarter than people give it credit for

But it sounds awful. No matter what the lyrics are, it's unending monotonous beat and toneless vocals are like sandpaper over the nerve endings.

[ mchol chuckles ] ...and hevay metal is someone screaming at the top of their lungs, country sounds sooo hillbilly boondockish, and classical is so booorrrriinnngg!! these are just examples of opinions (of which I do not agree with, except heavy metal- yuck!) we are entitled to our own opinions, but putting down something you may not understand or not like is wrong, and your bound to get a piece of somebody's mind. Rap is the new rock.

true dat true dat

Well acually Bugger I don't agree... People should like wat ever they wanna its how they feel and the music that suits them well. Like me I like every kind of music except country because music 2 be is all based on how I feel at the moment I don't just like one kind of music I like them all and that is one of the reasons I have alot of different friends BECAUSE we r different!!

N also did you ever hear of the saying OPINIONS are like AS*HOLES everybody got one!