Rage isn’t really hip hop… and Arrested Development? Where are they? Sometimes meaningful hip hop artists enjoy brief brushes with success, but then it’s back underground for them. In answer to your question, no. I remember Lauryn Hill getting a lot of press. I was surprised, but never stopped loving her music. Good music getting publicity is a rare event. In terms of popular music, bad stuff outnumbers the good. Is that crap too?
:rolleyes:
Well, it’s nice to see you agree with me (and undermine your own argument), that popular music does not necessarily = garbage.
Next step: agreeing that all musical tastes are subjective.
Wrong Girl, I like the way you pretend like I was the original person to state popular music is filth. I merely agreed with it. Secondly, there’s this thing called hyperbole. You have heard of this, yes?
Okay…well, why don’t you clear it up for me–where were you being hyperbolic?
And even to agree with the idea that popular = garbage is incredible bullshit posturing, in my eyes. Again, it shows that you base your opinions on how you want people to perceive you (as someone who doesn’t like “popular” things, or what everyone else likes) rather than your own musical tastes.
And who said “popular = garbage” in this thread before you? Be a sport, and refresh my memory, please.
That’s when he becomes a “sellout”. :rolleyes:
And I was being hyperbolic when I said popular = filth. I don’t really mean ALL. There have been (very) few exceptions to the rule. VERY few. For the most part, good stuff doesn’t sell. Dancing around and looking cute does. I suppose it is possible (though quite uncommon) to find meaning in mainstream music, but you’d be hard pressed to find it… Lord Jesus… I thought what I meant was clear, but apparently not.
:rolleyes:
Yook, stop trying to be funny. Being popular doesn’t make you a sellout. Changing your music in order to become popular, however, does.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
There–will those make you respect my arguments?
Anyway, no what you meant wasn’t clear, so I guess it’s not accomplishing anything for us to discuss this anymore. Have fun.
Salaams all around
With all the fun here, I was wondering what people considered to be rap music. What are the parameters? At what point does an artist stop being rap?
What is hip-hop, and how is it distinct from rap?(I am unsure of the distinction)
I am not generally a fan of this genre, so I am not really qualified to weigh in.
martin
Come on, why do people insist on claiming that hip-hop gets no airplay and recognition? It’s the most friggin’ popular style of music in America, and has been for at least a couple of years now. It gets airplay and recognition up the freakin’ ass.
Oh, and here’s a simple test for the power of the lyrics themselves: say them without hearing the music, or see them in print.
I’ll try to stay on topic…must…not…flame!! I just got here by doing a search for Eminem. Wanted to see what ya’ll thought about it.
To the people who claim that Em has no talent, or that all of his music is repetitive. Go get some of his lyrics. Do some scanning, so you realize the amount of internal rhyme that he uses. Then…go find a copy of his three albums. From the first to the second album, there was a formula. There’s the battle song, the hit song, the dance song with the same female vocalist, etc etc etc. Then…pop in the Eminem Show. And behold! Evolution of style. Actual topics. I hear a lot that Eminem just bags on people who won’t fire back, or that he has nothing important to say. Try on “Till I Collapse”. He raps a lot about the stuff in his life. What’s he supposed to do? Make up stuff to talk about in someone elses eyes?
Meanie…your name says it all. Although you might want to sub out the word lady with a five letter word.
When someone’s music gets popular, it automatically becomes sellout/garbage/whatever. I found this out when I started to hear that Ani Defranco song from a while back. 32 Flavors. That got me into her stuff, so I went and got access to her albums. You know…it was real funny that the music itself didn’t change. Same Ani. Same themes. Same awesome spoken word. But…everyone was calling her a sellout for making money on her music. shrugs I thought that was what the business of music was about.
Most music relys on the interplay of all elements in it. Rap uses both the vocals of the rapper and the rest of the music. Ja Rule is a great example of this, since he has a distinctive voice. Eminem has a distinctive voice as well. Nasal and scratchy, yes. But different than a lot of the rest of them.
My definition of the difference between hip-hop and rap is really subjective. sorry… to me, it’s two things. Are the lyrics being spoken or sung? If the differences in tone are spoken, then rap. If it does a lot of notes, especially in non-conversational rhythms, then it’s hip-hop. That’s the best def that I’ve come up with. The other way I have to distinguish them comes in handy more for old school. The amount of ornamentation behind the lyrics. I.E. A beat and a rhyme? Rap. Horns and shit? Hip-hop.
Hmm…sorry if it makes no sense. Oh yeah…get some Common, JayZ, Common, Cannibus, Common, or LL Cool J. Did I mention Common? 
You people need to do your homework. The best hip hop produced in recent times has come from Definitive Jux records. Four classic/near-classic albums in 2 years is an amazing feat. The Cold Vein, Labor Days, Fantastic Damage, and Deadringer are all innovative, thought-provoking, and interesting. Anybody who thinks they know dick about hip hop but does not mention Def Jux is not worth listening to.
I own all 3 of Eminems albums and would say he is one of the better lyricists out there. His voice grates me after a while but he has written some genuinely inventive stuff (Guilty Conscience, Stan etc.). I also think he could have done with a co-producer on the third album as the beats and rythms seem somewhat repetitive. Still, in response to the OP I think he is one of the better rappers/lyricists out there but certainly not head and shoulders above anyone else.
And for the record, I’m also a fan of The Roots, Outkast, Dre & PE who for the most part seem to be on the “purists” list of good rap.
I also like Ja Rule, Jay-Z, Fat Joe & Nelly who for the most part don’t tend to make the “purists” list.
JMHO