why is modern day rap so popular?

[johnyringo04]

i am not sure why ever one loves all of this rap thats played on the radio and mtv. i would guess its because the chorus is repeated way too many times and for way too long, there for making the tune extremely catchy, and possibly because the topics that they are singing about make them bad like drugs, killing, and insane amounts of sex. and all of these young kids want to be bad and listen to it making sure everyone else knows they are listening to it to make themselves cool. please tell me why it is so popular and how i can get my girlfriend to stop listening to this garbage. thank you.

[Julio-Claudius]

It is popular because many people like the idea of being filthy rich and having lots of promiscuous sex. Sex sells, and it appeals.

[baseballboy565]

I know, its shame. The lyrics dont make sence!! It's getting out of hand.

[sa_nick]

I know, its shame. The lyrics dont make sence!! It's getting out of hand.

Fo sho!!

(ads some extra words so i can post... dawg)

[LavatoryLoveMachine]

Like all mainstream popular music, today's rap is popular cuz it doesnt have **** to say. People like it when you dont have to think.

[woobwoob]

Now that rap is established, it is going through the same junk that Rock has faced for decades. Bunch of one-hit-wonders trying to make a fast buck.

Eventually the quickies will fade away, and the classics will stick.

The last rock song that I didn't understand at all....


Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy diggy diggy said the boogy said up jump the
boogy

[ConsoleCoWBoY]

I thought modern (or is that Mo-durn?) rap was popular because suburban white kids liked to pretend they were black... And just released on bail... So they could wear clothing that makes people look uneducated and stupid, instead of poor and devil-may-care... Get the point? O.o If so, explain it to me - PLEASE! :D

[MetalManiac]

I think modern rap (or crap, as i like to call it) became popular simply because the media has made it more mainstream than any other music forms. Most kids these days look to music for an outlet of rebelion or just to fit in at school or something and rap is more acessable because its constantly being played on the radio and who knows how many tv channels... its either that or people are ******ed and cant understand what good music is.

[tharshmetalUK]

I think modern rap (or crap, as i like to call it) became popular simply because the media has made it more mainstream than any other music forms. Most kids these days look to music for an outlet of rebelion or just to fit in at school or something and rap is more acessable because its constantly being played on the radio and who knows how many tv channels... its either that or people are ******ed and cant understand what good music is.


I totally agree about it being crap mate as ive said before I don't even class it as music. But where I come from its not popular anymore it seems to have been replaced by indie rock. Theres only 2 people I know who likes rap

[woobwoob]

I don't even class it as music.

Sounds like something my parents told me about Rock... HAHAHAHA

[Kutsic]

It's popular because the majority of the listeners are either urban idiots that like to be told how to do ridiculous looking dances in some language only they understand or they're a bunch of rich white sluts, jocks, and hxc kids that get enjoyment out of listening to music that they can neither understand nor actually think is good, but rather they just find it funny because it gives them an excuse to act stupid for no reason and at the same time attempt to fulfill every little rich kids dream of being urban.

Welcome to America, land of idiots.

[Julio-Claudius]

It's popular because the majority of the listeners are either urban idiots that like to be told how to do ridiculous looking dances in some language only they understand or they're a bunch of rich white sluts, jocks, and hxc kids that get enjoyment out of listening to music that they can neither understand nor actually think is good, but rather they just find it funny because it gives them an excuse to act stupid for no reason and at the same time attempt to fulfill every little rich kids dream of being urban.

Welcome to America, land of idiots.
Most true post of 2007!

[thorn_9]

Does anyone remember the 80's? glam rock was exactly like rap is now. exactly. Nothing more than watered down lyrics, topics, and themes.

Every genre of music goes through this phase before it is refined into something new.

The origins of rap- hip hop was as powerful and meaningful a movement as heavy metal. It simply catored to a different demographic.

[Julio-Claudius]

Does anyone remember the 80's? glam rock was exactly like rap is now. exactly. Nothing more than watered down lyrics, topics, and themes.

Every genre of music goes through this phase before it is refined into something new.

The origins of rap- hip hop was as powerful and meaningful a movement as heavy metal. It simply catored to a different demographic.
Don't you mean glam metal? (hair metal)

[jarhead12343]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FanZdYuNw-c
Rap music=evil.

[MartyMcFly]

But where I come from its not popular anymore it seems to have been replaced by indie rock.

Looks like I need to move to the UK. These middle class white kids from the suburbs are pissing me off.

It was only 10 years ago where you could still see kids wearing rock t-shirts and some metalheads. Now it's like all you see are the friggin kids wearing shoes with no laces, jeans down past their ass, t-shirts that are XXXL and have Tony Montana's face on it, doo rags, and sideways, non curved, NY Yankee hats.
Not to mention the hundreds of dollars of jewelry they got on their fingers, wrist, neck, and ears.

[Julio-Claudius]

Looks like I need to move to the UK. These middle class white kids from the suburbs are pissing me off.

It was only 10 years ago where you could still see kids wearing rock t-shirts and some metalheads. Now it's like all you see are the friggin kids wearing shoes with no laces, jeans down past their ass, t-shirts that are XXXL and have Tony Montana's face on it, doo rags, and sideways, non curved, NY Yankee hats.
Not to mention the hundreds of dollars of jewelry they got on their fingers, wrist, neck, and ears.

That's far less annoying to me than a kid with greasy black hair covering 3/5 of his/her face with tight jeans and knitted sweaters. :cool:

[MartyMcFly]

That's far less annoying to me than a kid with greasy black hair covering 3/5 of his/her face with tight jeans and knitted sweaters. :cool:

Eww emo, thankfully I don't see them very often. But I also don't go to the mall a lot either lol.

Oh well, I can't say I need to get with the times, because I wouldn't be caught dead in those clothes. But I'll just keep with my jeans (that fit) and t-shirt (that fit) look :D

[tharshmetalUK]

I do though sadly see more than my fair share of emo's

[MartyMcFly]

Emos are to metalheads (2000's) as Glam rockers were to metalheads (80's)

There's a lot of similarities. Bland, simple, unintelligent music, followed by appearance: the more you look like a girl, the more you fit that category.

[FrshChees]

All i hear at school when music talk pops up (almost everyday) is rock is so stupid all they do is yell and u can't understand what they're saying. First of all, they only hear the metalcore crap or whatever that is. All most modern rappers do is make themselves seem better than everyone. Metal, rock and other rock genres are nothing like that, they don't write stuff about themselves saying how much they're life is perfect. (even when its not)

[Cr1ckt]

Since most of the posts lately have simply been slamming various genres of music, I'll try to pose my answer to the question. The other day, in the car, I was listening to a modern/hip hop station (It wasn't my choice, and I eventually switched it to another station.) A rap song played, and by the time it was over, I couldn't get that simple synth hook out of my head. The reason that rap (and most forms of popular music) is popular is because songs are based off of simple (no more than one to four chords) musical structures. Additionally the musical hook is repeated ad-nauseum to get it stuck in the listener's head. Everyone is susceptible to the psychological grip wielded by these songs. Of course, many of us would shun them for their simplicity, whereas others don't care. They just like the tune. They have never taken the time to listen to more complex music, and therefore they do not have an appreciation for it. It works the same way as when comparing a gourmet's love for fine foods with a typical American's desire for bland fast food.
If you want your girlfriend to stop listening to rap, try turning her on to something else. My thirteen year-old sister (who likes MCR and hip-hop) randomly heard The Immigrant Song on someone's MySpace page. She liked it so much, she wanted to put it on her page. I told her to listen to some of Zeppelin's other stuff, and she liked that as well. My advice is to offer her some alternatives. Don't underestimate the power of the classics. There's a reason that people have been listening to some of these bands for forty years.

[ConsumerWhore]

If it is any consolation, Rap's prominence over the popular music scene seems to be deteriorating. Granted, I don't think it will ever go away (as it pretty much cemented itself as a genre), but with any luck, the "Beatles of Rap" should be showing up sometime within the near future to whisk us away from this monotony. Of course, I thought that day happened when Outkast created "Hey Ya", so I've been wrong before.

[travmeatwad]

God help us all:

<embed src="http://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf" flashvars="m=8149772&v=2&type=video" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="430" height="346"></embed>

[TheLaughingMan9]

That's amazing, its like the Rap version of Cotton Eye Joe. Maybe they'll be playing that crap in gym classes from now on...and i feel like I've bee hit in the head by a brick from listening to that. You can't spell crap without rap, thats a trademarked saying by yours truly. XD

I used to love it, all those hardcore songs and party mixes and crap like that, and then I found classic rock. Class rock saved my life. Some songs arn't that bad, I still listen to Indie Rappers Del Tha Funky Homosapien and MF Doom. MF Doom is just awesome. A rapper dressed like Dr. Doom rapping about world domination, thats good stuff, for rap. He did some albums for [adult swim] which gets his some "props" in my book.

Now this is a MTV-worthy rap video, The Mask-MF DOom (note: the wrestler is not MF Doom)
<object width="300" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UQakz9-kvfI"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UQakz9-kvfI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Del is just funny stuff. His newer stuff has a good message but his older albums are pretty funny; and non of it has to do with drugs, violence, and too much sex. Look him up on youtube, his songs Sleepin' On My Couch and If you must are pretty good.

[Creeping-Death]

Now my area, it relly is either Chav, or Emo to be honest. You don't see any Rockers around [apart from me and my brother]. I listen to most types of music but the couple i hate is Emo and Hip Hop/Rn'b. Reason why i didnt say Rap is cause i love Rage Against the Machine.

