Rap Music: Offensive Music Promoting Racism, Sexism and Violence?

"MovieJunkie > I'm pretty sure your mind is made up, but I'll speak my piece anyways. The level of creativity and brainwork that goes into good hip-hop dwarfs all other genres. If it's politically motivated the ideas and opinions come at you rapid-fire leaving you with much more to think about. If it's just about "word-play", you can hardly touch hip-hop in cleverness or clarity of expression. And to say that this type of music simply promotes sexism, violence, and racism, means you haven't taken the time to find quality work. There's bad music in every genre... I go out of my way to find GOOD MUSIC."

Common man the level of "brain work"? Almost all the content is the same a good 90 percent of it. Its not very difficult you reprat themes that have been repeated 100 different times before. Its also a testement to how devoid the creative process is when you listen to the background music of these songs. Do this for me. This will be a fun experiment of what makes a rap song's background music. Really don't be embarrassed do this out loud and tell me how it sounds. Make two fart sounds and then follow up the two fart sounds with two crow caws. Now after you make the two fart sounds again follow that up with one longer more shrill crow caw. Now repeat the farts and follow them up with the initial two crow caws. Do this for five minutes and tell me wether your bored or not, because that exactly what rap music is doing in my head accomponied by a guy that sounds like he is speaking in tongues about how he likes naked broads and likes to drink booze and he is the best in the game and he has a bullet proof car and he carries a pistol and he gotttzzz one mads crew, son! Common man this isn't a sign of intelleigence this is a sign of a ex gang member ignorant crack dealer who would probably have a difficult time reading and comprehending RL Stines Goosebumps series that found a loop whole in the american system and now makes a fortune by rapping about how much of a degenerate he is.
But I am talking in broad terms I do agree you can find some pearls in almost every genre like you said about cash for country. I agree with that.

No, that is incorrect moviejunkie. Yes, there are shit artists in rap music but they do not take up 90% of the genre, maybe the 90% you've been exposed to but with all the hip hop I listen to, I can name at least two good artists for every shitty artist I've heard. Guys like Chingy and 50 Cent are really the lowest standard of rap there is.

It takes a lot more effort to write rap lyrics then you think. Not only do you have to try to convey your message clearly, you also have to make it rhyme consistently, flow nice, and if you really want rap fans to like your music, you also have to pack it with literary devices like metaphors, punchlines, multi syllable rhymes, inner-bar patterns, the works. Only rap fans pick up on this stuff because rap is the only genre where artists go out of their way to perfect these techniques. You have guys who are primarily punchline rappers and their whole songs are revolved around good punchlines. I haven't found this in any other genre. I'm not saying it doesn't exist in any other genre, but I've yet to see it.

The "background music" is called production and it can be very good in some cases, for proof check out guys like De La Soul. Prince Paul is a genius. Now it can't compare to rock's background music of course, because a DJ just simply isn't going to match the talent and detail that goes into a band full of musicians with specific instruments, but good hip hop producers do what they are meant to do perfectly, and that's provide a good beat for the rapper to rap over. It can't be too elaborate or complex or it will draw attention away from the lyrics.

Good rap lyrics are highly technical, more so then any other type of lyrics I've seen. So in rap really the instrumentals are meant just to compliment the lyrics, while in rock the lyrics are meant to compliment the instrumentals most of the time.

Originally posted by moviejunkie23
"MovieJunkie > I'm pretty sure your mind is made up, but I'll speak my piece anyways. The level of creativity and brainwork that goes into good hip-hop dwarfs all other genres. If it's politically motivated the ideas and opinions come at you rapid-fire leaving you with much more to think about. If it's just about "word-play", you can hardly touch hip-hop in cleverness or clarity of expression. And to say that this type of music simply promotes sexism, violence, and racism, means you haven't taken the time to find quality work. There's bad music in every genre... I go out of my way to find GOOD MUSIC."

