I'd like to make an assumption. I'm going out on a limb here and am going to assume that most of the people on this site are intelligent. That being said there are a few things that just don't mix well with intelligent people, one of which being hip-hop.
Now I'd like to get you opinion on this genre of music, but before you start flaming I'd like to give a history lesson, partially because I actually like hip-hop(or some types) and generally don't like things I like getting slapped with blanket statements, but more so because there's more than one type of rap and well it goes back to the blanket statement thing.
I'm going to start at the beginning with the creation of hip-hop which is attributed to a Jamaican immigrant who got his hands on a turn table. The rise of popularity of hip-hop during this era is mostly attributed to the fact that all the other music popular in the 60's was waning in popularity and hip-hop moved in and filled in the gap in the ghettoes of New York.
(Sorry I can't find an example of this type of music. Most of it wasn't mad to be recorded. However, in future segments of rap history will have examples of the music)
During the 80's the practice of looping rhythms from other songs in order to create a beat to use during free styles was perfected. The lyrics changed from the 70's as well. During the 70's hip-hop told simple tales of the area they were from. However, in the 80's the lyrics changed to metaphoric lyrics rapping over complex, multi-layered beats. These new innovations led to the "golden age" of hip-hop during the late 80's and early 90's. during this time rap lyrics became more social conscious and advocated everything from self improvement to an all out revolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyqp2f6VPos (Arrested Development, Mr. Wendal)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fumgOJLFSHw (Run DMC, King of Rock)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuTi9UZtPbw (Public Enemy, Fight the Power)
The "golden age" paved the way for the two most common styles of hip-hop today: gangster rap and afrocentric hip-hop(basically a throw back to the self improvement part of the "golden age"). Now the gangster-rap movement started with the album Straight Outta Compton, so if you want to blame someone for Soulja Boy blame N.W.A. now the 10 or so years were basically dominated by gangster rap while that afrocentric stuff is more recent. Now a slight sidebar while the common rap of today is generally considered gangster-rap, it's really just a bastardized version of it. Don't believe me? Just wait till the songs. Now back to the history like I said the 90's were primarily ruled by gangster rap, this led to that whole east coast/west coast feud that led to 2pac's death. The afrocentric or alternative rap really came on the scene in the new millennium with artists like Mos Def, Talib Kwali, and my favorite Asheru. Those songs were more about improving yourself and your community(generally) than killing people and selling drugs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myI7Er6VDzw (Ice-T 6N the morning, considered on of the first gangster-rap songs.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpocrqvP2Yg (Soulja boy, crank dat, warning this song may cause your ears to bleed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBGchhijG2k (Asheru, soon come, dam good song)
Look first of all this is only a basic sum up of 30 years of history, if you want to know more, look it up, it can't hurt you. The main purpose of this little lesson was to give you enough info to differentiate between Soulja Boy and Asheru. Now the "some types" I don't like are gangster-rap. It tends to be simply vile and overall annoying. Now that being said I bet you could guess what type I do like, that's right, alternative hip-hop. It has a good beat without the horrid lyrics of gangster-rap, in fact there are certain alternative rap songs whose lyrics are nonsense, they have a certain point to make but you have to listen a few times to understand what it is(trackrunners is an excellent example of this). Although I'm sure I'll get some people who don't bother to read this and just start a flamin but I'd like to hear you opinion of the different types of hip-hop as opposed too just; "I hate Soulja Boy, he sux"
Now I'd like to get you opinion on this genre of music, but before you start flaming I'd like to give a history lesson, partially because I actually like hip-hop(or some types) and generally don't like things I like getting slapped with blanket statements, but more so because there's more than one type of rap and well it goes back to the blanket statement thing.
I'm going to start at the beginning with the creation of hip-hop which is attributed to a Jamaican immigrant who got his hands on a turn table. The rise of popularity of hip-hop during this era is mostly attributed to the fact that all the other music popular in the 60's was waning in popularity and hip-hop moved in and filled in the gap in the ghettoes of New York.
(Sorry I can't find an example of this type of music. Most of it wasn't mad to be recorded. However, in future segments of rap history will have examples of the music)
During the 80's the practice of looping rhythms from other songs in order to create a beat to use during free styles was perfected. The lyrics changed from the 70's as well. During the 70's hip-hop told simple tales of the area they were from. However, in the 80's the lyrics changed to metaphoric lyrics rapping over complex, multi-layered beats. These new innovations led to the "golden age" of hip-hop during the late 80's and early 90's. during this time rap lyrics became more social conscious and advocated everything from self improvement to an all out revolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyqp2f6VPos (Arrested Development, Mr. Wendal)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fumgOJLFSHw (Run DMC, King of Rock)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuTi9UZtPbw (Public Enemy, Fight the Power)
The "golden age" paved the way for the two most common styles of hip-hop today: gangster rap and afrocentric hip-hop(basically a throw back to the self improvement part of the "golden age"). Now the gangster-rap movement started with the album Straight Outta Compton, so if you want to blame someone for Soulja Boy blame N.W.A. now the 10 or so years were basically dominated by gangster rap while that afrocentric stuff is more recent. Now a slight sidebar while the common rap of today is generally considered gangster-rap, it's really just a bastardized version of it. Don't believe me? Just wait till the songs. Now back to the history like I said the 90's were primarily ruled by gangster rap, this led to that whole east coast/west coast feud that led to 2pac's death. The afrocentric or alternative rap really came on the scene in the new millennium with artists like Mos Def, Talib Kwali, and my favorite Asheru. Those songs were more about improving yourself and your community(generally) than killing people and selling drugs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myI7Er6VDzw (Ice-T 6N the morning, considered on of the first gangster-rap songs.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpocrqvP2Yg (Soulja boy, crank dat, warning this song may cause your ears to bleed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBGchhijG2k (Asheru, soon come, dam good song)
Look first of all this is only a basic sum up of 30 years of history, if you want to know more, look it up, it can't hurt you. The main purpose of this little lesson was to give you enough info to differentiate between Soulja Boy and Asheru. Now the "some types" I don't like are gangster-rap. It tends to be simply vile and overall annoying. Now that being said I bet you could guess what type I do like, that's right, alternative hip-hop. It has a good beat without the horrid lyrics of gangster-rap, in fact there are certain alternative rap songs whose lyrics are nonsense, they have a certain point to make but you have to listen a few times to understand what it is(trackrunners is an excellent example of this). Although I'm sure I'll get some people who don't bother to read this and just start a flamin but I'd like to hear you opinion of the different types of hip-hop as opposed too just; "I hate Soulja Boy, he sux"
