Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
I wonder when, and if, the gangster rap genre will be regulated to the dust heap of musical history. In my opinion it won't be soon enough, but eh, I just don't like it because it because, when compared to most other forms of musical expression, it sounds awful.
I feel the same way.....please let it die....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rip......eat
Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
I wonder when, and if, the gangster rap genre will be regulated to the dust heap of musical history. In my opinion it won't be soon enough, but eh, I just don't like it because it because, when compared to most other forms of musical expression, it sounds awful.
"Ignorance"
A late reply, but a reply non the less! I usually don't dismiss something I don't know about, and that hasn't changed here. I've heard it (who hasn't) and in my opinion, that as a musical genre, it isn't great. Granted, the supporters of it might have something when they say it offers social commentary and the like, but still to me, as music, it's one of the types I like the least - if I wanted to be pretentious I would go on about subject matter, the way it's handled, the murdering of the English language, the poor composistion of the music and so forth...
Perhaps what I am saying is that I wouldn't mind it as much if it actually sounded good, and if the rappers, I don't know, at least showed some skill (though people would probably say that they are amazingly talented, that the topics deep and I just don't understand)...
Still, to the dust heap of history I say! Few musical pieces really survive the test of time, and somehow I don't think any form of rap is going to be amongst them.
Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
A late reply, but a reply non the less! I usually don't dismiss something I don't know about, and that hasn't changed here. I've heard it (who hasn't) and in my opinion, that as a musical genre, it isn't great. Granted, the supporters of it might have something when they say it offers social commentary and the like, but still to me, as music, it's one of the types I like the least - if I wanted to be pretentious I would go on about subject matter, the way it's handled, the murdering of the English language, the poor composistion of the music and so forth...Perhaps what I am saying is that I wouldn't mind it as much if it actually sounded good, and if the rappers, I don't know, at least showed some skill (though people would probably say that they are amazingly talented, that the topics deep and I just don't understand)...
Still, to the dust heap of history I say! Few musical pieces really survive the test of time, and somehow I don't think any form of rap is going to be amongst them.
Which rappers have you heard?
Its pretty obvious that for the most part the gangsta rappers being discussed are mainstream pop rappers and i would very much like to see them rot as well.
However hip hop is my preferred genre of music and there are alot of very talented emcees out there that you would never here about on MTV. Rather than go on about the talented emcees out there here are some lyrics that are way beyond what the mainstream spews out for MTV. The first is by Immortal Technique and its a story about his younger days as a gang member, its pretty graphic but the message is at the end as he explains that his past always haunts him. The second is by my favourite emcee named Illogic and its about self loathing and questioning his existence (this is mainly for those who believe that emcees have no talent).
Immortal Technique - Dance with the devil
[Verse 1]
I once knew a nigga whose real name was William
his primary concern, was making a million
being the illest hustler, that the world ever seen
he used to f**k moviestars and sniff coke in his dreams
a corrupted young mind, at the age of thirteen
nigga never had a father and his mom was a feen
she put the pipe down, but forever yeah she was sober
her sons heart simultaneously grew colder
he started hanging out selling bags in the projects
checking the young chicks, looking for hit and run prospects
he was fascinated by material objects
but he understood money never bought respect
he build a reputation cuz he could hustle and steal
but got locked once it didn't hessitate to squeal
so criminals he chilled with didn't think he was real
you see me and niggaz like this have never been equal
I dont project my insurecurity's at other people
he feeded for props like addicts with pipes and needles
so he felt he had to proof to everyone he was evil
a fever minded young man with infinite potetial
the product of a ghetto ... capatalistic mental
coincidentally dropped out of school to sell weed
dancing with the devil, smoked until his eyes would bleed
but he was sick of selling trees and gave in to his greed
[Hook]
Everyone trying to be trife never face the consequences
you propably only did a month for minor offences