Common man the level of "brain work"? Almost all the content is the same a good 90 percent of it. Its not very difficult you reprat themes that have been repeated 100 different times before. Its also a testement to how devoid the creative process is when you listen to the background music of these songs. Do this for me. This will be a fun experiment of what makes a rap song's background music. Really don't be embarrassed do this out loud and tell me how it sounds. Make two fart sounds and then follow up the two fart sounds with two crow caws. Now after you make the two fart sounds again follow that up with one longer more shrill crow caw. Now repeat the farts and follow them up with the initial two crow caws. Do this for five minutes and tell me wether your bored or not, because that exactly what rap music is doing in my head accomponied by a guy that sounds like he is speaking in tongues about how he likes naked broads and likes to drink booze and he is the best in the game and he has a bullet proof car and he carries a pistol and he gotttzzz one mads crew, son! Common man this isn't a sign of intelleigence this is a sign of a ex gang member ignorant crack dealer who would probably have a difficult time reading and comprehending RL Stines Goosebumps series that found a loop whole in the american system and now makes a fortune by rapping about how much of a degenerate he is.
But I am talking in broad terms I do agree you can find some pearls in almost every genre like you said about cash for country. I agree with that.

not true. not all rap is about crap i don't care about.
if u would listen to a more variety of the genre then u'd find some good artists.
which goes with EVERY genre of music, film, books,--- entertainment in general. theres always the crap that people like for some strange reason, but there is the good ones

Here are some emcees to check out for those who think Hip-Hop (or Rap as you dont seem to know the difference) is all about guns, hoes, bling bling and pimps:
Blackalicious, Jurrasic 5, Mr Lif, Akrobatik, Aesop Rock, Sage Francis, The Roots, Brother Ali, Eyedea and Lyrics Born. That should put you on the right track. If you cant be bothered to listen to some of the more uplifting hip-hop then you have to expect those that do to jump in when such naive statements are being thrown around. Here are some lyrics from Blackalicious that prove there is more to hip-hop than negativity.

Blackalicious - Shallow days:

Time and time, a brother asks why
The rhyme is not laced with a gangsta touch
I said "Simply because I don't live that way
Still kickin' them rhymes rugged and rough"
"But that won't sell,
cause you gotta keep it real
so that we can feel
where you're coming from
Because these streets is ill so if you ain't
killing niggas in rhymes
your whole sound's just bubble gum"
I said "I won't contribute to genocide;
I'd rather try to cultivate the inner side
and try to evolve the frustrated ghetto mind
The devil and his army never been a friend of mine"
"But niggas don't wanna hear that shit" said the brother
Who was obviously totally misled and yelled out
"murder murder, kill, murder" instilled in the influential
walls of our kids' heads

Shallow days, you never wanna
Let a brother be a brother
Fully inner to the outer
Caught up in all them hollow nights
Can't escape cause everywhere that I look
People front, and it just ain't right

I said "Don't you know the powers that be
are using people as pawns, devouring we
until they see us all gone and outta the scene"
And as I passed the chronic, he said "look at where I be,
I tried to get a job for real,
but all the homies hit licks and rob and steal
and keep fat pockets caught in a rut to catch ground
this way's in, plus who could you trust?"
I said "I'm all about protecting mine,
but neglecting minds for getting left behind.
Why don't you change your environment?"
He said "This is all I know,
plus my fam's all that I got, I can't go"
I said "You gotta make it for the fams"
"Damn," he said "I didn't make the ghetto,
The ghetto made the man"
I said "You're more than just that,"
Shook his hand, said "Damn, you gotta find a way
To break the devil's master plan, peace"

Shallow days, you never wanna
Let a brother be a brother
Fully inner to the outer
Caught up in all them hollow nights
Can't escape cause everywhere that I look
People front, and it just ain't right

The word "peace" is just an expression
Used to say bye when it's time to jet
And them red black and green medallions
Was all just part of the trend, I guess
Hardly ever them around brothers' necks no more
Instead of that gold and gats
Inspiring gangstas and macks
Who at the young age of four
Be seeing more drama than war veterans
Instead of learning God's laws
And hip-hop is a voice that we enlist that
To express how we be feeling about this and that
But music does reflect life
And kids look up to what you're portraying
And mimic what you act like
It's time for a new day
An era in rap, conscious styles,
Makin' them aware of the happenings
But their ears seem more steered towards
Self-annihilation so then they might laugh
And write this off, like I'm out here just
Blowing wind, maybe label us soft or unreal,
Something they just can't feel, while they yell
"murder murder murder, kill kill kill"

I can't stand that hip-hop, rap, mainstream, underground or whatever they hell you guys call it nowadays. It all sounds the same to me. Do I think it promotes Racism, Sexism and Violence? Some of it might express those things, but promoted? No, I don't think it does. Is not Tupac's or Snoop Dogg fault some idiot listen to their music and they go out there and shoot people. The blame belongs to the criminal not their taste in music. Sorry it just doesn't work like that.