Reason i love Rage is because it was metal as well as Rap and they had stuff to rap about which wasnt Sex, 'Hittin Dat Ass' and saying how tough they are when most are probably as wimpy as a 6 month old baby.

I dont like Emo music cause it really is just bands talking about cutting themselves, or how terrible their life is. MCR doesnt really count, because although they may appear to LOOK emo, their music isnt emo.

Hip Hop and R n' B i just dont plain like. Same said for Pop.

[Eissian]

Theres still good rap being made today. Ghostface Killah, Aesop Rock, Nas, Mos Def, The Wu-Tang Clan, theres simply too many to mention.

Snap Music and Crunk however, should have stayed in the nightclub. They really are killing hip-hop.

[Kutsic]

Theres still good rap being made today. Ghostface Killah, Aesop Rock, Nas, Mos Def, The Wu-Tang Clan, theres simply too many to mention.

Snap Music and Crunk however, should have stayed in the nightclub. They really are killing hip-hop.

Nas is a god. He, along with Kanye, The Roots, Jurassic 5, Nujabes, Common, and Styles of Beyond, is the reason I think rap still has a chance at remaining a style of music with talent and originality.

[polishdog90]

Emos are to metalheads (2000's) as Glam rockers were to metalheads (80's)

There's a lot of similarities. Bland, simple, unintelligent music, followed by appearance: the more you look like a girl, the more you fit that category.

I disagree! even Ozzy Osbourne went a little glam in the 80s. Glam metal is fun to listen to and some of them were actually talented musicians. Glam Metal was upbeat music and Emo is down.

Long Live Hair Metal!

[battle_axe_of_doom]

hair metal sucks as does kanye west

[LavatoryLoveMachine]

Now my area, it relly is either Chav, or Emo to be honest. You don't see any Rockers around [apart from me and my brother]. I listen to most types of music but the couple i hate is Emo and Hip Hop/Rn'b. Reason why i didnt say Rap is cause i love Rage Against the Machine.

Reason i love Rage is because it was metal as well as Rap and they had stuff to rap about which wasnt Sex, 'Hittin Dat Ass' and saying how tough they are when most are probably as wimpy as a 6 month old baby.

I dont like Emo music cause it really is just bands talking about cutting themselves, or how terrible their life is. MCR doesnt really count, because although they may appear to LOOK emo, their music isnt emo.

Hip Hop and R n' B i just dont plain like. Same said for Pop.

Yeah I love Rage. Mostly because of the lyrics, and the sound wasnt that bad either. It was more serious than real bull**** like Limp Bizkit.

I consider MCR emo. Their song dead on GH2....I dont know, find it reaking of emo-ness. Theres just something in the way they tackle the themes that makes it emo for me.

---------------------------

And yes, Hair Metal sucks balls. Nothing Metal about them at all.

Ozzy may have cut his hair and dressed like a woman in the 80s, but his music was NEVER hair metal.

[polishdog90]

I like some hair metal, but it can definately get to far with like Asia and warrant. I liked Rock the 80s alot. The reason I like this music, is because I dont like today's rap/pop music. Sometimes I just feel like listening to an ubeat poppy song and I would much rather listen the catchy lyrics of a rock song with some good solos than just beats/synth with rap, and just plain pop. Im not saying Hair Metal is my favorite music by any means, but that I just like it as an alternative every once and a while.

I really just dont like rap, because its not instrumental at all, and it a large majority of the mainstream rap has really dumb lyrics.

As shameful as it is to hardcore metal fans, Hair Metal was definately a part of Metal's history. Just because you dont like it, doesnt mean its not metal.

[xenopherus]

It's good to see so many people hate on rap. I hate it too (along with hip-hop, mostly any music where the beat is over-emphasised and repetitive). That damned, simple minded repetitive spirit. You know what rap at it's core reminds me of? Little kid music. In order for little kids to learn, they need repetitive, simple songs, noises and words that they can remember and repeat. I heard some rap song where they kept repeating the same phrase, "Shoulder lean (pronounced Shoudah leeh)" over and over AND OVER AND OVER!!!!! Same with some other equally horrid song, where they keep saying "Party like a rock star" ad nausium. It's brainwash noise, not music. It's brainwashing people to be more idiotic than thay already are. Ugh... There's so much more I want to say, but I'd end up writing a giant thesis by the time I was done.

[Soothsayer]

Go listen to Read A Book by Lil' Jon.
Come back here and then tell me if you liked. It's probably the ONLY half-decent rap song ever.


It's a;lso the MOST racist song ever, but it's so frikkin' hilarious.

Oh, and to answer your question:
Modern day rap is popular because the average teenager is ****in' ******ed.


I'm serious.

And, by the way, I'm directing this post to no one in general.....

[travmeatwad]

Go listen to Read A Book by Lil' Jon.
Come back here and then tell me if you liked. It's probably the ONLY half-decent rap song ever.

You know that wasn't really Lil Jon, right? I saw it a few months ago and looked it up.. it wasn't him.

[Soothsayer]

You know that wasn't really Lil Jon, right? I saw it a few months ago and looked it up.. it wasn't him.


Really? Hmmmmmm.......

[BarryC]

Since most of the posts lately have simply been slamming various genres of music, I'll try to pose my answer to the question. The other day, in the car, I was listening to a modern/hip hop station (It wasn't my choice, and I eventually switched it to another station.) A rap song played, and by the time it was over, I couldn't get that simple synth hook out of my head. The reason that rap (and most forms of popular music) is popular is because songs are based off of simple (no more than one to four chords) musical structures. Additionally the musical hook is repeated ad-nauseum to get it stuck in the listener's head. Everyone is susceptible to the psychological grip wielded by these songs. Of course, many of us would shun them for their simplicity, whereas others don't care. They just like the tune. They have never taken the time to listen to more complex music, and therefore they do not have an appreciation for it. It works the same way as when comparing a gourmet's love for fine foods with a typical American's desire for bland fast food.
If you want your girlfriend to stop listening to rap, try turning her on to something else. My thirteen year-old sister (who likes MCR and hip-hop) randomly heard The Immigrant Song on someone's MySpace page. She liked it so much, she wanted to put it on her page. I told her to listen to some of Zeppelin's other stuff, and she liked that as well. My advice is to offer her some alternatives. Don't underestimate the power of the classics. There's a reason that people have been listening to some of these bands for forty years.

That is probably the worst explanation I've ever seen. People aren't going to magically like something new because it is more complex or because you think it is better. Most would just shun you away. The reason you like the music you do is an evolution of your life and what order you listened to different kinds of music and what was going on during your life that you heard these.

Will ghetto gangsters listen to rap? Yep.
Will surbanite teenagers listen to metal? Yep.
Will your old man listen to 80's rock? Yep.

Will they mix? Not so well

[travmeatwad]

Really? Hmmmmmm.......

Yeah, it's by some guy name D'Mite/Bomani.. His MySpace is: http://www.myspace.com/knotarapper

[Hoodman]

Hmm This is a great thread and I need to put more than 2 cents. First off I'm a black man who loves rock just like my dad did before me, he was one of the few black guys listening to rock back then and I now appreciate his great music. However, he also learned about real hip-hop and rap from me. Today's music is not rap whatsover it's hip-pop terrible repetitive mindless talent that is extremely for anyone to do.

Why is it so popular? well because it's very catchy and you can kno most of the song easily, plus it's all the women want to dance to these days and also a lot of stupid guys who forgot their roots want to dance too. Seriously, not to be mysgonist but I find many females into today's music cauz they can dance to it and that's what they want to do and when guys see them dancing they gotta get on it.

Now with that said all rap is not crap, seriously I hate when people hate on rap as a whole, to me I think they know very little about rap or possibly music for that matter. Hip-hop of the late 70s through 80s required a different talent. Believe me I don't think that a lot rock musicians can mix music & sound to come up w/ Grandmaster Flash or Afrika Bambattaa's beats that sound & flow well when put together. Can our great rock lyricists create freestyles of deep, meaningful lines that rhyme like 2pac or KRS-One? See the old stuff is talent, freestyling and cutting/mixing is not an easy task, you don't believe me go try it. To make beats like Dr. Dre or philosophies like Common is a task.

Today's hip-pop is lacking that, it's not deep it's simply catchy and stupidly catchy like boy bands of the 90s. Pop was only good IMO with Motown, it's been weak since the 80s filled with one-hit wonders. All of this junk is not what rap or hip-hop really is. So before you hate on all of rap, know what you're talking about.

PS: I don't necessarily prefer rap to rock either Jimi Hendrix(my #1 artist), Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Cream, Black Sabbath, RHCP & STP are some of my favs. For rap it's Common, 2pac, Dr. Dre, Wu-Tang Clan, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One. If I had to pick a musician for today? it would be the Strokes, but they're on hiatus.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

common rulez (or ruled haven't heard anything from him recently)

[johnyringo04]

ok good posts so far. a lot of yours points are valid. now when people say all rap isnt bad, we know, all of any genre isnt bad except r&b.lol. anyway is there anyway i can go to a party and change the music to rock and not have people look at me like im crazy, and them change it back to rap in 3min? is there anyway to reverse this process of the coruption of this terrible rap music?

[battle_axe_of_doom]

uhhhhhhhhhh did you just say that all R&B sucks cuz if i remember correctly marvin ***e and james brown were R&B artists and they **** all over the deftones.......................