ask a nigga doing life if he had another chance
but then again there's always the wicked at new and advanced
dance forever with the devil on a code cell block
but thats what happens when you rape, murder and sell rock
devils used to be gods, angels that fell from the top
there's no diversity because we're burning in the melting pot
[Verse 2]
So Billy started robbing niggaz, anything he could do
he'd get his respect back, in the eyes of his crew
starting fights over little shit, up on the block
stepped up to selling mothers and brothers the crack rock
working overtime for making money for the crack spot
hit the jackpot and wanted to move up to cocaine
for filling the scarface fantasy stuck in his brain
tired of the block niggaz treating him the same
he wanted to be major like the cut throats and the thugs
but when he tried to step to 'em, niggaz showed him no love
they told him any motherf**king coward can sell drugs
any ***** nigga with a gun, can bust slugs
any nigga with a red shirt can front like a blood
even Puffy smoked the motherf**ker up in a club
but only a real thug can stab someone till they die
standing in front of them, starring straight into their eyes
Billy realized that these men were well guarded
and they wanted to test him, before business started
suggested raping a ***** to proof he was cold hearted
so now he had a choice between going back to his life
or making money with made men, up in the cife
his dreams about cars and ice, made him agree
a hardcore nigga is all he ever wanted to be
and so he met them friday night at a quarter to three
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
They drove around the projects slow while it was raining
smoking blunts, drinking and joking for entertainment
untill they saw a woman on the street walking alone
three in the morning, coming back from work, on her way home
and so they quietly got out the car and followed her
walking through the projects, the darkness swallowed her
they wrapped her shirt around her head and knocked her onto the
floor
this is it kid now you got your chance to be raw
so Billy oaked her up and grapped the chick by the hair
and dragged her into a lobby that had nobody there
she struggled hard but they forced her to go up the stairs
they got to the roof and then held her down on the ground
screaming shut the f**k up and stop moving around
the shirt covered her face, but she screamed the clouts
so Billy stomped on the *****, until he broken her jaw
the dirty bastards knew exactly what they were doing
they kicked her until they cracked her ribs and she stopped
moving
blood leaking through the corpse, she cried silently
and then they all proceeded to rape her violently
Billy was meant to go first, but he ????? turn
ripping her up, and choking her until her throat burned
a broken jaw mumbled for god but they weren't concerned
when they were done and she was lying bloody, broken and broos
one of them niggaz pulled out a brand new twenty-two
they told him that she was a witness of what she'd gone through
and if he killed her he was guaranteed a spot in the crew
he thought about it for a minute, she was practicly dead
and so he leaned over and put the gun right to her head
[Verse 4]
Right before he pulled the trigger, and ended her life
he thought about the cold pain with the platinum and ice
and he felt strong standing along with his new brothers
cocked the gat to her head, and pulled back the shirt cover
but what he saw made him start the cringine studder
cuz he was starring into the eyes of his own mother
she looked back at him and cried, cuz he had forsaken her
she cried more painfully, than when they were raping her
his whole world stopped, he couldn't even contiplate
his corruption had succesfully changed his fate
and he remembered how his mom used to come home late
working hard for nothing, cuz now what was he worth
he turned away from the woman that had once given him birth
and crying out to the sky cuz he was lonely and scared
but only the devil responded, cuz god wasn't there
and right then he knew what it was to be empty and cold
and so he jumped off the roof and died with no soul
they say death take you to a better place but I doubt it
after that they killed his mother, and never spoke about it
and listen cuz the story that I'm telling is true
cuz I was there with Billy Jacobs and I raped his mom to
and now the devil follows me everywhere that I go
infact I'm sure he's standing among one of you at my shows
and every street cypher listening to little thugs flowe
he could be standing right next to you, and you wouldn't know
the devil grows inside the hearts of the selvish and wicked
white, brown, yellow and black colored is not restricted
you have a self destructive destiny when your inflicted
and you'll be one of gods children and fell from the top
there's no diversity because we're burning in the melting pot
so when the devil wants to dance with you, you better say never
because the dance with the devil might last you forever
cont.....
