I don't like rap music. I find it uninteresting. However, I'm glad there are people out there who like it, I'm glad they get pleasure from something. What is it to think that lyrics will drive the listener to acts of violence or racism? It's like saying that we shold never speak of the holocaust or other acts commited by the Nazis because it will inspire peple to do those things. I'm willing to bet that the guy that walks around dissin' his biatch and calling another white man a cracker has some real issues to begin with, despite what lyrics he listens to and repeats. I would say it isn't the music that inspires the mindset, but it is the music that profits from it.
Gangster rap isn't supposed to promote violence and crime as if it's something they enjoy doing, it was supposed to raise awareness of American on what goes on in the ghettos of the US and how crime and drugs are often the easiest way to go from rags to riches. It's sorta a way of showing what humans can be like when reduced to poverty yet teased with the fact that people are living lavishly only a couple miles away.
For the most part, early gangsta rap worked big time as far as America becoming more aware of what goes on in our cities. Thanks to artists from the early 90's like NWA and Mobb Deep and movies like Boyz in the Hood, "the ghetto" has become quite popular in American pop culture, to the point where it's often exaggerated these days. Nowadays you got guys like 50 cent.. that's not gangsta rap, that's pop rap. 50 is all about what all pop music has been about for a while, sex and drugs. The only difference is he has the added "thug" element.
I think that it's pretty racist to blame an entire genre of music that happens to have been started by african americans for cultural problems or the beliefs of some of it's performers (cough, cough, Sistah Soulja, Proffessor Griff, etc.).
People were saying the same thing in the earlier half of the century to try to ban jazz, blues, and rock n roll.
Rap music is sung, by the most part, by mental weaklings that love to glorify the basest parts of humanity.
Not only that
It is creativley void and is very raley innovative and offers nothing new 99 percent of the time. Its weak. And i think it propmotes the idea you can be an "artist" with reletivley no skill and no creative individuality.
Rap Music sucks!!!!
i totaly agree with you darth jello
maybe i should say that just doesn't apply with rap but also other genres of music.
For instance Country, though it doesn't seem to be as dispicable in its content on the whole, is creativley stagnent.
Also rock these days, i have noticed allot of the rock bands have the exact same sound and lyrics and the guitar parts are almost unlistenable.
So yes I agree Jello, its just this topic has been mainly about rap music so i pointed out just rap music as it applied to the thread 😄
Originally posted by Darth Jello
especially that swill that mtv unashamedly calls "punk rock" (yellow card, avril lavigne, spank 182, good charrlotte, green day, etc.)
I must admit that i really hate "mainstrea" rap such as 50cent and that crap, but i will admit i would rather listen to a 50cent song than a Good Charlotte song, 50cents songs are awful, but Good Charlotte just makes me angry.
But yeah, anyways, where i come from, all the little kids are influenced by rap music, my old college was put into special measures because of the unruly kids.
One ti pulme a little kid went all gangster andled a BB gun on the teacher, english version of SWAT team was called. i usually wouldnt blame that just on rap music, but if you looked at how he dressed and how he (attempted) to talk, you would notice very close similarities to famous "rapstars"
Somebody get hh in this thread 😬
Anyways, let me just point something out here—it's completely ignorant and wrong to claim that hip hop is offensive, in the same way it's wrong to claim that metal is satanic. Some hip hop is sexist and racist... Some metal is satanic. You could also have a sexist, racist metal band, or (though I've never heard of this) a satanic rapper.
IE, hip hop groups like Blackalicious that promote good Christian values. There are even literal Christian rappers, though most of them are equally as boring as most Christian rock.
Originally posted by Darth Revan
Somebody get hh in this thread 😬Anyways, let me just point something out here—it's completely ignorant and wrong to claim that hip hop is offensive, in the same way it's wrong to claim that metal is satanic. Some hip hop is sexist and racist... Some metal is satanic. You could also have a sexist, racist metal band, or (though I've never heard of this) a satanic rapper.
IE, hip hop groups like Blackalicious that promote good Christian values. There are even literal Christian rappers, though most of them are equally as boring as most Christian rock.
I'll do it and save him the time....
Rap is not a genre. Rap is a verb. Hip hop is a genre. Not rap. Rap is not a genre. Rap is a verb. Hip hop is a genre. Not rap. Rap is not a genre. Rap is a verb. Hip hop is a genre. Not rap. Rap is not a genre. Rap is a verb. Hip hop is a genre. Not rap. Rap is not a genre. Rap is a verb. Hip hop is a genre. Not rap. Rap is not a genre. Rap is a verb. Hip hop is a genre. Not rap.
😐
Just to answer the question in regards to Rap promoting racism, well, when you're referencing to one another as "niggers", sans the slang verbiage, well, regardless if it offends themselves, for a race that's supposedly trying to put those days behind them, it sure seems like they are ignorantly regressing, and for what?
As for "Hip Hop", a lot of underground stuff doesn't even have a message. It's just rhymed words nowadays. Long before the Hip Hop/Rap line was blurred in the mainstream, there were PLENTY of positive Hip Hop acts that had messages, i.e. Grandmaster Flash, RUN DMC, etc, etc.
Rap has de-evolved something fierce. A lot of times, when you see a rap artists video, it's just flaunting, taunting, and weaving stories and fairy tales. You HONESTLY think the guys in their videos can afford what they do by making $0.25 for every album they sell? Yeah, there are some perks from record companies, but these guys music isn't what sells, it's their image, and that's why they are so interchangable.
Everyone's from the ghetto, everyones "proud to have made it", yadda, yadda, yadda.
Rap "artists" are nothing more than shady opportunists who feel the need to share a tired old story to prove their credibility as tough guys, and who know that thanks to the scene, they can cash in on it.
They are the ****ing black Tony Robbins' of the music scene.
Saying "nigga" isn't only a rap thing, it isn't part of the hip hop culture it's part of black culture. It makes a lot of sense if you really think about it. Make the word taboo and it makes it more powerful. Use it often and you water down it's impact.
There is a lot of new emcee's with something to say, some underground some mainstream. If your mind isn't open and you aren't interested in what they have to say, it really makes no difference anyway. Someone who says it's just "rhymed words" isn't listening for a message in the first place, obviously. The irony behind calling underground rap "rhyme words" is that a lot of underground emcee's biggest downfall is their lack of good rhyme schemes.
Give me a break with that "image" argument. That has nothing to do with rap, that's popular music in general. Like that's any different then the depressed image little teen rockers like linkin park portray to get their fans to "identify" with them and even idolize them? Like it's some coincidence that almost all major pop singers dress themselves like sex objects?
There are a lot of rappers I like that I've never even seen a picture of.
Originally posted by moviejunkie23No skill? No creativity? Nah, that's bullshit. I won't get into why it's bullshit unless you really want me to, just know that it is.
Rap music is sung, by the most part, by mental weaklings that love to glorify the basest parts of humanity.
Not only that
It is creativley void and is very raley innovative and offers nothing new 99 percent of the time. Its weak. And i think it propmotes the idea you can be an "artist" with reletivley no skill and no creative individuality.
Rap Music sucks!!!!