[Hoodman]

common rulez (or ruled haven't heard anything from him recently)

He still rules, his latest album Finding Forever came out at number one and thankfully he hasn't sold out, personally I think this album goes more to his roots than his last album Be did.

[Kang_Zircon]

uhhhhhhhhhh did you just say that all R&B sucks cuz if i remember correctly marvin ***e and james brown were R&B artists and they **** all over the deftones.......................

This is yet another issue with labeling genres. The term "R&B" has long since forgotten the original "rhythym and blues" artists of the 50s, 60s.

I think a lot of that now gets called Motown, Soul, or something else - whether or not that's a correct term. The whole mis-labeling/re-labeling of genres really irks me. Don't even get me started on "classical" music...

[Hoodman]

ok good posts so far. a lot of yours points are valid. now when people say all rap isnt bad, we know, all of any genre isnt bad except r&b.lol. anyway is there anyway i can go to a party and change the music to rock and not have people look at me like im crazy, and them change it back to rap in 3min? is there anyway to reverse this process of the coruption of this terrible rap music?

Well if you went to a party where only people wanted to hear terrible rap music then I doubt you'd make it out of there w/o stares. It's better to test it out on one or small groups of people first, ya kno test runs to people. Bump so 70s rock or give em some Chuck Berry or motown to show them what their own ethnicity does.

[johnyringo04]

sorry battle axe of doom i meant like current day r&b sucks like with their winny voices and talking about how they love these people and how they like to pee on them and stuff. and please dont rip on deftones until you've heard all 5 albums they've put out. they all have there own style.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

i have heard all of the deftones albums and enjoy em quite a bit but marvin ***e was one of the greatest musical geniuses of his and of all time. hell i've even see the deftones live so don't think i don't know wut i'm talking about

[blue_dragonzero]

uhhhhhhhhhh did you just say that all R&B sucks cuz if i remember correctly marvin ***e and james brown were R&B artists and they **** all over the deftones.......................

Dude, they won't even let us say Mavin ***e without censorship?

[blue_dragonzero]

Ha! This kind of censoship must really annoy Marvin ***e and people named ***lord lol.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

ya i discovered that in the thread about that rhythm DS game in the general thread. tis a shame cuz marvin ***e rulez and its annoying seeing his last name censored

[Hoodman]

Definitely a shame I mean that's just G........... A........... Y

[Axel32]

Alwas remember this about rap

******s
Attempting
Poetry

I can't stand rap.. all my friends listen to it and wear basketball shorts, but don't play basketball. I do find it funny oh how short the shorts make them look though..:rolleyes:

[battle_axe_of_doom]

also remember you're a dumbass who doesn't know what they're talking about

[Hoodman]

Alwas remember this about rap

******s
Attempting
Poetry

I can't stand rap.. all my friends listen to it and wear basketball shorts, but don't play basketball. I do find it funny oh how short the shorts make them look though..:rolleyes:

Wow absolute stereotype trash. You don't know much about what you're talking about do you?

[Seanofzedead]

it's popular because it started to merge more into the pop culture in the 90's, when a lot of rock was slowly decending away. Boy Bands and R n B became very mainstream, I guess the boy band fad died down after the two biggest artists bb boys and nsync disgrouped. And Rap continued on to this day. That's my theory, and today's kids are usually ghetto as hell, or has that emo/punk look.
I usually hate Rap, (Soulja boy can suck mah ballz) but I find Kanye's stuff actually listenable.

[SmokaCola]

Alwas remember this about rap

******s
Attempting
Poetry

I can't stand rap.. all my friends listen to it and wear basketball shorts, but don't play basketball. I do find it funny oh how short the shorts make them look though..:rolleyes:



Poor little white kid, just posting that shows you're an idiot. Anyways there is good rap out there, but "Soulja Boy" is definitely not the good rap.

[newwaytodie]

If rap had more genres, it would be easier to classify the crap from the decent.

Example: I know not to listen to anything that is described as "Crunk"

Sadly, I don't know what to listen to if something is good, so I had to resort to asking people on this forum. The irony is that everyone that was defending rap couldn't mention very many good rappers out there.

Anything thats played in the clubs or in top 40 radio is ass. It appeals to the lowest common denominator of American culture. If anyone here has a passing knowledge of music theory, you already know that rap definitely does not exercise many traits of what makes music, music. Simple rythms, simple melodies, monotone vocals that don't even rhyme anymore, the list goes on and on.

Rap is just a lifestyle identifier. Appealing to people who want to be a "part" of something, and has very little to do with actual music.

[nrusso14]

You could just call him Marvin ****...(I also think he's a musical genius, and not of homosexual nature.)

[Rev0lver]

I think all rap sucks. I am a music fan, not much of a poetry fan. It doesn't matter to me if it is the soulja boy **** or the old Notorious BIG ****. It's just not music, and I don't like that. If i want to listen to a poem, sure i'll listen to rap. But all it really is is simple beats with a (usually ****ty) poem behind it.

[johnyringo04]

everyone here who is defending rap, please calm down because this post is supposed to be talking about modern day mainstream rap, like everything that is played on the radio and on mtv and such. i think a lot of us agree that not all rap sucks, for me that would be the older stuff that was produced in the early 90's. so when i say rap i am talking about all the **** that mtv throws out and says is cool.

[Jsnkr9216]

It all depends on which version of rap you're talking about.



Mainstream modern rap (50 Cent, Ludacris, etc) is popular because of the ridiculously over-used beats and samples (over-used because they're catchy, so ever rapper uses the same sample... Yes I'm looking at you, Kanye West.) in all of their songs. And every rapper sounds like the same guy. Well, except for 50 Cent and Eminem, that just gives you more reason to hate them.

Also, the subject matter in mainstream rap revolves around this. Their *****es dancing like strippers in the videos. The use of illegal substances. Killing authority figures. Being in a gunfight and making it out alive. Talking sex in very direct language.

It's no surprise suburban white kids like it. It's like an action movie without the movie... Or good one-liners like "I'll be back."


However, underground rap, for now. Is set on being awesome, with the unique beats, many bands use actually drummers/guitarists to fill their music instead of the same old sampling.

Some good underground/non-publicized bands are:
Necro
Kottonmouth Kings
Twiztid
Immortal Technique
Blaze

And those are just some I named off the top of my head. They all sound unique and have an actual sound to their music. It may not be the stuff that spreads sunshine or love seeds, but each one of their songs doesn't say "I shot up the cop until he dropped the lot."

[gh2masterwellalmost]

All i hear at school when music talk pops up (almost everyday) is rock is so stupid all they do is yell and u can't understand what they're saying. First of all, they only hear the metalcore crap or whatever that is. All most modern rappers do is make themselves seem better than everyone. Metal, rock and other rock genres are nothing like that, they don't write stuff about themselves saying how much they're life is perfect. (even when its not)

Rap sucks. Its supported by chavs. Chavs, in the UK, are white people pretending to be black people using slang and listening to cruddy rap. I dunno what your equivelent is over there...

[milkman4591]

Rap sucks. Its supported by chavs. Chavs, in the UK, are white people pretending to be black people using slang and listening to cruddy rap. I dunno what your equivelent is over there...

Across the pond in America we call those people wiggers. :D

[Zidane]

I'd seriously rather listen to EMO than most hip-hop and rap out there today. One of my friends only play raps and hip-hop when I ride with him to the movies. It's real bland and I would fall asleep to it if it wasn't for him playing it at the highest volume with the bass all the way up.

[Hoodman]

I fall asleep to emo, that's weak music sorry excuse for trying to be anything remotely like rock. Today's rap isn't rap by the way, I don't kno what it is but it isn't rap.

[Zidane]

I fall asleep to emo, that's weak music sorry excuse for trying to be anything remotely like rock. Today's rap isn't rap by the way, I don't kno what it is but it isn't rap.

Is it urban poetry like MTV says it is?

[Hoodman]

I think all rap sucks. I am a music fan, not much of a poetry fan. It doesn't matter to me if it is the soulja boy **** or the old Notorious BIG ****. It's just not music, and I don't like that. If i want to listen to a poem, sure i'll listen to rap. But all it really is is simple beats with a (usually ****ty) poem behind it.

Simple beats? and just a poem. Make me an old school hip-hop song like Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos(Public Enemy) and make it all great then come back to me.

Anyways I'll give you guys and girls a list of legitimate rappers new and old:
2pac
KRS-One
A Tribe Called Quest
The Roots
Dr. Dre
Snoop Dogg(his older stuff)
Lupe Fiasco
Common
Nas(prolly the best 90s east coast rapper)
Afrika Bambattaa(Founded the Zulu Nation & 4 elements of Hip-Hop)
Kurtis Blow
DJ Premier
Pete Rock
Big Daddy Kane(or anyone from the Juice Krew)
MC Lyte(prolly the best female rapper)
Lauryn Hill
Slum Village
Kanye West(dunno about his latest album though)
OutKast (the only really legit southern rap besides maybe Ludacris)
Wu-Tang Cla
Public Enemy
Grandmaster Flash
N.W.A.
Eric B. & Rakim
Slick Rick
Mos Def
Talib Kweli
Notorious B.I.G.
Eminem(his more serious stuff like Mosh, Cleanin Out My Closet, Stan, etc...)
MC Hammer
Boogie Down Productions
Biz Markie(for his beatboxing)

P.S.:the four elements if you dont know are rapping, DJing, graffitti tagging, and breakdancing.

[Zidane]

You forgot M.C. Chris... WTF?

