What do you think of rap?

[Froggy Slayer]

Personally, I fucking love it, lots of styles, really clever wordplay. Listen to Wu Tang Clan, NWA, Gambino, Kanye West, Biggie, 2pac. I know that a lot of people in the nerd community shun it though, and I don't really know why.

So, I'm asking you now; do you listen to rap? If not, why not?

 

[Amethyst Wind]

I like my rap like I like my omen. With bubbles and a W.

 

[Dangit2019]

Oh yeah, tons. I never really get the idea that one genre is inherently better or worse than the rest as some people would believe.

It's like trash talking horror movies in favor of dramas and so forth. Each genre has just as much potential for quality as the others.

 

[Shadowstar38]

Yeah. All kinds. It's my favorite genre followed by Death Metal.

For the nerds.

I like my rap like I like my omen. With bubbles and a W.

You're a cleaver some ***** =D

 

[Zhukov]

I'm have no doubt that somewhere in the world there exists some truly awesome rap music.

However, I will never hear that music because I will have reached for the off switch within three seconds of it starting.

 

[Quaxar]

I now actually carry a rap whistle in case I ever happen to suddenly find myself in the middle of a rap battle. So far it seems to work.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

I'm have no doubt that somewhere in the world there exists some truly awesome rap music.

However, I will never hear that music because I will have reached for the off switch within three seconds of it starting.

But why? Why don't you like it?

 

[tilmoph]

I've never liked it. My friends do, so I've listened to it (don't ask me who, I've never cared enough to ask), and I just don't like it.

 

[Cheesepower5]

There are decent rap songs, but for the most part I can't stand it. Especially the type of people it tends to attract. Not to denounce everyone on this thread, there's people I like who are fond of rap, but for the most part they're wigger trash. I'm not the type to look down on people for how they act, I've seen better sides of wiggers, but it's obvious to me that the gangster rap culture not only affected their personalities for the worse, but also their lives and their relationships with their families. At least similarly disaffecting genres like Rock, Punk and Metal seem to be helmed by genuinely intelligent, progressive or visionary people like Pink Floyd, The Clash and Marilyn Manson. From what I've seen of rap stars, I've found no redeeming qualities.

 

[Shadowstar38]

At least similarly disaffecting genres like Rock, Punk and Metal seem to be helmed by genuinely intelligent, progressive or visionary people like Pink Floyd, The Clash and Marilyn Manson. From what I've seen of rap stars, I've found no redeeming qualities.

What exactly makes those people visionaries compared to other artists?

Or more progressive or intelligent for that matter.

 

[Cheesepower5]

At least similarly disaffecting genres like Rock, Punk and Metal seem to be helmed by genuinely intelligent, progressive or visionary people like Pink Floyd, The Clash and Marilyn Manson. From what I've seen of rap stars, I've found no redeeming qualities.

What exactly makes those people visionaries compared to other artists?

In that case, I used the adjectives to describe the artists separately, thus the word "or". So while I wouldn't call Marilyn Manson intelligent (I wouldn't call him stupid either,) it's pretty clear that he was a progressive, individualistic fellow. When I hear music by The Clash or Pink Floyd, I can picture the unrestricted society they envision. When I hear Wu-Tang or Biggie, all I hear is boasting about fame, fortune and power, objectification of women and sensationalist stories about gang wars*. Not only does it simply not sound good to me, I don't find the subject matter appealing at all.

*Yes, I know even the big rappers have more than that, but there's still a lot of it, and it's a huge turn off. I suppose it's better than the 999999999999999th song about love and relationship drama.

 

[hazabaza1]

I hate basically all "gangsta" rap. But there's a lot of good stuff if you're willing to slog through the trash, as with most things.

 

[Shadowstar38]

At least similarly disaffecting genres like Rock, Punk and Metal seem to be helmed by genuinely intelligent, progressive or visionary people like Pink Floyd, The Clash and Marilyn Manson. From what I've seen of rap stars, I've found no redeeming qualities.

What exactly makes those people visionaries compared to other artists?

In that case, I used the adjectives to describe the artists separately, thus the word "or". So while I wouldn't call Marilyn Manson intelligent (I wouldn't call him stupid either,) it's pretty clear that he was a progressive, individualistic fellow. When I hear music by The Clash or Pink Floyd, I can envision the unrestricted society they invision. When I hear Wu-Tang or Biggie, all I hear is boasting about fame, fortune and power, objectification of women and sensationalist stories about gang wars*. Not only does it simply not sound good to me, I don't find the subject matter appealing at all.

*Yes, I know even the big rappers have more than that, but there's still a lot of it, and it's a huge turn off. I suppose it's better than the 999999999999999th song about love and relationship drama.

Metal and Rock has just as many songs about the glorification of fame and materials. But there's other stuff out there. Same as you admitted about rap.

