# Does not liking rap make you racist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 27, 2013, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789 "2013-09-27T10:50:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![huesos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ab992/32.png) [@huesos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huesos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/41 "2013-09-27T14:08:12Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > I see. You seem to have pretty strong opinions about me specifically. Not particularly; you do a good enough job digging the hole yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/42 "2013-09-27T14:09:20Z")
I don’t think not liking rap makes you a racist, but dismissing it as an art form might. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/43 "2013-09-27T14:15:09Z")
Then I am… **The World’s Biggest Racist!** (I’m #1! I’m #1!) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/44 "2013-09-27T14:15:29Z")
> [@huesos](#): > > Not particularly; you do a good enough job digging the hole yourself. Typing at you while texting with my psycho ex who thinks I’m an evil white person while having been up for like 36 hours is kind of an interesting experience. A short visit to Crazyworld. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/45 "2013-09-27T14:16:54Z")
No poll option for “Oh, come _on_! :rolleyes:” ? I’d be willing to bet that there are lots of older black (and white) people who don’t like rap but love soul, R&B, blues, gospel, jazz… Not liking rap isn’t a race thing; if anything, it’s an age thing, a generation thing. ---
**Author:** ![huesos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ab992/32.png) [@huesos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huesos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/46 "2013-09-27T14:18:32Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > Typing at you while texting with my psycho ex who thinks I’m an evil white person while having been up for like 36 hours is kind of an interesting experience. A short visit to Crazyworld. That you’re white doesn’t surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/47 "2013-09-27T14:19:33Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > That’s also why I don’t like rap. It’s so angry and macho. Of course we could make a long list of artists that specifically refute this characterization. There’s nothing in the form that _requires_ aggression. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/48 "2013-09-27T14:21:18Z")
> [@huesos](#): > > That you’re white doesn’t surprise me. I assume that’s a compliment coming from you. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/49 "2013-09-27T14:22:48Z")
I think announcements of seeing “coded racism” in a simple statement of aesthetics is more telling of the psychic than of the person who simply has a preference. In fact, I think adding, “Anything but rap…” to an online profile would be an excellent filter for eliminating the sorts of people I wouldn’t care to hang out with. If you can get past my aversion to the celebration of misogyny, white hate, drug abuse and street violence then we can probably go hang out and get stewed at a blues bar, laugh along with some zydeco, get beat up in a mosh pit or just kick back and space out to some electric instrumentals. But rap just makes me wanna run around pullin my guns out and shit, and that’s just not who I am. > [@Peremensoe](#): > > There’s nothing in the form that _requires_ aggression. Perhaps not, but it certainly seems the rap you hear readily opts into it anyhow. Are there any great rap love songs? Rap acts whose music promotes reconciliation, peace and mutual respect? Anything approaching even, oh, 30% of the genre falling into that characterization? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/50 "2013-09-27T14:30:37Z")
I don’t like rap, but _am_ a Zydeco and pan-flute aficionado (along with soukous, jit, juju, synchro, benga, and townshop). Equating rap with “black” music is ridiculously provincial. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/51 "2013-09-27T14:32:40Z")
[QUOTE=The Great Sun Jester] Perhaps not, but it certainly seems the rap you hear readily opts into it anyhow. Are there any great rap love songs? Rap acts whose music promotes reconciliation, peace and mutual respect? Anything approaching even, oh, 30% of the genre falling into that characterization? [/QUOTE] Well, yes, except for the part where it’s impossible to say what 30% of a genre is. What now? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/52 "2013-09-27T14:38:32Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > Well, yes, except for the part where it’s impossible to say what 30% of a genre is. What now? Ok, blurred lines and all, I can groove to that. Got rap acts that eschew & discourage violence & disrespect in general? Who am I not thinking of? I really am curious about this because I have heard a reasonable sampling of self-described rap acts and I’ve yet to come across it. I promise I won’t go all “no true Scottsman” on you–I’m not looking for a fight, I _want_ to be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/53 "2013-09-27T14:38:47Z")
I’m kind of getting the idea that the gentleman described in the OP is using “coded racism” to mean “white women won’t date me either”. That having been said, I am trying to come up with a scenario in which it would bother me to be called racist because of my musical tastes. Not with much success. If Myron Floren is wrong, I don’t wanna be right. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/54 "2013-09-27T14:46:49Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > Got rap acts that eschew & discourage violence & disrespect in general? Who am I not thinking of? I really am curious about this because I have heard a reasonable sampling of self-described rap acts and I’ve yet to come across it. I promise I won’t go all “no true Scottsman” on you–I’m not looking for a fight, I _want_ to be wrong. There are \*countless \*such rap songs, although many of them are by artists who also have other songs with an entirely different message. I imagine it’s common in many genres for artists to have messages that contradict each other in different songs (sometimes even the same song) though. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/55 "2013-09-27T14:49:16Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > Got rap acts that eschew & discourage violence & disrespect in general? Who am I not thinking of? The Roots. The Beastie Boys, especially after their second album even though the stuff that came before that basically comedic. The problem with the “rap is so violent” thing is that that’s also true of the music rap descends from. Maybe it takes it further than mainstream rock does, but the elements are there and people don’t take those songs as a comment on the whole genres. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/56 "2013-09-27T14:59:57Z")