[battle_axe_of_doom]

and aesop rock. AESOP ****ING ROCK

[vtjustinb]

The music itself is built around a catchy, rhythmic beat that most people identify with. When you combine rapping, which is pretty syncopated and rhythmic itself, you get a formula that most people can identify with. Sure, some people covet the culture or the message (money, cash, hoes) but I think it all comes down to the common denominator of the beat and the role that plays in all music.

I'm not a huge fan of rap, but I think most people are opposed to it more because of the sociocultural association with the scene. Not wanting to be a wigger or what have you.

[Hoodman]

and aesop rock. AESOP ****ING ROCK

You're so right Aesop rock is a G

[Simonious]

Nerdcore rap is awesome. mc chris, and MC Frontalot, and such. They make their own beats, and it's not necessarily the same thing over and over.

But more on topic, my guess is that people don't like remembering long chains of different lyrics. They prefer, ahem...

"I WALK IT OUT I WALK IT OUT I WALK IT OUT" etc. etc.

[TheLaughingMan9]

SO CRISPY SO CRISPY...UMBRELLA UMBRELLA

its the same crap different words.

[smokeverbs]

As far as I'm concerned, hip hop died with Pac & Biggie. The only emcees I get into these days are Jean Grae (and everybody in the Blacksmith movement), and um... Hmm. That's about it, I guess. Most of the other rap that I listen to these days are older artists that are still around like De La, Ice-T, Arrested Development, etc.

[johnyringo04]

while we are on the subject of rap and how repetitive it is, has anyone heard that new linkin park song "bleed it out" wow its just as bad as rap. comn linkin park i quess you should've just stopped while you were ahead.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

they were never ahead, maybe ahead of the ****ty bands movement but yeah they blow

[Kurohana-Aiko]

Correct me if I'm wrong (because hey, I wasn't alive back then and I've always hated crap music, er..jail-bait trying to be poetic, no wait, RAP music, there we go), but Rap did actually have meaning at one time and wasn't pointless dribble. It used to be somewhat political (depending on who the crapper *cough*, I mean "gangsta fo' sho', biotch" was) and actually have something to say while rock was a bunch of druggies just doing random **** to seem crazy and get paid. Notice how the two just sort of switched roles? There were exceptions with both sides and so on, but still.

Seems like whenever you hear over-played rap **** on the radio today, the most absurd lyrics ever are being played over and over again with the same bull**** topics no-one cares about. Wow, filthy sex you'll never have, bragging about money, and talking about a paint job or a comic book character or some other stupid crap. Mix any combination of the above and beyond in with an expletive in every lyric and an 'a' at the end of words that should have 'er' then there you go, you're at the top of the charts. It's magic!

Seems like the second a rap single is released, EVERYONE is chanting the pointless filth of the new song and it's gone platinum already, with a video that carries a nice multi-million dollar budget to back it up. Most of that money being spent to pay off women who'll degrade themselves and buy big cars that just sit in the background or help pull you in with sex appeal. Honestly, I don't know what's worse though, the 'white-boys' that listen to this and try to act like they're the greatest thing since sliced bread while their best friends are getting arrested or fined for indecent exposure of their pale asses because of the baggy-ass pants or the girls that act like sluts because the songs make them think they have to be that way.

I find it pretty hilarious too that if there's a smart rapper out there who uses satire to prove a point about other rappers, they're immediately called racist, even if they're the same race that people claim they're putting down. I just think that it's funny only because the people who call it racist are usually too dumb to look at themselves and realize that's what other people think they act like because of the big-name rappers they listen to. That's all rap is, a sad excuse for poetry that slowly degenerates into a racial stereotype. Not saying all rappers aren't smart though, they get to say stupid **** to cause uneducated rebellion (which is always hilarious, no?) AND make a bunch of wannabe, little kids beg mommy and daddy for loads of money. So at the end of the day, the guy that says unintelligible bull-crap while whores dance around him, making himself look like a fool gets to sit back and laugh at America while the money pours in.

To add to what johnyringo04 said, Linkin Park has been un-listenable for a while, end of story.

[Rockerman]

Rap died with Pac and Bigge.The rest is a joke

[Nfsjunkie91]

My opinions (like they matter)

Mainstream Rap: I don't like. Like others have said before me, it only deals with sex, violence, drugs, etc. It's not just rap that does this, I've got a friend who listens to ICP, calls it murdercore or some bull****, I just know that I don't like it. I imagine that what a person listens to all depends on their environment. Before the age of 10, I never knew anything existed but oldies songs, and then I started listening to stations that played good 80's rock. As I kept moving on with my life, I listened to rock more and more, etc. and now my musical tastes are where they are today. There's some rap that I actually listen to, but very little of it. Examples: Children's Story - Slick Rick (I just like this song), Rapper's Delight (Not today's mainstream crap, of course) and El Pus, which isn't exactly rap anyway.

However, I have a friend who used to listen to rock, but when he started listening to the rap station around here (everytime they announced the radio callsign, there were sounds of gunfire) and it really turned him into a typical white kid gangster. He constantly calls people on the phone the n word, "wears he cap sidewayz," etc.

Either way, I find that mainstream rap has a corrosive effect on people who listen to it, so I don't find it to be good music simply because I do not want it to affect me in the way it affects so many.

No real point to this, just opinions.

[onlyrob]

However, I have a friend who used to listen to rock, but when he started listening to the rap station around here (everytime they announced the radio callsign, there were sounds of gunfire) and it really turned him into a typical white kid gangster. He constantly calls people on the phone the n word, "wears he cap sidewayz," etc.

Either way, I find that mainstream rap has a corrosive effect on people who listen to it, so I don't find it to be good music simply because I do not want it to affect me in the way it affects so many.

No real point to this, just opinions.

Can't we argue the same for most music?

Country listeners tend to wear cowboy hats or boots.
Emo kids dress, well, emo.
Gothic and metal tend to have black clothing on.
Disco gives people really big hair.

Sure it's stereotypical, but the argument isn't any different. Music has a tremendous impact on a person's individuality. Clothing is often an exterior expression of what comes through the ears.

Personally, I don't like rap. It's become a mainstream phenonenon and I'd rather listen to anything else. But why single out rap?

[Kurohana-Aiko]

Can't we argue the same for most music?

Country listeners tend to wear cowboy hats or boots.
Emo kids dress, well, emo.
Gothic and metal tend to have black clothing on.
Disco gives people really big hair.

Sure it's stereotypical, but the argument isn't any different. Music has a tremendous impact on a person's individuality. Clothing is often an exterior expression of what comes through the ears.

Personally, I don't like rap. It's become a mainstream phenonenon and I'd rather listen to anything else. But why single out rap?

Yeah, Rap isn't the only thing that effects people in that way, but (next to 'emo'-I mean the people that actually call themselves emo & flaunt self-destruction that they did because they're SOO deep and hard to see through) I'd have to say it is in my opinion, the worst effect possible. Just because the mainstream rap listeners anyway, all become brain-dead, wannabe stereotypical African Americans (the white listeners anyway). I say stereotypical, only because some people tend to think the dumb mainstream hip-hop is a reflection of their culture as a whole and it's not.

Anyway, I just wanted to say something else to go with the 'music preference effects personality and clique' thing. I somewhat have the 'emo look' and yet I tend to listen to stuff like Soundgarden, RHCP, Primus, etc. (and of course, the actual 'emo bands' although they don't resemble the original 'emo music' at all).

I'm waiting for a musical interest stereotype discussion or something along those lines, but then again I suppose a thread about modern rap was born to become something close to that...lol.

[dlisapussy]

Modern day idiots...





duh.


I respect rap, though. And I actually listen to GOOD RAP. You should find some.


Disco gives people really big hair.
I'm pretty sure that one is more like a fact than a stereotype...

[Kurohana-Aiko]

Modern day idiots...





duh.


I respect rap, though. And I actually listen to GOOD RAP. You should find some.


Disco gives people really big hair.
I'm pretty sure that one is more like a fact than a stereotype...

The closest thing to actual rap I have enjoyed is Immortal Technique. That's about it.

[xenopherus]

I respect rap, though. And I actually listen to GOOD RAP. You should find some.


Good rap? ...No such thing. Rap never should have progressed beyond the silly songs of the 80's like Genius Of Love by The Tom Tom Club, or any song by the Fat Boys.

[Seattle_Sound]

Good rap? ...No such thing. Rap never should have progressed beyond the silly songs of the 80's like Genius Of Love by The Tom Tom Club, or any song by the Fat Boys.

Well there used to be good rap. It was called Public Enemy, they actually pushed a message and were political activist. Kinda like the REM of rap. Too bad REM influenced people and Public Enemy was soon replaced by Snoop Dogg. Nowadays rap is just a big crapfest. Soulja Boy must be in the top 10 worst songs ever. GRUNGE REVOLUTION!!!!!

[rebelace]

I liked rap way back in the day when it had actual lyrics but now I hate it. It is complete crap and btw it was said earlier that the rap on mtv was stupid. Well what mtv are you watching because I haven't seen a music video on there in I dont know how long.

My younger sister likes to listen to all that new crap (get it crap /corny joke) and I always tell her to turn it off and listen to something with some actual depth instead of feeding the stupid idiot market. I mean seriously if I had no self respect and all I wanted was money and I knew I could just make a beat and repeat any stupid thing (that chicken noodle soup song for example) I wanted and be a millionaire I would do it. So I don't really blame the rappers I blame the stupid kids who think they are cool or thugs because they listen to it.

[WiredRacing]

Interesting.