Hip-Hop as a culture(please, don't fool yourself.) and as a business is full of trendy folks and pretenders.
White kids pretending to be black, black kids pretending to be thugs, thugs pretending to be relevant.

Zack probably wouldn't be considered a "pure" rapper by most hip-hop purest, but neither would Tupac.
Of course, "purests" wouldn't admit it, because he's their golden boy.
Believe me, dude was not that good. Same flow, over and over.
"DA da da da da da DA DA- DA da da da da da DA DA"

I had to stop reading after the "The level of creativity and brainwork that goes into good hip-hop dwarfs all other genres."
That was seriously just a jaded and ignorant remark. Not really worth this responce, but I'm a nice guy.

Don't let yourself be fooled into "oh its my culture!".....BULLSHIT it's a damn business....and obviously its ploy worked on a few.

Anyone who has Tupac as their golden boy as you put it doesnt know about the decent hip hop out there. If you're referring to mainstream hip hop then i'm inclined to agree with you, but as with all other genres of music there are plenty of talented artists that dont fall into the categories you described:

Originally posted by long pig
White kids pretending to be black, black kids pretending to be thugs, thugs pretending to be relevant.

I was mentioning the so-called "culture" in itself.

But I get what you're saying, and I've heard it hundreds of times, it's been regurgitated repeatedly by fans and others to defend Hip-Hop.
Yes, you can find exceptions to anything, Hip-Hop is no different.
I can find you a silver penny, you can find me an extremely talented(or out of catogory) group of rappers.

Anyone who has Tupac as their golden boy as you put it doesnt know about the decent hip hop out there

Most rappers shout this kids name out like they would turn for him.
He IS the golden boy of Hip-Hop, no rapper is allowed to diss him openly or fear for getting called a "lame", NAS is a close second(but he actually is...sorry...was damned talented!).

It's harder to get a rapper to admit Tupac had little rapping talent than it is to get a rocker to admit Kurt Cobain couldn't sing.

Oh yeah, you're right, it's just a damn business. Do you think Afrika Bambaataa or Kool Herc actually gave a damn about the "culture"?! Hell no, they were all about the $$$.

As for Eminem imo, Infinite had great ryhmes and horrible beats.
SSLP has good ryhmes and great beats. The rest of his work is just pop music, not hip-hop at all.

That's just my opinion.

Draco, as for you saying whites don't buy the majority of hip-hop music, that's wrong.
You even said something like(not quoted) "it would be right if blacks were not the minority"......sure it WOULD but its NOT.
Whites buy the majority of hip-hop, always have and probably always will.
Do they listen to Hip-Hop more? Yes.
Do they, by comparison base their lives around it and call it culture? NO.

Music in any form is fine, violent or satanic (as for the guy who said he didn't know of any satanic type rappers try "666 mafia"😉 or homophobic it's fine....but when you start calling it culture it becomes a bain on other existance and causes trouble.

Rap doesn't promote anything or cause any trouble, hip-hop culture on the otherhad by in large does.

Originally posted by long pig
I was mentioning the so-called "culture" in itself.

But I get what you're saying, and I've heard it hundreds of times, it's been regurgitated repeatedly by fans and others to defend Hip-Hop.
Yes, you can find exceptions to anything, Hip-Hop is no different.
I can find you a silver penny, you can find me an extremely talented(or out of catogory) group of rappers.

Most rappers shout this kids name out like they would turn for him.
He IS the golden boy of Hip-Hop, no rapper is allowed to diss him openly or fear for getting called a "lame", NAS is a close second(but he actually is...sorry...was damned talented!).

It's harder to get a rapper to admit Tupac had little rapping talent than it is to get a rocker to admit Kurt Cobain couldn't sing.

I get what you're saying about 2-Pac but i've never liked his music so i personally dont think he is the be all and end all when it comes to hip hop. Alot of emcees do, I cant change that i'm only putting my views forward here. Im curious to know if you have taken the time to listen to any of the artists i listed above, if you have and still feel the same way then i would respect your opinion more. I wouldnt insult people who like rock music by using bands like Good Charlotte or Sum 41 to define the whole genre. They are merely the ones that are shown on TV more, which has nothing to do with how good they are.

Originally posted by Afro Cheese
Oh yeah, you're right, it's just a damn business. Do you think Afrika Bambaataa or Kool Herc actually gave a damn about the "culture"?! Hell no, they were all about the $$$.