I’ve long since stopped caring whether my comments might be misconstrued as un-PC. Then again, most of my comments are intended to be construed as un-PC. When someone says “I like all music”, I generally assume that means “I’m not a huge music buff, but I generally tolerate most pop music someone of my age group would have been exposed to.” When it is qualified by various exceptions, I expect them to mean the following: “…except rap” = I’m a boring middle-class suburbanite and colored people scare me (seriously…who doesn’t like a little bit of rap?) “…except country” = I live in an urban area and think country is for flyover state hicks. “…except techno” = I’m old and electronic music gives me a headache. “…except dance” = I’m having strange feelings for my same-sex roommate. “…except metal” = I used to get beat up in high school. “…except John Mayer” = I used to beat up kids in high school. “…except Miley Cyrus” = I just found out who Miley Cyrus is a few weeks ago on the VMAs. “…except indie rock” = I live in Brooklyn and only listen to indie rock. “…except Coldplay” = I really like Coldplay. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/57 "2013-09-27T15:10:55Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’ve long since stopped caring whether my comments might be misconstrued as un-PC. Then again, most of my comments are intended to be construed as un-PC. > > When someone says “I like all music”, I generally assume that means “I’m not a huge music buff, but I generally tolerate most pop music someone of my age group would have been exposed to.” When it is qualified by various exceptions, I expect them to mean the following: > > “…except rap” = I’m a boring middle-class suburbanite and colored people scare me (seriously…who doesn’t like a little bit of rap?) > “…except country” = I live in an urban area and think country is for flyover state hicks. > “…except techno” = I’m old and electronic music gives me a headache. > “…except dance” = I’m having strange feelings for my same-sex roommate. > “…except metal” = I used to get beat up in high school. > “…except John Mayer” = I used to beat up kids in high school. > “…except Miley Cyrus” = I just found out who Miley Cyrus is a few weeks ago on the VMAs. > “…except indie rock” = I live in Brooklyn and only listen to indie rock. > “…except Coldplay” = I really like Coldplay. You’ve made me realize I’m just don’t like most music. Certainly not rap, country, dance, techno and metal. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/58 "2013-09-27T15:26:50Z")
When I became aware of rap, I was astonished when I realized there could be music I hate more than country. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/59 "2013-09-27T15:28:40Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > When someone says “I like all music”, I generally assume that means “I’m not a huge music buff, but I generally tolerate most pop music someone of my age group would have been exposed to.” That sounds about right. In fact, I once worked with a guy who claimed that he trained himself to like all music, when what he really meant was that he trained himself to like all music that gets played on FM radio channels in Connecticut (we found that out when another coworker brought in his satellite radio receiver and tuned into some oddball, definitely-not-pop stuff). > [@](#): > > When it is qualified by various exceptions, I expect them to mean the following: > > “…except rap” = I’m a boring middle-class suburbanite and colored people scare me ( **seriously…who doesn’t like a little bit of rap?** ) > “…except country” = I live in an urban area and think country is for flyover state hicks. > “…except techno” = I’m old and electronic music gives me a headache. > “…except dance” = I’m having strange feelings for my same-sex roommate. > “…except metal” = I used to get beat up in high school. > “…except John Mayer” = I used to beat up kids in high school. > “…except Miley Cyrus” = I just found out who Miley Cyrus is a few weeks ago on the VMAs. > “…except indie rock” = I live in Brooklyn and only listen to indie rock. > “…except Coldplay” = I really like Coldplay. [bolding mine] Me. I don’t like any rap that I’ve heard. At best I’m indifferent to it. I’m sure there’s some out there that I would like but it’s not worth looking for it, not when there’s so much metal, rock, EDM, outlaw country, bluegrass, blues, and classical out there for me to explore. Just for the record, other music that I don’t care for includes, but is not limited to the following genres: Pop, pop-country, afro-pop, j-pop, k-pop, Chinese opera, Turkish folk music, indie rock, and anything with a vuvuzela (the world cup in South Africa ruined the whole instrument for me). ETA: to the OP, not liking rap does not make one racist. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789/60 "2013-09-27T15:30:37Z")
> [@huesos](#): > > So, then, what else are you doing for the cause? I see that your location is Seattle, Washington, US- why not Africa or India? What are you doing living here in the heart of the racist, imperialist empire while your benighted comrades remain oppressed? > [@huesos](#): > > No, it’s pretty much just you… > [@huesos](#): > > Not particularly; you do a good enough job digging the hole yourself. Stop posting in this manner, Huesos. First, dial back/back off the insults and hostility in this thread. Insults only allowed in the forum “The BBQ Pit” on this board. It’s against the rules to do it outside of there. Furthermore, you’re hijacking this topic with these posts. We also have a main rule here that says “Don’t be a jerk”, so please keep that in mind. I’ve also given you a small note [in this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=702750). Just a note for now, not a warning…but ease off the personal attacks and aggression and hijacks now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-not-liking-rap-make-you-racist/669789.md?page=4)