I'm not sure what defines "Modern" rap. But I'm guessing it's the **** I *don't* listen to these days. Guys like Kanye West, Diddy, Jay-Z, etc. (and they're the "good" ones right now).

Yeah I agree with an earlier post that this is the symptom of an established genre that's now going through growing pains. The irony now is that a lot of these rappers really are hard-core *******s when 10-15 years ago the guys talking hard, were sporting college degrees (did you know Ice Cube has an architectural degree?) Ice-T today says a dream day is laying in bed watching TiVo with the wife. :) So yeah... it's the group of *******s 10 years ago that misinterpreted what rap was about, the corporations got a hold of it and commercialized the **** out of it and now it's watered down. As a result the music is soulless, as are a lot of the "artists".

I will say though, DoggyStyle is one of the best hip-hop albums of the past 15 years (which came out... almost 15 years ago), though it would seem a lot of that is due to Dr Dre, who's been on the scene for almost 25 years. Not sure I would call G-Funk part of the "modern rap".

[battle_axe_of_doom]

doggystyle is as far away from modern rap as possible. modern rap is basically the "veterans" of yesteryear (50 cent, jay-z, diddy, etc) with up and coming young *******s who usually have ****ty names like yung buk and lil' something. like its been said in the past 9 pages there is good rap being produced nowadays but its just not as popular as the mainstream ****. for instance aesop rock is known for having "smart" lyrics as opposed to the stupid **** that 50 cent produces. if the pieces of **** who go to the club to dance and **** and listen to music and don't understand wtf the singer is talking about they ain't gonna like it

but whatever its all been said before so whatever

oh and about jay-z once upon a time he was actually good. check out his debut album reasonable doubt

[Vigorousjammer]

this post definitely brings up a lot of good points, first of all, i'd like to say that I agree, not all rap is bad... i've definitely been a fan of most old skool rap... any rap that actually has some sort of lyrics with meaning is nice for a listen...

someone said Eminem was crap... I did like Eminem around the time of Slim Shady LP and Marshall Mathers LP, but after that it just went down hill... not saying Eminem's rap has a GOOD meaning... but not all of my music has to be loving and caring ****...
as far as some other rappers I like... Biggie is good, as well as 2pac, Dre, Snoop, and pretty much most of the other popular rap from the 80's and 90's...

Unfortunately, the popular rap of today (crunk, etc.) is making me dislike the entire genre... and it makes me not want to listen to a new group if thier music is classified as "rap"...
sure, i'll still listen to some old skool rap... but any new stuff thats classified as rap I would never even think of listening to... simply because... all the "popular" rap makes me think the other rapper's music is garbage, too... even if it's not...

now, as far as modern day rock goes... there's one band that gets it right...
Priestess...
other than that, I don't really care... theres nothing that amazing... except for the new Rush album, Snakes & Arrows, which is one of the greatest rock albums in a long time...

I hate songs like "Hey there, Deliyla" that are crappy but get stuck in my head...
I also hate rap songs that follow in this path... unfortunately, everybody else doesn't...

The thing is... I find the majority of society utterly and completely STUPID!
I know that may sound concieted... but if you think about it, it's true...
I work in a resturaunt, and MOST PEOPLE I DEAL WITH IN MY EVERY DAY LIFE THINK SO SINGLE-MINDED THAT IT DISGUSTS ME TO NO END!

I partly blame the internet... but hey, I use it and i'm not a ******...

Thankfully, the majority of the people in this thread can actually pull a thought from thier mind and ask themselves questions, and give themselves answers...

Pretty much , I don't define "being smart" as "knowing a lot of stuff" which is why I don't like America's public school system, which is the second thing I blame for so many people being so incredibly stupid... the third being TV...

What I definie "being smart" as is being able to ask yourself "why?" and coming up with an answer... on your own... not given to you by someone else... but by taking the context around you and coming up with your own conclusion...

That may seem very simple... but think about it... thats basically what being smart is...
That, and being able to explain something...
If you have a ****ty vocabulary, and you know about an ancient culture's secrets, how the hell are you going to tell anybody else?

Anyways, i'm going off on a completely different tangent here, but I think to answer the poster's question... if you want to have people stop listening to/making retarted modern-day crunk music... then try and educate them to STOP THINKING SO SINGLE-MINDED!

[Seattle_Sound]

this post definitely brings up a lot of good points, first of all, i'd like to say that I agree, not all rap is bad... i've definitely been a fan of most old skool rap... any rap that actually has some sort of lyrics with meaning is nice for a listen...

someone said Eminem was crap... I did like Eminem around the time of Slim Shady LP and Marshall Mathers LP, but after that it just went down hill... not saying Eminem's rap has a GOOD meaning... but not all of my music has to be loving and caring ****...
as far as some other rappers I like... Biggie is good, as well as 2pac, Dre, Snoop, and pretty much most of the other popular rap from the 80's and 90's...

Unfortunately, the popular rap of today (crunk, etc.) is making me dislike the entire genre... and it makes me not want to listen to a new group if thier music is classified as "rap"...
sure, i'll still listen to some old skool rap... but any new stuff thats classified as rap I would never even think of listening to... simply because... all the "popular" rap makes me think the other rapper's music is garbage, too... even if it's not...

now, as far as modern day rock goes... there's one band that gets it right...
Priestess...
other than that, I don't really care... theres nothing that amazing... except for the new Rush album, Snakes & Arrows, which is one of the greatest rock albums in a long time...

I hate songs like "Hey there, Deliyla" that are crappy but get stuck in my head...
I also hate rap songs that follow in this path... unfortunately, everybody else doesn't...

The thing is... I find the majority of society utterly and completely STUPID!
I know that may sound concieted... but if you think about it, it's true...
I work in a resturaunt, and MOST PEOPLE I DEAL WITH IN MY EVERY DAY LIFE THINK SO SINGLE-MINDED THAT IT DISGUSTS ME TO NO END!

I partly blame the internet... but hey, I use it and i'm not a ******...

Thankfully, the majority of the people in this thread can actually pull a thought from thier mind and ask themselves questions, and give themselves answers...

Pretty much , I don't define "being smart" as "knowing a lot of stuff" which is why I don't like America's public school system, which is the second thing I blame for so many people being so incredibly stupid... the third being TV...

What I definie "being smart" as is being able to ask yourself "why?" and coming up with an answer... on your own... not given to you by someone else... but by taking the context around you and coming up with your own conclusion...

That may seem very simple... but think about it... thats basically what being smart is...
That, and being able to explain something...
If you have a ****ty vocabulary, and you know about an ancient culture's secrets, how the hell are you going to tell anybody else?

Anyways, i'm going off on a completely different tangent here, but I think to answer the poster's question... if you want to have people stop listening to/making retarted modern-day crunk music... then try and educate them to STOP THINKING SO SINGLE-MINDED!

True dat............

[nerdrock]

Yo! Rap is street poetry don' be dissin' (Im kidding, rap sucks) It has no musical value whatsoever, the lyrics either don't makes sense, are out of context, or crap I don't want to listen to.

[newwaytodie]

Good post vigorousjammer.

I found a rap group called Hieroglyphics that's pretty decent. SO thanks forum douchebags, for not helping find ANY good rap at all. The only thing that's worse than modern rap are people who like it but can't define why.

[MCforGuerrillaRadio]

I just wanted to add on to the growing list of rappers on the forum, in case someone didn't put them up. DRS, and Rage Against the Machine.
Just two, for now.

[Mournblade77]

doggystyle is as far away from modern rap as possible. modern rap is basically the "veterans" of yesteryear (50 cent, jay-z, diddy, etc) with up and coming young *******s who usually have ****ty names like yung buk and lil' something. like its been said in the past 9 pages there is good rap being produced nowadays but its just not as popular as the mainstream ****. for instance aesop rock is known for having "smart" lyrics as opposed to the stupid **** that 50 cent produces. if the pieces of **** who go to the club to dance and **** and listen to music and don't understand wtf the singer is talking about they ain't gonna like it

but whatever its all been said before so whatever

oh and about jay-z once upon a time he was actually good. check out his debut album reasonable doubt
Aesop is great. He has great flow and his production work is top notch. I think MF Doom is a better producer, but Aesop is one of the best lyricists in hip-hop today. I am also a big fan of the Roots and Dalek. I also enjoy Cee-lo on his solo stuff, though that's closer to soul than hip-hop.

[senomar]

why is modern day rap so popular?
Because bratty little suburban teenagers can feel gangster by listening to some drug dealer sing about his shoes, super-stardom, and cell phone with extremely intelligent metaphors such as "I'm a star, like the ones in the sky". Brilliance in musical form. /sarcasm

[MundaneSoul]

Aesop is good stuff. It's everything hip-hop should be without all the crap that has become so pervasive in the genre.

[Guitarpix316]

I honestly don't know. But I have to agree with the guy saying it gets "catchy" because they repeat the chorus all the time. *My lipgloss is cool, my lip gloss is poppin'" so ***.....

I myself can't stand rap. I mean all my friends like it and rock and I don't get how. I mean you listen to stupid people talking, not singing, then actual singing and music. You would think they'd stop with the rap and stick with the rock but they don't. Hahahah and then I get a ringtone of Angel by Aerosmith and all my friends think I'm stupid because I don't have Soldier boy or whatever. Hahahaha. That song is so perverted though...once you figure out what superman means....*shivers*.

~Shadows of the Abyss~

[battle_axe_of_doom]

they like both because they're not close-minded

[Nilsen31]

I'll admit it.


I'm very closed minded when it comes to sh!tty, repetitive, annoying "music".

