What is up with Rap/Hip Hop?

Question

I hate how todays society is so influenced by this crap. Thankfully though, it seems like the influence is dying out. Atleast thats what Ive noticed. Also, Not to sound racist at all but whenever Im reading people post things against rap music, the responses more often than not are "stop tryin to bring down black people, its our way of expression" or "white people hate on rap music". Im not targeting that certain race even though black people may have been the "pioneers of hip hop" or whatever-there are rappers of many ethnicities.Im pretty sure there are rappers out there who actually rap about something meaningful or personal. But if you listen to the lyrics in rap music and what they talk about, the same old, tired, useless things over and over ex. sex, "bling bling", drugs, :"gangsta life", madd fine girls aka hoes, etc. Do you actually think people are going to respect that??

1) My friends and family have talked about this like...twice before. But I dont devote my life to talking about this subject, Trust me. . I know these are random people online but I just wanted to get other peoples opinion too since Ive been reading about it.

2) I know its been said before, but Im giving MY opinion. Is it my fault lots of other people share these views?

2) Im not white. Thats so typical of you to assume.

3) I didnt say all rap is crap. I did say Im sure there are rappers out there that have something meaningful to say. They're just being drowned out, obviously.

4) Its so surprising that the ones being immature and cursing are the ones who support rap. Influenced by it a little to much, arent we?

Yeah...Thanks.

Answer 1

Check it out ! ...My Space then Marv Ellis - ... Underwater Not Underground - from the Pacific Northwest.....Incredible !
CDbaby.com for more.....HOP ON MY BACK !
that's Jimi Hendrix on MY PEN .....

Answer 2

I love rap music. I listen to a little jazz and blues, but for the most part its nothing but rap. The songs that most novice rap listeners hear is all ****. All the music that they play on MTV,BET and your radios is pretty much ****. All though the previous statement is true, rap music IS NOT dead. There is more good rap music out there than ever before. We are bombarded with the crap because the crap sells. With that being said all gangsta rap IS NOT crap. Good music is produced when the artist is expressing new,original or unique ideas pertaining to their own experences or opinions. What sucks about comercial rap is that the artist are not being
"real". They're not expressing their true feeling or experiences. What they are doing is recycling raps from other rappers that have paved the way. Some songs about the hood, growing up poor, or even (yes) drug dealing do jam because you can hear the sincerity in the song. Now...to anyone that blames the horrible rap music on blacks stop and think about the fact that blacks don't own Sony, Universal, BMG, Warner Brothers or any of the other major record labels.

P.S. I love rap, but I don't condone the following: drug sales, drug usage, prostitution, dropping out of school, getting bad grades, murders, not snitching, materalism, regular usage of the word ***** towards undeserving females(bitches do exist though) or drive by shootings.

Answer 3

Are you talking about the mainstream, or all rap in general? Obviously you are offending people, and they rant back on a keyboard (the most noble way to fight back), so I think it best not to make these generalizations of rap music. Enjoying this music is a preference, as is the music you listen to.
As for the lyrics, there will always be flaws. There will always be something offensive lyrics by the interpreter; no way of escaping it; in almost any genre of the mainstream.
Simply, ignore the music. It's not hard to do.

For the record, I don't listen to rap, preferably.
I really hope you stop letting this bother you. It really shouldn't be made a big deal.

Answer 4

The lyrics in rock music also talk about the same ol' same ol'. In fact, it was JAZZ, not even hip hop or rock n' roll, that was first accused of constantly being focussed on bling bling, sex and madd fine girls. And before that, certain non-religious classical musics were accused of the same thing. Plus, like the lyrical content of death metal is much better?

The truth is: lyrical content of most mainstream music is utter pulp and can't be respected.

There is tonnes of hip hop that is meaningful and has interesting lyrics, but you're not going to find it on the radio. What you find on the radio is what middle-class white American youth are begging for: music that will make them feel raw and real. This isn't something new: from jazzcats to Elvis, white Americans have always followed along and wanted a little piece of black culture.

In the meantime, there is the idea that rappers deliberately toy with public perception. Eminem, for instance, was as deliberately provocative as possible just to see if he could be. And guess what? He got rich doing it.

So, before you say "What is up with hip hop" why not ask "What is up with America?" Because good hip hop is out there. TONNES OF IT. But people quite simply don't by it.

Why? It's not black folks who ya gotta ask.

Additionally, before you talk about how black musicians shouldn't be respected, just note this: As much as black rappers swear in their songs, you don't hear about any of them going out in public without their underwear and driving their newborns on their laps like you hear about with pretty white thing Britney Spears.

Answer 5

You said it buddy. There is rap that has meaningful lyrics. You see the problem with people is their thinking all the garbage on the radio now is what all rap is like. And that's complete BULLSH!T!!!! I mean you go out and buy an album like lets say Me Against The World by Tupac. Some of those lyrics are so heartfelt they'll make you want to cry. All i can do is pray that rap will return to its original state so more people can give it the credit it deserves.

Answer 6

FU it's cause you white and it black people music..at least most white people can stand it you don't have to like it.and it's entertainment,these people ain't living like that they got kids and wives.but bling bling is just jewelery blacks and whites wear"bling bling"...why would they live a hard life in the hood when they could live in a mansion?if they lived in the hood they children would be geting kidnapped for ransom they wives too...why would they truely live like that? no offence there at the begining,sry :P
and whites seem to be the only ones complaining about it...my parents listened to soul music growing up and rap,rap was different but they still listen to it. and where the hell you get gangsta life from it Thug Life...and they do respect that stuff...they rap about true stuff in the world and the way they grown up the thing they saw,they way they made money to keep them in a home and clothes on they back..my family groow up like that,yeah it's better in a better community...and when have you seen white people in the hood white people always had a better community,but not black people. if you were black you'd understand

Answer 7

By saying things like "bling bling", "gangsta life", and "madd fine girls aka hoes", there`s no shock that people think this question (which has been asked 3 trillion times) is targeted at black rappers. Of course there are rappers of other races, but everytime someone asks this we all know you`re talking about black rappers.

Maybe those rappers are rapping about things that are meaningful or personal to them. If you don`t like rap, don`t listen to it. I don`t like rock or country music, so I don`t listen to it, it`s not hard to do.

Also, there are plenty of r&b, soul, rock, country, and pop songs that talk about the same things as rap songs, except (sometimes) they do it in a more subtle way, so where is your questions about those genres?

Answer 8

You don't have to respect it. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. Simple as that. Not all rap music is about that stuff. Although the majority of it is, but all of it isn't. I love rap/hip hop, but if there is a song I don't agree with what they're saying, I change the song. Stop complaining and move on.

Answer 9

Well I'm a person of many races and a the the type o music a person listens to shouldn't define who they are. I agree with you.
and yes the music nowadays has become centered around those things but not all of it has for instance there are gospel/hip-hop songs out now as well as uplifting songs that support peace and goals and self esteem and things of that nature. BUT rap isn't by any means my favorite music but for many people its just their easiest way of expressing themselves

~AmBeR~

Answer 10

I understand what you are saying. Really I don't listen to rap at all I find it demeaning to women and my culture. The message that rap music is passing to today's youth is partying and materialism. The kids at my high school just care about how they look and what shoes the rappers are wearing instead of an education. This makes me mad, I see a woman/girl dancing to something that is insulting her and what pisses me off is that females don't mind calling themselves this. I am all for what you are saying.