People like Tech N9ne, Hopsin, and Macklamore are just as progressive and individualist, sometimes directly calling out rappers who fall into the mainstream crutches you're complaining about.

Point is, the whole "disaffecting" genre thing is kind of a nonpoint.

 

[CaliforniaMachine]

To me, rap is a genre I describe as either hit or miss. Some, like Nas and Tupac, I feel go past the proverbial mold set into the genre. The ones that fit the mold I percieve as egotistical sellout tools rapping solely for the fame and money.

 

[Cheesepower5]

At least similarly disaffecting genres like Rock, Punk and Metal seem to be helmed by genuinely intelligent, progressive or visionary people like Pink Floyd, The Clash and Marilyn Manson. From what I've seen of rap stars, I've found no redeeming qualities.

What exactly makes those people visionaries compared to other artists?

In that case, I used the adjectives to describe the artists separately, thus the word "or". So while I wouldn't call Marilyn Manson intelligent (I wouldn't call him stupid either,) it's pretty clear that he was a progressive, individualistic fellow. When I hear music by The Clash or Pink Floyd, I can envision the unrestricted society they invision. When I hear Wu-Tang or Biggie, all I hear is boasting about fame, fortune and power, objectification of women and sensationalist stories about gang wars*. Not only does it simply not sound good to me, I don't find the subject matter appealing at all.

*Yes, I know even the big rappers have more than that, but there's still a lot of it, and it's a huge turn off. I suppose it's better than the 999999999999999th song about love and relationship drama.

Metal and Rock has just as many songs about the glorification of fame and materials. But there's other stuff out there. Same as you admitted about rap.

People like Tech N9ne, Hopsin, and Macklamore are just as progressive and individualist, sometimes directly calling out rappers who fall into the mainstream crutches you're complaining about.

Point is, the whole "disaffecting" genre thing is kind of a nonpoint.

Having a song about boasting or about power is all well and good. The Who did Doctor Jimmy, which is pretty much 100% braggartry, but there's a limit. Pink Floyd's "Money" is about fame and power, but it's in a bitterly ironic and satiric tone. I'll be the first to admit that I haven't heard enough rap to pass a judgement on every rapper, but I've heard enough to say that most of it is too aggressive in nature for my personality. I think its done more harm than good, but yes, there's good rap music out there. I'm pretty fond of The Beasty Boys, and they've done some rapping.

 

[Mocmocman]

I don't like most of it. I used to hate. Now I like three artists.
1. DZK

Spoiler

2. Mikill Paine

Spoiler: Warning, extremely British content

3. P.O.S.

Spoiler

I figure that rap is not about the music, but rather an showing of your mastery over your language. And thus making up words is cheating.

 

[Kolby Jack]

Hmmm, I wouldn't really say I'm into the big name rap artists of today, but as a genre of music there are certainly a few songs I enjoy. Really, I can enjoy any genre of music but I really enjoy songs that are tied to good memories for me. It's why I like soundtracks so much, as many soundtrack songs are tied to particularly memorable moments in media, but it applies to any other part of my life as well. I like a lot of classic rock because my Dad used to play it all the time when he was driving me to school, for instance.

Anyway, in terms of favorite rap song, I'd have to go with this one:


It's mostly because that song plays over one of the best fight scenes in RvB season 10, but it's also a good song in my opinion.

 

[Nouw]

I'm pretty fond of The Beasty Boys, and they've done some rapping.

It'd be more fitting to say they've done some singing. Although their biggest hits, Sabotage and Fight for your Right..., aren't rap-heavy, the rest of their work is. The Beastie Boys actually got me into hip-hop.

Spoiler: Also, I recommend giving good kid, m.a.a.d city a listen.

 

[MysticSlayer]

There's been rap I enjoy, but it's rare, and a lot of what I have enjoyed focuses on attacking rap music and the culture surrounding it, though some of it does deal with other themes such as religion, philosophy, culture, life stories, etc. For the most part, I just don't enjoy the style. The vocal style isn't appealing to me. The accompanying music often makes me wish I was selectively deaf. And then the lyrics very often present its themes on drugs, crime, sex, materialism, and partying in ways I find unappealing at best and despicable all other times.

Again, it isn't that I don't think rap has potential, as there is some I've heard that is very appealing. However, I find the "bad rap":"good rap" ratio to be so high, that I generally just don't bother with the genre. Not to mention, even the songs I do like generally lose my interest after a couple of days, and I rarely ever take note of the artist for fear that the rest of his songs will just be the usual trash that gets thrown my way (pretty much everyone I know loves rap, so I'm forced to listen to it a lot while in group settings).

 

[Phrozenflame500]

I don't like it.

Or atleast I don't like the "gangsta" rap trend where every song is about drugs, money and woman with lots of blatantly made up words thrown in because the artist can't rhyme.