[Eastwood]

I listen to some rap. I don't like the whole "walk it out" "chicken noodle soup" "tell me how to dance" rap. I think that is why Eminem was so popular, not with just the white people bu with everyone. He wasn't trying to start trendy dances, he was telling stories about his thoughts and his past.

Any music that has a meaningful message that I can relate too, has a spot on my Zune.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

I'll admit it.


I'm very closed minded when it comes to sh!tty, repetitive, annoying "music".

funny since angel by aerosmith fits that exact description

[seafisch]

please tell me why it is so popular

I ask myself that question every day... still no good answer. :mad:

[idiotec]

Before you shun a whole genre, you should take a listen to some of the underground rap/hip-hop. There is some good stuff out there. You won't find good rap (or rock) on MTV or the radio.

[seafisch]

Before you shun a whole genre, you should take a listen to some of the underground rap/hip-hop. There is some good stuff out there. You won't find good rap (or rock) on MTV or the radio.

I definitely agree with your last sentence (at least, as far as the rap is concerned - there's plenty of good rock on the classic rock station I listen to). Who would you recommend?

[kenyon330]

I definitely agree with your last sentence (at least, as far as the rap is concerned - there's plenty of good rock on the classic rock station I listen to). Who would you recommend?

Kanye West, MF DOOM, Ghostface Killah are three good artists to start with. I'm sure you've heard Outkast's "Hey Ya!", which is one of the best songs of my generation.

[kenyon330]

By the way it's idiotic and borderline racist to believe that all rap sucks. Don't judge an entire genre by the crap that's on the radio. Almost 100% of the rock music on the radio is horrible as well.

And rap most certainly is music, it fits all of the criteria. In fact, some hip-hop is more true to the roots of "rock music" than the stuff you hear on the radio.

[Eastwood]

please don't bring the race issue into this discussion.

To add onto the list of something worth listening too, anything Busta Ryhmes does that isn't played on the radio.

[idiotec]

Who would you recommend?

Some good stuff:
DJ Shadow (not actually rap, but instrumental hip-hop for the most part, some songs with rap)
The Streets
Blackalicious
Del the Funky Homosapien
Handsom Boy Modeling School
Lyrics Born
The Roots

[Tender-Surrender]

I recommend:

Nas, Canibus, Immortal Technique, Lupe Fiasco, The Roots, Rakim, Kanye West, Eminem, Dilated Peoples(although a lot of their music is about smoking weed, some is about politics), Atmosphere, Outkast, etc.

I am not much into underground, but that is where most of the good stuff is!

Main Stream.. for the most part.. sucks

[battle_axe_of_doom]

kanye west and outkast are horrible.

murs, aesop rock, cannibal ox, black star, mos def, talib kweli, edan, common (at least his old stuff), jedi mind tricks, jurassic 5, gza, public enemy, wu tang clan, old ice cube, dr. dre, old snoop, NWA, etc etc

[Eastwood]

kanye west and outkast are horrible.

murs, aesop rock, cannibal ox, black star, mos def, talib kweli, edan, common (at least his old stuff), jedi mind tricks, jurassic 5, gza, public enemy, wu tang clan, old ice cube, dr. dre, old snoop, NWA, etc etc

in other words, hip hop with a story and purpose... They aren't trying to teach you to dance, they are trying to get their message of poverty and hard times across in order to try and make a difference.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

ya i suppose so :)

[HolyDiver]

It's because people get sucked into the corporate black hole and become mindless zombies designed to buy the latest fashions and the lastest music,blissfully unaware that what's left of their mind will be destroyed and they will just follow crappy trends until the zombie takes its hold....That is why we have Rap,Nu Rock,Current Pop,The GAP,The Garage and all that mass market crap.Don't be a mindless zombie!Listen to real music and together we can defeat the Zombie Marketers.

[HolyDiver]

I should mention that old hip hop had a place.They actually had a message.New stuff though....See my above rant.

[newwaytodie]

There's still a message in modern rap...

1. Have unprotected sex with as many women as possible
2. Be a drunken imbecile
3. Be high all the time
4. Have shiny rims that spin
5. shoot anyone who has a problem with you

[jordan15b]

here look this is totally what most kids do

" look at mah honda its got big spinnin rims and 50 monitors in it man im so ganghsta"

[CLOUD9]

Modern day Rap is horrible because they are afraid to take chances to sound different. They are trying to become rich using the same formula as everyone else. Also, most of the American Public hates to think. They want something that doesn't make their head hurt. I listen to Underground Hip Hop and I like it because some of the Underground Hip Hop artist actually tell stories. I think it's funny how a lot of these rap fans listen to 50 cent. He blows!!!! His lyrics suck. Kayne West sucks, I hate that Stronger song. He disgraced Daft Punk, by The way I'm a huge Daft Punk fan. I don't like the beats of current rap songs. I know people are gonna say "Well you can't do any better." Well I make beats and my friends who listen to mainstream crap, I mean rap don't like it because "It's so different." They want me to make the same BS that everyone else makes. My friends who listen to Underground like my stuff because "It's so different." American youth wants something they can listen to that makes them think about "Money, *****es, and Hoes." I don't understand how women could listen to this garbage and be okay with it. Don't they understand that they are being degrated. Do they even care? Anyways I've gone way off subject. Well I think that rap is so popular because most of the American public is stupid and hates to think. Most of the American Public is ignorant and is afraid of change, that's why the world hates America. lol.

[SoKGiX]

not gonna bother reading everything, but rap and hip-hop are seperate entities. i distinguish between club and hood rap myself, and stay as far away from any rap as i can.

hip-hop on the other hand has a valid message or point, makes statements of a philisophical or political nature, or has an agenda it is trying to push. It also pushes the boundries of the art of music with new sounds or ways of appeasing the senses the remain based in the roots of the music.

just my .02

[Julio_No_Mas]

There's still a message in modern rap...

1. Have unprotected sex with as many women as possible
2. Be a drunken imbecile
3. Be high all the time
4. Have shiny rims that spin
5. shoot anyone who has a problem with you
You sir, win this thread.

Modern day rap is popular because modern day society strives for and accepts only mediocrity. All other styles of music other than rap, power pop/punk, and emo are ostracized, simply because they are too complex for the majority of people's simple minds to accept.

[verratensie]

first: i love how you can say all that, and still have a signature saying "i pooted".

Anyway, i listen to metal, not just all metal, mainly death metal, black metal like belphegor, behemoth, vader and such. anyway, what people seem to have trouble accepting with things beyond heavy metal, is that it is an extreme form of music. by being an extreme form of music, it IS NOT about vocals, like rap, pop, punk, and emo (sense the trend?...) it is about the instruments. metal can be a truly inspiring genre of music, so long as you only listen to the instruments, otherwise, you need power metal. if you truly listen to a metal song (take vaders "God is Dead") and ignore the death growls and screaming, you can tell that these are people who are completely dedicated to playing their instruments.

Metal has also rooted out some very good singers, drummers, and guitarists. of course, cliff burton could have been much greater had he lived, the drummer for behemoth is one of the fastest in the world, able to reach 280 BPM consistently for 3 minutes on "slaves shall serve". the singer/guitarist for behemoth created the band when he was 16! that's freaking dedication.

Anyway.. sorry i got so pro-metal here. kind of tired of being the only kid in my high school (out of 2,500) who listens to metal.. this kind of thing poses some serious problems when i start wearing band t-shirts saying "Behemoth" rather than "Slap those b*****s and h**s ".

[osirisbunnyfoofoo]

Well, I actually disagree with some things said here. I like Outkast and a tiny bit of Kanye. Now, EVERYTHING else is crap. This isn't going to stop until either a new genre arises and takes its place or, and this is really a stretch, there is a rock revival. Similar to what The Strokes did, but times a hundred. I believe if another band like Nirvana or The Beatles comes around that is extremely good and influential, people will finally realize that rap/hip-hop/R&B, in its current state, is terrible. Then many new rock bands will have this super-band as their influence instead of Fiddy Cent and take the place of all the terrible rappers that are birthed every minute.

[Hastyl3]

Well, it's popular because America is so ignorant these days. I can say Kurt Cobain in my calssroom and everybody will give a strange look, after I tell them who he is, they say I'm "****" and "How can you listen to that white crap". No one ever takes the time to be different. The nation is so judgemental and once someone reads the name "Megadeth" they automatically think of people screaming "DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!!!!" "SSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAA NNNNNNNN!". they take no time listening to lyrics and after I actually play them some material and they listen to the lyrics, they find they want more. Some rappers actually do take their time in writing(Common, Immortal Technique, Benefit, Wu Tang Clan, Nas, etc.) But those rappers are hardly ever featured on MTV and IMF(MTV Equivalent) because wont sellout. If anyone's to blame here, it's MTV and IMF(Well... sometimes). They popularized Durty Souf and Eest Syde(That's how these idiots pronounce them). Currently, the only type of rap that's big and makes you think is Midwest. Kanye, Common, Benefit, Immortal Technique are the best that come from this genre and are still writing. Yes, Immortal Technique is from NYC but his style is more Midwestern. In regards to Soulja Boy, I think he deserves to have his ass kicked by Superman himself.

[dave93]

Because MTV has earf*cked the sh*t out of the youth of the last 20 years with their garbage-ass "our music is the best and if you don't listen to it and play football and be popular you're lame lololooloolloolololloloolzlzzlozloozolzlzz!!1!!1!! !!!11!!1!!" mentality.

Oh and b/c rich white kids love to think they're actually poor black guys who spend their time blowing their load all over a hooker.