Back then all hip hop was ripping off other songs, all they used were two turntables.. Planet Rock was revolutionary for hip hop, it was the first hip hop song of it's kind.

Yeah because everyone knows he made a huge profit from doing parties in the park, right? Please man.. Ray Charles was a dope fiend, you wanna say all his music was just for drug money too?

Originally posted by koolruningz
I get what you're saying about 2-Pac but i've never liked his music so i personally dont think he is the be all and end all when it comes to hip hop. Alot of emcees do, I cant change that i'm only putting my views forward here. Im curious to know if you have taken the time to listen to any of the artists i listed above, if you have and still feel the same way then i would respect your opinion more. I wouldnt insult people who like rock music by using bands like Good Charlotte or Sum 41 to define the whole genre. They are merely the ones that are shown on TV more, which has nothing to do with how good they are.

I understand what you're saying, and if you are part of that exception then I have great respect for you and your music.
99.99% aren't of that exception, so don't take offense to what I say if you are, because it wasn't meant toward you.

Have I listened to your picks one by one? No, of course not.
I've heard a few before and I came to the conclusion that the rest are basically the same conscious rappers with old styles. Not a bad thing, thats the best compliment I can give about rap.

Originally posted by Afro Cheese
Back then all hip hop was ripping off other songs, all they used were two turntables.. Planet Rock was revolutionary for hip hop, it was the first hip hop song of it's kind.

Yeah because everyone knows he made a huge profit from doing parties in the park, right? Please man.. Ray Charles was a dope fiend, you wanna say all his music was just for drug money too?

Afrika B is a millionaire. Case closed.
He did it for the fame and fun and money back then as he does now. It's not culture it's fun music to dance to.

Did Ray do ALL his music for dope money? No
Did he do some of it? Yes, and he admitted it.
Did he say "I really dissapointed my r & b culture by doing this meth"
NO
He said "I dissapointed myself by getting off track"
My point is that it's the so called culture that is doing the damage.

When you call a music business/style "Culture" you send young generations the wrong message by making them think they have to follow it like a real Culture.
It's not a religion man, it's music.
This is where the damage is from.

Just out of interest what sort of music do you like? I get the impression that you maybe used to listen to hip hop and tuned out when the pop rap started to materialise. Am i way off here?

Oh I see.. so millionaire + made music = sellout no matter what right? Bullshit.

What do you mean it's just music? We're talking about hip hop culture right, and not just rap music? Hip hop is a culture because the forms of hip hop art go beyond just music. If you know who Kool Herc is and you know about Zulu nation I know damn well you know about the 4 forms of hip hop, so why are you cutting out the other two non musical forms of hip hop art?

Of course I do, and you hit it on the head, it's art....not culture.

dance=art
taggin=art

How am I wrong?
When a rock kid shows you his tat's and how he mosh's, do you think of it as his culture? I look at them with the same bewilderment as I do a backpacker digging through my pops recordstore telling me his art is culture.
I can't possibly consider it culture when it's all driven by some mixture of money/fun/fame.

Kool, you're definatly on target, I took gangsta rap as a personal insult back when I was hiding the best records in the store from other kids back in the day.
If I somehow dissed hiphop music as a whole it wasn't my intent.
Music is what I do. I love it.
But when you call something as radical as hiphop culture young kids will think they will need to fullfill rappers words by acting on them to become the culture more, snoop ain't culture, eminem ain't culture none of these are culturists. They are music makers. Thats why I was agreeing that so called hip-hop culture can be Offensive Promoting Racism, Sexism and Violence. Rap is not Offensive Promoting Racism, Sexism and Violence IMO.

What do you consider "culture," if not the way one acts, speaks, dresses, and expresses themselves? Like it or not, hip hop as a whole does have a large culture that comes with the package. Not saying you have to dress a certain way to enjoy it or speak a certain way, I don't. But there definitely is a hip hop style of dress, slang, etc. These are all parts of a culture.

The way one acts, speaks, dresses, and expresses themselves are parts of culture, but whats missing is the most important parts of culture, such as rules and common code of ethics.
With no rules you have no culture.

If or when later on down the road Hip-Hop becomes more mature and actually takes responsibility for certian actions, and THEN makes rules known to everyone not just certain exceptions....then I would call it culture. Hell, I'd be happy to call it culture.

But right now, it's too young and too material and way too immature to be culture. You can call it art for sure.