General Discussion reviews: Rap Music

[RadiationTherapy]

This one is: rap is homophobic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3706399

This one is: ALL rappers should shut the fuck up

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3704744

Since the Lounge has the most knowledgeable rap fans and art fans, I think some reality checks are in order.

[Parche]

1. I Cant Stand Rap

Or Country.........:grr: :grr: :hi:

[taterguy]

2. Chuggo is a hero to many in the Lounge

I wouldn't count on them being too knowledgeable about rap

[Dr. Strange]

21. You just don't understand Chuggo!

You try growing up bald and Canadian--then you'll know what life's really all about, know what I'm sayin'?

[Shell Beau]

3. I don't hate rap, but a lot of it is homophobic, sexist, and violent.

But not all of it.

[Iggo]

30. I don't hate life...

...but a lot of it is homophobic, sexist, and violent.

[Pale Blue Dot]

34. So is a lot of rock music.

Somehow, that fact is conveniently forgotten.

[jobycom]

39. Same is true of movies, commercials, country music, rock music, comic strips.

Mostly it's true of culture. Art reflects culture. Change culture, you get better art. Change art, you get censorship and a suppressed society, and nothing improves. It's like whitewashing a rotten fence.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

4. a lot of rap is homophobic and or sexist.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

9. So is a lot of rock and country.

Rappers just use more vulgar words.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. yes, but by using vulgarity the homophobia/sexism is more blatant

[vi5]

5. Honestly, it's getting harder to defend the genre...

I'm far from anti rap. People who are anti rap as a music form are by and large probably prog rock fans, who....well they have it bad enough so why pile on.

And from the mid 80's on through the mid 90's it was easy enough to make a case. You had rap that was either fun and frivolous, or socially conscious and intelligent and with something to say. Even the harder edged stuff was depicting something socially relevent, like it or not. There were stupid and sexist and homophobic aspects to some artists but they weren't the majority.

But since the late 90's when the majority of rappers and rap lifestyle became mostly what exists today.....I still think it's a viable and relevant art form and music style. It's just hard to defend the stuff that gets the most press. There are still good rappers who aren't homophobic or sexist, etc. but by and large they get short shrift as far as press and popularity go.

It's the same theory by which the social conscious, challenging, alternative rock gave way to the idiotic nu metal shtick. It's just easier to listen to and respond to things that don't make you think or don't make you uncomfortable.

[RadiationTherapy]

7. Chris Rock has a hilarious piece on youtube that mirrors your post.

Basically: Rap used to be easy to defend, but it keeps getting harder and harder.

I frankly think that it is very much a reflection of how a large portion of our society truly feels towards life and one another. I do not approve, but it has its value.

[vi5]

22. I'll have to check that out.

The other piece of this is from a musical perspective was that the "good" rappers...the ones with something intelligent to say and a skill at the form itself put more effort into hooks and productions, etc. Even if some of it was sample based, there was much more of a song based structure to it.

The problem now is a lot of the more politically minded, socially conscious and more talented rappers are content to simply just recite the rhymes over too sparse beats with no hooks, no melody, and no choruses. I want to be more into it than I am but there's just nothing for me to grab on to beyond the politics or the socio economic aspects of it.

[RadiationTherapy]

27. I agree completely. Well said.

I have the same problem with poetry in general; I am bored by the a capella spoken word.

My brother and I perform poetry, but always with an audioscape.

[southpaw]

6. Not a big fan of rap

Therefore, I don't know much about it.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

8. Big hip-hop fan.

The good stuff, too.

[AlCzervik]

11. i was just thinking of you.

i'm listening to Danger Mouse yet again. My daughter loves that cd too.

:hi:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

13. I wish "99 Problems" had ended up on there.

It's the best song. :hi:

[AlCzervik]

14. sok, i can always listen to it at youtube.

[DS1]

12. That forum is shit, that's how I feel

They locked up my thread, I cannot appeal
I alert on douchebags, that's how I stay real
And when Chuggo starts posting, you all better kneel


I post bacon to vegans, that's how I squeal
You can't reply, because I also eat veal
I shoot up the gun threads, that's how I'm surreal
and I fucked all the Duggars, my dick's made of steel

[MrCoffee]

15. Gold, man, solid gold

:thumbsup:

[Richardo]

16. ..

:rofl:

[AlCzervik]

17. Nice.

Made me a little teary eyed.

:thumbsup:

[Dr. Strange]

18. Aw, c'mon, Favrein' guy!

:applause:

[RadiationTherapy]

20. I'll stick an alert on your back so you can't post.

Give you a mayonnaise facial like Casper the Ghost.
I flamed you so hard, your farts smell like toast.
Got my clique, got my star so now I can boast.

Druggo.

[DS1]

23. I get tight with the mods, I cannot be banned

You get no replies, because I stole all your fans
I'm mackin your groupies, all you got is your hand
Nobody likes you, you're fun like quicksand

[RadiationTherapy]

24. Your mom’s about to post: Why you attackin him?

Your dad’s crying out: nono please stop nutcrackin him!
Your girlfriend says 50, but I only pay twenty five.
When you see Radio_Lady, tell her I say ‘hi’.

BWAAAAAAAAAAH

[DS1]

26. Battling with me, it's like a castration

I'll cut off your balls, leave them at the bus station
I ganked all your chemo, that's why you're on radiation
You can't rap with me, it's DS1 nation

[RadiationTherapy]

28. The DS1 nation; about to be crapped.

Your skills are the smear, I’m doing the pap.
My skills is the network, your drives ain’t even mapped!
Your chops are pellets fallin from a rabbit I slapped.

[DS1]

29. While you're out slappin bunnies, I get your mom hot and runny

Like Taco Bell drivethru, she's cheesy and nummy
I rap when I punch it, she loves the gold fist
And after my skull stick, I'm on the no-fly list

[RadiationTherapy]

31. Your last shit is lackin; it’s got no Lounge reference

Time to face facts, you’re no one’s sex preference
Nor orientation; you’re in Therapy nation
You want bunco or box wine with your H-Preparation?

[bridgit]

35. pft, you be banned once yo, don't be coy boy fool'n

when dat ting'n yo hand, ain't no steely dan

[SeaLyons]

19. No fan of rap...

[ghostsofgiants]

25. I'm far too tired to deal with stupid shit today, so I'm just gonna ignore that for once.

[RadiationTherapy]

32. Damn. nt

[ghostsofgiants]

33. Maybe if I didn't get up at 5 AM today and I wasn't currently stuck at work...

But right now, I just wanna go home and go back to bed. Cogent discussion of any topic is not an option at the moment.

[RadiationTherapy]

36. And the thread has tumbled far into irrationality as it is.

Save yourself.

[ghostsofgiants]

37. "Save Yourself" is a great song by Aesop Rock.

:thumbsup:

[bridgit]

38. For primate1's benefit I'll attempt to separate the issues of 'rap lyrics'...

which continue to replicate through areas of the world less burdened with their *get'n real*, *keep'n it real*, *just being me*, *you ain't real, I'm real* inner city poets & voices of the night, etc, effects & such...

...

...

...

and Rap Music, as is stated in the OP, which includes the meter round which/upon which the words/the lyrics are suspended, or oft times hung as though dirty laundry, bitch!

By way of Rap Music's glorification of repetitive meter, the mundane, the mediocrity of the inner city; Rap Music has provided an ultimate platform for just that...mediocrity, repetition, the mundane.

Rap Lyrics exist as a separate set of entities. Rap Music should not have to be the price one pays to absorb them Sunni Patterson - We Made It