[Clive_Winston]

Modern rap suceeds because it is relatable to more people, relatable being that, lyrically, Old School/West Coast/East Coast/Queensbridge rap was about life and the rappers perspective on life. G-Funk (think Dr. Dre, Snoop, etc.), while great to listen to, is equivalent to today's modern rap. It's all just a hot beat and some lyrics. Alot of mainstream rap listeners are NOT living in ghettos or even anywhere close to observing street life. But modern rap-with the same hot beats and lyrics of money, cars and women-provide an escapism to many kids who live rather boring lives. Instead of painting a picture of life, modern rap is simply a perforance meant to engage the listener much like a circus or a comedy movie. Mainstream doesn't even need sharp lyrics anymore...it really comes down to the beat. How else could "Laffy Taffy" become so popular?

That being said, some modern rap does follow the formula of hot beats but DOES provide some substantial lyrical content. The Roots, k-Os, Kanye West, Common, Lupe Fiasco try to present some substance, and wordsmiths like Ghostface Killah and Outkast do provide some razor-sharp lyrics to chew on. It isn't totally dead, but it's heading there.

*goes back to listening to Wu-Tang*

[ProgNegative]

Sometimes I don't think it has anything to do with the lyrics at all, a lot of newer rap songs seem to just use random words or celebrity names in the lyrics just because they can't think of anything else to rhyme with, which I can't stand. I think a lot of the popularity has to do with it being very easy to dance to, I even know people who like rap solely because they can dance to it (girls mostly). Just go to any club, the majority of music played is rap, or remixes of rock songs with rap beats, and they can just have a flow of music because the songs sound so much alike that they have no problem mixing them. Most of the time I can't even tell a song has changed unless I happen to know the songs, which is rarely the case. Alcohol tends to help too, enough of that and you can't help but move to the music, it's about the only thing that can convince me to go.

[III Icarus III]

i quote Chris Rock when i say that "it's hard to defend rap music today" and that "you could break down rap intellectually" at one point. "it's hard to defend 'move *****, get out da way.'"

now, i'm about as old school as you can get for a 20-year-old when it comes to rock. my collection of CDs and MP3s extend all the way back to Chuck Berry. i grew up to my dad playing Eric Clapton and KISS, and that has become my musical identity.

however, i have also grown fond of older rap music, especially Run DMC (corny to some, i know, but hey, it's good stuff). i have a respect for the beats and messages the older generation of rappers conveyed, and i've had no problem with them.

but, as for new rap. to hell with it. it's not music anymore. my college roommate went to an all-white school outside of cleveland and he thinks he is god's gift to the ghettos. i'm sick of people blasting this verbal feces in my hallway every time i get back from class.

i do believe there's hope, though, if rap follows the same pattern metal did:

metal started with Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin, rap started with Run DMC and Grandmaster Flash
metal then passed the torch with Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, rap then had Tupac and Biggie.

then came the commercialized bull**** that we all know as hair metal. while there were exceptions, most hair metal bands had a smash hit about what most rappers talked about today: living the rich life and getting laid. and even worse, shortly afterwards, came the power ballad to hook in a female audience. and not only were the songs bad, but so was the fashion, with every dude dressing up like a chick. as of now, rap is following the exact same pattern (except the power ballad). empty lyrics and poor fashion are the order of the day for rap, and hopefully the public will dump it just like hair metal.

let's also not forget what was going on during the hair metal fad. underground bands like Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer were up-and-coming at the time of hair metal, and the death of hair metal gave rise to bands that people consider living legends. the good rap artists are up and coming from the underground scene as well, and if mainstream rap has the same fate as hair metal, we might see a new wave of rap artists that actually have a message to send that doesn't have us "slapping our hoes" or "gettin' crunked."

[Quinarvy]

Currently, the only type of rap that's big and makes you think is Midwest. Kanye, Common, Benefit, Immortal Technique are the best that come from this genre and are still writing. Yes, Immortal Technique is from NYC but his style is more Midwestern. In regards to Soulja Boy, I think he deserves to have his ass kicked by Superman himself.

Soulja Boy is from the Midwest :(

But in regards to the the thread topic, there is some good rap (Kanye, Nas, Common, OutKast) in the massive pile of crap they call a genre. But yea, like someone said a new band like Nirvana, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, etc. has to come along and stop the never ending amount of rap thats just crap.

Maybe a rock cover of a famous rap song would do the trick? Like Run-DMC did with Walk This Way (probably the greatest rap song ever).

[imeistermandude]

Because 99% of kids I see at high schools these days are dumber than a box of rocks and twice as useless to society as a whole.

[erickOnasis412]

Because 99% of kids I see at high schools these days are dumber than a box of rocks and twice as useless to society as a whole.

you are a very miserable human being

[Prisoner_KSC2303]

Some good stuff:
DJ Shadow (not actually rap, but instrumental hip-hop for the most part, some songs with rap)
The Streets
Blackalicious
Del the Funky Homosapien
Handsom Boy Modeling School
Lyrics Born
The Roots

I agree with this list 100% and would like to add DJ Krush and Jurassic Five if I may.

[Prisoner_KSC2303]

i quote Chris Rock when i say that "it's hard to defend rap music today" and that "you could break down rap intellectually" at one point. "it's hard to defend 'move *****, get out da way.'"

now, i'm about as old school as you can get for a 20-year-old when it comes to rock. my collection of CDs and MP3s extend all the way back to Chuck Berry. i grew up to my dad playing Eric Clapton and KISS, and that has become my musical identity.

however, i have also grown fond of older rap music, especially Run DMC (corny to some, i know, but hey, it's good stuff). i have a respect for the beats and messages the older generation of rappers conveyed, and i've had no problem with them.

but, as for new rap. to hell with it. it's not music anymore. my college roommate went to an all-white school outside of cleveland and he thinks he is god's gift to the ghettos. i'm sick of people blasting this verbal feces in my hallway every time i get back from class.

i do believe there's hope, though, if rap follows the same pattern metal did:

metal started with Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin, rap started with Run DMC and Grandmaster Flash
metal then passed the torch with Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, rap then had Tupac and Biggie.

then came the commercialized bull**** that we all know as hair metal. while there were exceptions, most hair metal bands had a smash hit about what most rappers talked about today: living the rich life and getting laid. and even worse, shortly afterwards, came the power ballad to hook in a female audience. and not only were the songs bad, but so was the fashion, with every dude dressing up like a chick. as of now, rap is following the exact same pattern (except the power ballad). empty lyrics and poor fashion are the order of the day for rap, and hopefully the public will dump it just like hair metal.

let's also not forget what was going on during the hair metal fad. underground bands like Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer were up-and-coming at the time of hair metal, and the death of hair metal gave rise to bands that people consider living legends. the good rap artists are up and coming from the underground scene as well, and if mainstream rap has the same fate as hair metal, we might see a new wave of rap artists that actually have a message to send that doesn't have us "slapping our hoes" or "gettin' crunked."

You, sir, are a credit to your generation.

[Nickzilla]

You, sir, are a credit to your generation.

I second that. What a great way to look at it that had never even blipped on my radar. Now we just need the Nirvana of rap to come take out the garbage.

[eliandthecottonjins]

Rap is like Punk Rock. It used to be a socially concious screw the establishment music genre. Now it's overly commercialized and factory produced.....JUST LIKE PUNK.

I also attribute Modern Rap's Popularity to the fact that most people are Idiots.

I'm Old school too. KRS One, Run DMC, Dr Dre, Old Ice Cube, Old Snoop. Biggie Really old Cypress Hill (everything after IV sucked)

as for newer stuff Kanye West is a pretentious Jackass but I love his stuff. But I lean towards the stuff that isn't materalistic like Common, Mos Def, The Roots and Jurassic 5

Nas is overrated I can't stand him.

[nokon]

well, I live in florida, so i have no idea what it's like around your areas.

Rap has made a major nose dive where i live. Out of the people i know only 2 or 3 listen to it feverishly .And fitting the stereotype : they think it makes them look cool. Too bad though, they should just go join the emo bandwagon.

[The_Clutches]

Lupe Fiasco all the way! great lyrics and catchy beats!

[SoKGiX]

Rap is like Punk Rock. It used to be a socially concious screw the establishment music genre. Now it's overly commercialized and factory produced.....JUST LIKE PUNK.

I also attribute Modern Rap's Popularity to the fact that most people are Idiots.

I'm Old school too. KRS One, Run DMC, Dr Dre, Old Ice Cube, Old Snoop. Biggie Really old Cypress Hill (everything after IV sucked)

as for newer stuff Kanye West is a pretentious Jackass but I love his stuff. But I lean towards the stuff that isn't materalistic like Common, Mos Def, The Roots and Jurassic 5

Nas is overrated I can't stand him.

dunno how, he's unbelievably skilled.

[optimusprimo]

99&#37; of what you will hear on MTV is crap. There is still good rap being made however.Talib Kweli, Cunning Lynguists, Mos Def and my favorite, Cormega. Damian Marley is good too if you like his ragamuffin voice.

[Consolcwby1]

So many people are making so much sense in this thread, I applaud you all! =)

Basically, the problem with rap is the same as the problem with the entire music industry right now: Music is just product.

