Do you think rap, hip-hop and R and B have changed drastically over the decades?

Answer 1

I believe it has gotten progressively worse. rap/hip-hop is all about rims and shoes and rapping about stupid sh*it. pac biggie, wu-tang, they had something to say and truly brought street poetry to the forefront. nowadays these hip-hop artists are taking advantage of what these guys did just to make a quick buck. after one or two hits do you ever hear from them again? no. same with r&b with their "collaborations" defeat the purpose of soul/r&b and make it into another fad quick turn of the buck kind of thing. no one has any longevity anymore. simple in and out, thanks for the money. case in point, look at Master P. dominated the market for awhile back in the late 90's now where is he? selling rims and gay a*ss clothing. it's all about the money, nothing else these days

Answer 2

I don't really think that the music it self has changed. I think that what the consumers like have changed. Back in the day, you would hear more conscious rap on the radio and on tv. Stuff like Public Enemy, etc. A lot of the music had more of a message back then. We didn't hear a lot of the booty songs on the radio. Now, thats pretty much all you hear. There is still the conscious hip hop and neo soul type R&B out there, but unfortunately that is not what is selling right now.

Answer 3

I'm not quite sure about hip-hop and R&B. But I can be cretain that rap has change. I remenber when it was clean back then. There were some songs about unity and the hard life in the streets. Now it has become vulgar with explicit content. Nonetheless, I still like rap so much. It will never change my way of thinking. Can't wait for Detox.

Answer 4

Yes, I think they - along with other genres - have evolved to represent our increasingly commercialized culture - so that a lot of the songs only say "look at how rich, sexy and powerful I am". Here are some different lyrics by rapper and poet Saul Williams which I think describe the situation well:

"...Now here's a little message for you.
All you balla playas got some insecurities too, that you could cover up, bling it up, cash in and ching ching it up, hope no one will bring it up, lock it down and string it up.
Or you can share your essence with us, 'cause everything about you couldn't be rugged and rough.
And even though you tote a glock and you're hot on the
streets, if you dare to share your heart, we'll nod our heart to its beat.
And you should do that, if nothing else, to prove that a player like you could keep it honest and true.
Don't mean to call your bluff but mothaf**ka that's what I do.
You got platinum chain then, son, I'm probably talking to you."

"N!ggas used to buy their
families out of slavery
now we buy chains and links,
smokes and drinks, they're paying
me to record this, even more if you hear it..."

"...we're performing an exorcism
on all this keep it real-ism
violence, sensationalism
in the name of the hip hop that
nurtured me, cultured me
we are ordering all evil entities
to exit this body, leave this body
in the name of microphone fiends
and a young boy's b-boy dreams
we draw you to leave this body, leave this body..."

"...true they captured and caught us,
transported, sold us, and bought us
they constituted and lawed us, distorted truths that they taught us
we rebelled, then they fought us
we conformed, then they formed us.
Now these ****** rhyming 'bout material possessions
My Adidas are three years old, like my daughter."

In other words, I think all three genres have lost a lot of substance - that's why people are drawn to rappers like Kanye West or Eminem - they bring something unique (as in, outside the usual borders of money/sex/power) to the table, not necessarily because they are extraordinary talents, but because everyone else is so sub-par.

And I don't mean that talent itself is gone, just that people are either directly pressured, or at least feel pressured, to fit into the industry stereotype of success.

You can really see how that plays out in the R&B industry, where females must maintain interest by taking off more and more clothes simply because everyone else is doing it; and you've got to stay ahead. Meanwhile they are forgotten in a few years, because there are just too many newly half-naked girl singers out there singing about how much they love sex or hate cheaters.

I have a huge respect for these genres, but I find it sad seeing them consumed by consumption.

Answer 5

Yes. Back in the day, there was originality and talent. You HAD to have those 2 things. But now, everyone's songs sound the same. Rap is all about clubbing, big butts, sex, money, jewelry, and violence. R & B is only about "OHHH WHY YOU LEFT MEEE....I MISSS YOUUUU". I'm like come on people. That's why I very rarely listen to the radio anymore. And if the lyrics aren't similar, the beats are. No one is different.

Answer 6

rap and hip hop was so much better in the late 80s/early 90s.

95% of the mainstream stuff today is garbage. It all sounds the same, you feel me? I don't like the direction it's heading in.

Answer 7

I think that modern day hip hop is too darn repetitive. I get sick of a song after listening to it once. then it just annoys me. What happened to the old days when hip hop was good

Answer 8

Yes, i think so, Old School rap had fairly simple beats, and it had a bit of a rougher edge, nowadays rap beats are intricate or computer generated and get's a more clean commercial-ish sound, or maybe it's just me

Answer 9

It used to be good, now it's a bunch of people who think they are gangsters and influence America's young with their bad lyrics and choice of cloths. Ever notice a large majority of young black males all dress alike? It's from that music.

Old rappers had talent and their own skills and style, now days they are all the same.

Answer 10

Yes.It totally sucks now.In R&B you just have to look good,do some lame *** dance moves & you can get by with a crappy voice.Hip Hop in this day and age makes Black people look like ignorant bufoons.No wonder people think we are stupid.