Illogic - Hate in puddle
I hate when it rains, cause in puddles I encounter this guy
Unable to give a rebuttal but swift as the pain flood his eyes
wonderin why he's a gift with no purpose
A priceless one-of-a-kind piece that's worthless
Grounded with no surface
And when he shows one, it's of sod
Cause inside he fights feelings that he was mistake by God
I see his confusion and self-deception
Questions of relevance and intelligence
He holds an illusion of self-acceptance
that he shows to those outside lookin in
He's outside lookin in to his own life; lookin for strength
to carry on as a pawn in this chess game of existance
In his mind he wants to go on to the dawn
and leave the stress that came with existance
Hopin in death he'll find life
Cause as he lives, he roams the dark, tryin to find light
He's made his heart so hard, he doesn't even cry anymore
Cause he's confronted sorrow frequently
His heart's been broken frequently
It's like he's lost some part of him and just haven't found it
yet
So in his search, he's left with nothin but questions and regret
All he wants to know is how one day, he's content
and the next day he's cryin
cause his life isn't what he thought life meant
He just wants to be happy, with his love and all
But too often I get messages through telepathic calls
He's askin me through a puddle what more must he endure to
continue
But for some reason he knows he most endure to continue
[Chorus]
When I walk past puddles, my reflection calls beggin me
to answer his questions about life and his perceptions
and tell him why I hate him so much
And you wonder why I hate him so much?
Now when I walk past puddles, my reflection calls beggin me
to answer his questions about life, and his perceptions
and tell him why I hate him so much
Damn, I wonder why I hate him so much
Why did I hate him so much? I wondered, pondered on the
question
What in my mind caused me to despise my reflection?
I didn't know I just knew when I saw him, how I felt
and hated the fact that he had to play with the cards that he
was dealt
He's come in contact with some ill things that can't be
explained
Life's extracted his energy to where the pain can't be contained
So to me he comes, sheddin tears like skin
Intimate with some, only the ones he calls friends
If he even exists, he only exists in pain
It's like his life is a myth
and he's been blessed with the gift of shame, I mean
From birth to love he's been betrayed
He's an unknown in how to cope with that pain and dissapointment
he's come to know as he's grown
He feels he stands alone in this world of puddle images
And he awaits the time for when, time finishes
He tries to elevate thought, but he's still chillin in the
basement
Awaitin a rebirth of his soul as it fears it's spiritual
placement
[Chorus]
God I pray you can give me a purpose or help me find it
Cause on this narrow path of self-damnation, I can't find it
Is it somethin I need to know, some way I need to grow
to get out of this rut, God give me some self-trust
Love is somethin I'm lookin for but I've found it, or have I?
I wanna live but can I, or do I have to die to?
I try to, have life but my life seems kinda worthless
as I'm starin at this puddle
God I pray that you can give me a purpose or help me find it
Cause on this narrow path of self-damnation, I can't find it
Is it somethin I need to know, some way I need to grow
to get out of this rut, God please give me some self-trust
Love is somethin I'm lookin for - thought I found it, or have I?
I wanna live but can I, or do I have to die to?
I try to, have life but my life seems kinda worthless
as I'm starin in this puddle
If you can write hip hop off as a talentless waste of space after reading these lyrics, fine. But if its only based on what you've seen on TV and such, then as with any genre of music you need to look deeper to find the best.
Come on, who cares if "gangstas" rap? They can't even come up with their own image. They're all trying to be scarface and the Godfather, all the while talking about killing whitey. But, they all have posters of Al Pacino on their game room walls. They're really just trying to be white....while holding on to some aspect of black, tribal culture.
I don't mind.
Nigga please, pass the biznitch and put it on its knees
I gots like 32 cars and gots knows where to park it nigga
Biznitches be all up on my junk, but I still gotsta kill a punk
I gots shot in da chest dat whys a wears a bullets poof vest, but I stills gets shot in da mouf like 42 times buts I's still be lookin for dat d!ck
I'ms gangsta, I'ms gangsta, ..