What I mean by that is the industry sees music as just another packaged product, with a certain shelf life, that if marketed correctly, will in fact be a hit. How? Well, they will tell you it's a hit through media outlets and advertising. Now, rap has always been considered a lower musical form, due to the fact that it stemmed from the old analog DJing days. Sampling and looping music from other sources has (since I can remember) always been a big criticism of rap. Yet, along with most other musical forms, today's rap seems unimaginative, derivative, bland - in other words, it sounds pretty much the same. Why? Mostly because modern rap IS pre-planned, pre-packaged, and hyped to an astounding amount according to a set formula. What we are seeing more and more of is the gritty and powerful gangster rap of old being put through the same ringer as most of pop culture, namely, corporatized. To the industry, rap is a fast buck, and rappers can come and go, or if they are controversial characters, can stay and create free promotion of the genre with their antics. Basically, those that like rap, like it mainly because the fantasy it projects appeals to them. No one wants the reality, and THAT is the real problem with the form: it is generalised and has been castrated of any REAL message it once had. A sad thing, but more and more common with all things as time goes on.

As far as the OP asked how to get his girlfriend away from it, well you can't. She likes it, and she will continue to like it until the fantasy of the lifestyle it projects becomes boring. I feel bad for you, I really do. At one time rap was a very socially conscious and edgy form. It can still be, but you'll only find it on the amateur/true-independent scene.

[Mikey]

I hate rap! it is the worst form of music in the history of music! If you like rap, don't step near me while listening to it because if you do i will destroy you! If I had a choice of rap or listening to a moose slowly dying... I'd pick the moose. If you can't tell by now I hate rap. Heavy Metal > Rap any day. (well really anything beats rap)

[Dogbite]

you know rick rubin produced slayer and the beastie boys in the same year. he laso produced ll cool j and johnny cash.

i guess I am trying to say is don't limit yourself, for me there is good music and bad music.

bad music being dave matthews band

[IslandBoy91]

I live in a small town in Maine, so I dont have to put up with it as much, oh sure, we still have a couple wiggers in my 100% white town but most of my friends can't stand it just as much as me. The great thing about Maine is that it's 96.4% white and there is only 1 rap/hip-hop station on the radio, and 6 or 7 awesome rock stations...the rest is country and talk radio.

No I'm not a racist, If there were racial minorities living within 25 miles of me I would get along with them just fine, unless they rode around with that crap going right full bore with the bass tuner cranked all the way up.

[Rental_Ninja]

As someone who didnt reallt follow music too much growing up i wasnt introduced to the rap that many of you claim is good. The only rap i know is the modern crap you guys talk about. Luckily i got into older rock instead. But becuase of the crap im forced to hear whenever i go out anywhere(my town is full of pretty much nothing but wiggers and sluts who listen to the crap) ive gotten to a point where i dont even want to give the older and supposedly rap a chance. I hate the stuff i hear now that much. I litterally want to rip my ears off everytime "Party Like A Rockstar" comes on. I cant believe anyone would wanna listen to that. Its the same damn line over and over and over again and again. And dont even get me started on soulja boy. But to answer the question as to why its popular, I dont know, it just is. I think everyone elses explanations were pretty good. And as to how you can change your girlfriend. Well you just cant, my ex listens to that crap. Her favorite song actually is soulja boy. And to change her tastes in music. I introduced her to plenty of great bands, but she just went back to that crap after she dumped me. I guess she pretended to like it for the time we were together. Its too late to change most of them. They are all brainwashed. If its not on MTV, to them its not worth listenning to. So as a final note, my philosophy for music is just like my philosophy for candy. Always throw out the (w)rappers.

[erickOnasis412]

you know rick rubin produced slayer and the beastie boys in the same year. he laso produced ll cool j and johnny cash.

i guess I am trying to say is don't limit yourself, for me there is good music and bad music.

bad music being dave matthews band

i hate seeing rap posts on this forum because most of the people here have absolutey NO clue what hip hop or rap is, so i hate seeing the narrow minded views.. this is LITERALLY the only rseponse i read (and will read) and i have to say it's probably one of the best in this thread..

..& DMB does suck

[IslandBoy91]

So as a final note, my philosophy for music is just like my philosophy for candy. Always throw out the (w)rappers.

Amen.

I'll probably have to quote you on that one in the near future

[Weatherman81]

please tell me why it is so popular and how i can get my girlfriend to stop listening to this garbage. thank you.


What is this Dear Abby???

p.s. some modern rap is about really important things, turn her on to: Aesop Rock, Atmosphere, Immortal Technique, El-P, Cool Calm Pete... it's not all bad, just the mainstream

[Weatherman81]

i hate seeing rap posts on this forum because most of the people here have absolutey NO clue what hip hop or rap is, so i hate seeing the narrow minded views.. this is LITERALLY the only rseponse i read (and will read) and i have to say it's probably one of the best in this thread..

..& DMB does suck

and I said....word

[IslandBoy91]

If you want your girlfriend to stop listening to rap, try turning her on to something else. My thirteen year-old sister (who likes MCR and hip-hop) randomly heard The Immigrant Song on someone's MySpace page. She liked it so much, she wanted to put it on her page. I told her to listen to some of Zeppelin's other stuff, and she liked that as well. My advice is to offer her some alternatives. Don't underestimate the power of the classics. There's a reason that people have been listening to some of these bands for forty years.

It's true, same thing happened with me. When I was young I used to like rap (and even *cringe* boy bands). But the minute I found Led Zeppelin II lying around my house and popped it into my CD player...All that was over. Now I hate rap with a passion and I'm convinced that all boy bands are either *** or evil and just sound horrible

[JukeBoxHero]

It's true, same thing happened with me. When I was young I used to like rap (and even *cringe* boy bands). But the minute I found Led Zeppelin II lying around my house and popped it into my CD player...All that was over. Now I hate rap with a passion and I'm convinced that all boy bands are either *** or evil and just sound horrible


Boy bands were cash crops for music companies, untalented, and not a single beat was produced by a instrument?

[BhindBluEyes430]

Modern rap sucks.
old school rap was awsome NWA was amazing so don't say all rap sucks. dre. was a good musician back then. at least their songs ment something
their are alot worse genres than rap like Emo, Speed metal, euro pop, Modern pop, industrial, barbra streisand!!!

[JukeBoxHero]

When you refer to speed metal, what metal are you refering to?(band names)

[Tyler.the.Mute]

They are all brainwashed. If its not on MTV, to them its not worth listenning to. So as a final note, my philosophy for music is just like my philosophy for candy. Always throw out the (w)rappers.You're a stones throw from "Emo", with a sense of humor thrown into the mix.

Deep down, I don't think they're "brainwashed". One of my friends openly criticizes "Soulja Boy", but still has his entire first album on her iPod. Why? Because it's an attempt to be apart of the mainstream.

Bottom line.
If getting "crunk" is what's "in", then somebody's gonna emulate said behavior to "fit in".

... And doesn't everyone want to be part of something?

[IslandBoy91]

Boy bands were cash crops for music companies, untalented, and not a single beat was produced by a instrument?

Pretty much...synthesizers and computers

[zack10house]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgZyc_GNERU


but seriously, you know who is really keeping rap alive? MC Hawking. heard that crap on sirius and couldn't stop laughing

[Insane3]

Ok, no one is gonna read this but anyway.

I'm really surprised how close-minded ppl are. I thought most people would actually try to chose their words so they don't hurt anybody. I'm very deceived in fact. If you are angry about lyrics that promote violence, I guess you are pacifist. Normally, pacifist ppl try not hurting people by saying that what they listen to sucks. Some people base their life on rap, they try to make money out of their creations so they can live. By bashing rap in general, it only looks like you try to destroy their life. I personnaly don't like rap very much. I like more punchy music and most rap/hip-hop songs are kinda monotonous to me. I still respect every humans, without considering their musical taste. Stop hating emos, rappers, nerds, homosexuals (g a y is banned from the forum, its extremely stupid) or ppl from other countries. The more you hate different ppl, the more they hate you. You can judge ppl, but not before you talked to them.

[Jazzmin]

Not sure if someone posted this reply but..

I think it has to do with the whole craze of ringtones (which is completely stupid IMO). All these new garbage songs just have catch beats and thats what the damn kiddies like these days. But rap is truly dead. It was good in the late 80's and at its peak throughout the 90's.. sadly it hasn't been the same and never will be :(

[Gr1mreaper75]

I am a fan of rap and rock. i'm not brainwashed and i really cant stand mtv. as far as not making sense how many rock songs are just weird and stupid? thers to many to count all genres have stupid artists its just what happens.:cool:

[III Icarus III]

Ok, no one is gonna read this but anyway.

I'm really surprised how close-minded ppl are. I thought most people would actually try to chose their words so they don't hurt anybody. I'm very deceived in fact. If you are angry about lyrics that promote violence, I guess you are pacifist. Normally, pacifist ppl try not hurting people by saying that what they listen to sucks. Some people base their life on rap, they try to make money out of their creations so they can live. By bashing rap in general, it only looks like you try to destroy their life. I personnaly don't like rap very much. I like more punchy music and most rap/hip-hop songs are kinda monotonous to me. I still respect every humans, without considering their musical taste. Stop hating emos, rappers, nerds, homosexuals (g a y is banned from the forum, its extremely stupid) or ppl from other countries. The more you hate different ppl, the more they hate you. You can judge ppl, but not before you talked to them.

well, i don't think the problem is that people actually hate other people for their music. just the music itself. i mean, i can take lyrics that can promote violence (ex. breaking the law by judas priest: ALWAYS makes me feel mischievous :D ), but it all depends on the manner that they are used. if a rapper is talking about slapping his ho' up side the head with his 9mm, all poetic and musical relevance is thrown out of the proverbial window.