Are you disgusted with R'n'B and HipHop music?

Question

Whilst I absolutely love the music itself but I am SOOOOO tired of the lyrics, images and videos. Many of the lyrics seem to be the musing of 18 year old males. The typical themes are:
I have more money than you
I want sex - and lots of it
I want to kill you
I have more money than you
I want sex - and lots of it
I want to kill you


What messages does this send out to young people? The ostentatious display of wealth is so far removed from so many of the fans that it is ridiculous. The portrayal of women - especially black women is scandalous - I know very few women who act like hte women on their videos. I also notice that if the song glorifies women in any way then a white or lighter skinned woman is used (Pharrel's Angel forexample). It's so messed up.
Does anyone feel the same? Or am I a lone voice?

Post Script - I am not dissing R'n'B/Rap/Hip Hop etc it is still my music of choice. It is just that so much of the lyrics are unimaginative. And yes - there are some artist who have taken a different route - but there are many who churn out the same old rubbish.

Answer 1

You articulate it a lot better than i ever could. But exactly my sentiments. Thumbs up: :-)

Answer 2

I think music is music.
Its never rubbish, its just not to your taste. And i understand comletely what you're saying, i effing hate that stuff, and it does warp todays generation of kids.Certainly the dress style and image of the "singers" and content of the lyrics really does not contribute to the development of todays youth. Although im not one to talk. It is questionable whether what i listen to can be called music.
Most people describe it as "screaming rubbish" and on first glance, yes, it would appear that way, but on further listening it becomes apparrent how much effort has gone into composing such a fantastic piece of songwriting. The skill of the members and the complexity of how the instruments are played to create such sounds cannot help but be admired. The way all the instruments work together so intricately inspires me to try harder in my work and enlightens my mood. One album i had in mind whilst writing this is:
Bring me the Horizon - Count your Blessings
In cmparison, the skill needed to create such "drag and drop" hiphop and R'n'B songs as you mentioned is incomparable to that needed to create the aforementioned style.
Therefore i find it more difficult (being a musician myself) to interest myself insuch songs. Although in contrast to that there are some Hiphop and R'n'B songs i do really like.
Music is a matter if opinion, someone is always going to disagree with your taste :)

Answer 3

No, believe me...you are not the lone voice. Violence seems to be right up front in today's time...as evidenced by everything around us, TV shows, movies, videogames, toys, clothes, wars, civil unrest.

Similiar to the Hippie Era and the demonstrations that erupted from that..( I am old hippie), soooo.....probably this, today, is escalating and will probably blow one day too. Clears the air.

The other thing that makes dissatisfaction among the younger generation, is that a lot of kids have no real focus, no aspirations, no get up and go...get into drugs and anything they feel is easy money.

Personally, I think that when the government cut the Draft..it was the biggest mistake they have ever made.

Answer 4

I couldn't agree more with you! I used to love love love me some Hip-Hop & R&B. I mean I was in da clubs & wearing my Hood Brands & all. It was right arround the Puffy & J-Lo dating era where females in Hip Hop were worshipped Divas lol. But now I am so aggrevated by majority of the scene & absolutly see where you are comming from. I will tell you what influence it has on young peopel, my boyfriends lil sisters want to be strippers or wilin out girls or video vixens...& I am trying to tell them to go to college & become a sorority girl instead.
Most peopel don't really listen to the lyrics they just run with the hook! I don't know....
I love Jay-Z's approach on his New album, he is all grown up now & talks about that! I love that song 30's the new 20!!!! But yea I try to add my own suffisticated style into it & make Hip-Hop my own grown up sufisticated version. Just stick with artists like Kanye West, Jay Z, Nas, Mary J Blidge, Lil Wayne, Monica, Jaheim, Beyonce, The Game (his new CD is really good), John Legend, Life Jennings, those are only a few that I like....

Answer 5

There are a lot of people that feel the same way you do, but what do we do? Someone has to mobilize the masses, and quite frankly, I don't know of anyone capable or willing to do so...So...we just rest upon our laurels.... Personally, the sex message is what is bothering me the most. I know of a 12 year old who had a girl, same age, tell him she wanted to F**K...and faced with that, he can't wait.... all because of the media. No more fear or shame is present in our kids.

Answer 6

I feel the same...black women are degraded in the videos!

I think that they are stupid for even being in the video when the guys are talking all that crap about them!! but i know its hard and they're in it for the money...but i feel hip-hop music has definitely lost its way, the classic jams were the best and these days, all the people talk about is Money, Women and Sex.

it is real stupid! and i hope one day it changes.

Answer 7

I agree with you. It will be nearly impossible to erase these images unless parents restrict these images from their children's eyes. Besides all the negative images they portray, the music (and especially the videos) are just boring to me. They're all the same people talking about the same thing. No creativity whatsoever.

Answer 8

i like hip hop and RnB, but i like it for the music, the stuff thats good to dance to, the rest, the vidios and lifestyle of some of the people who make the music i treat as a joke! though alot have positive lyrics and what abotu all the stuff by women, they are hardly negative towards themselves

Answer 9

I feel the same,but a lot of rappers and singers are not in control of their image and what they sing about,we know sex and violence sells all over the globe,thats their way to riches.Lets not glorify it and spend our money on it.

Answer 10

I think these images and videos are pornographic and for women they are so boring. I dislike my children watching them, as they send out all the wrong messages. It must be time for a change.

Answer 11

not all rnb and hip hop is about sex money and killin folk. sum is very insprational and about real life stuff. personally i dont wanna hear sumone talkin bout i wanna sex u up or shootin me. alot of its about dancin like 1 2 step by ciara. or love not sex or just chillin with ur peeps. i hate that peole discriminate rap hip hop and rb. what bout rock they talk about sum of the same stuff. what do they get for that? hopefuly by me saying this u will accept that not all rb rap hip hop is bad or offensive. and plz dont think im putting u down cause im not just tellin u what i think. :)