Originally posted by koolruningz
Illogic - Hate in puddle
I hate when it rains, cause in puddles I encounter this guy
Unable to give a rebuttal but swift as the pain flood his eyes
wonderin why he's a gift with no purpose
A priceless one-of-a-kind piece that's worthless
Grounded with no surface
And when he shows one, it's of sod
Cause inside he fights feelings that he was mistake by God
I see his confusion and self-deception
Questions of relevance and intelligence
He holds an illusion of self-acceptance
that he shows to those outside lookin in
He's outside lookin in to his own life; lookin for strength
to carry on as a pawn in this chess game of existance
In his mind he wants to go on to the dawn
and leave the stress that came with existance
Hopin in death he'll find life
Cause as he lives, he roams the dark, tryin to find light
He's made his heart so hard, he doesn't even cry anymore
Cause he's confronted sorrow frequently
His heart's been broken frequently
It's like he's lost some part of him and just haven't found it
yet
So in his search, he's left with nothin but questions and regret
All he wants to know is how one day, he's content
and the next day he's cryin
cause his life isn't what he thought life meant
He just wants to be happy, with his love and all
But too often I get messages through telepathic calls
He's askin me through a puddle what more must he endure to
continue
But for some reason he knows he most endure to continue[Chorus]
When I walk past puddles, my reflection calls beggin me
to answer his questions about life and his perceptions
and tell him why I hate him so much
And you wonder why I hate him so much?
Now when I walk past puddles, my reflection calls beggin me
to answer his questions about life, and his perceptions
and tell him why I hate him so much
Damn, I wonder why I hate him so muchWhy did I hate him so much? I wondered, pondered on the
question
What in my mind caused me to despise my reflection?
I didn't know I just knew when I saw him, how I felt
and hated the fact that he had to play with the cards that he
was dealt
He's come in contact with some ill things that can't be
explained
Life's extracted his energy to where the pain can't be contained
So to me he comes, sheddin tears like skin
Intimate with some, only the ones he calls friends
If he even exists, he only exists in pain
It's like his life is a myth
and he's been blessed with the gift of shame, I mean
From birth to love he's been betrayed
He's an unknown in how to cope with that pain and dissapointment
he's come to know as he's grown
He feels he stands alone in this world of puddle images
And he awaits the time for when, time finishes
He tries to elevate thought, but he's still chillin in the
basement
Awaitin a rebirth of his soul as it fears it's spiritual
placement[Chorus]
God I pray you can give me a purpose or help me find it
Cause on this narrow path of self-damnation, I can't find it
Is it somethin I need to know, some way I need to grow
to get out of this rut, God give me some self-trust
Love is somethin I'm lookin for but I've found it, or have I?
I wanna live but can I, or do I have to die to?
I try to, have life but my life seems kinda worthless
as I'm starin at this puddle
God I pray that you can give me a purpose or help me find it
Cause on this narrow path of self-damnation, I can't find it
Is it somethin I need to know, some way I need to grow
to get out of this rut, God please give me some self-trust
Love is somethin I'm lookin for - thought I found it, or have I?
I wanna live but can I, or do I have to die to?
I try to, have life but my life seems kinda worthless
as I'm starin in this puddleIf you can write hip hop off as a talentless waste of space after reading these lyrics, fine. But if its only based on what you've seen on TV and such, then as with any genre of music you need to look deeper to find the best.
Illogic is a poetic mc. genius 👆
Originally posted by Capt_Fantastic
Come on, who cares if "gangstas" rap? They can't even come up with their own image. They're all trying to be scarface and the Godfather, all the while talking about killing whitey. But, they all have posters of Al Pacino on their game room walls. They're really just trying to be white....while holding on to some aspect of black, tribal culture.I don't mind.