Why do people think it's so weird for me to love rock, and dislike hip-hop/rap?

Question

I appreciate good sounds and lyrics, that's why I love rock. Some people at my school treat me like I'm some freak because I do. Half of the time it suprises the hell out of them that we actually have more in common than they may have intitially have thought. It's annoying and tiresome to try and explain to people that my skin color is just pigmentation, not some kind of blue print for the person I am.
Have you ever felt like people can't just get over physical attributes to just see you?

I sincerely hope that I haven't offended anyone with this question...perhaps my tone was a bit "stand-offish." I'm just wondering if anyone can relate..and obviously their's quite a few people that can.

Answer 1

I don't come from the hip-hop/rap generation, but I had the same problem back in the day. People are going to assume a lot with what sort of music you listen to.

I'm one of those people that listen to a little bit of this and a little bit of that. My itunes collection contains music from all genres, but i would be foolish to show up to an all Black party and connect my ipod up to the sound system. I would get thrown out of the party and possibly beat up and called a traitor, or an "Uncle Tom" or a freak.

My advice to you is that you are going to be judged no matter what you do. If you skin is dark people will start to assume lots of things about what you like. Their is nothing you can do about it, so just enjoy what you enjoy and if people have a problem....tell them to go fish up a tree.

BTW here's some of what I listen too:

The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
Led Zepplin
Holly Near
Doris Day
Garbage
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Jackson 5
ALL Musical Sound Tracks to Movies
Show tunes
Most classical music pieces
All older, lounge music singers
Patsy Cline
Tokio Hotel

And that's just a few. Most Black people find my musical taste unacceptable and this is a fact, but I like what I like, so **** 'em.

Answer 2

hey im the same way but i dont worry about them. i am a brown skinned person and i dont get it just from blacks but every kind of person. usually hang with myself b/c i dont fit in with anyone completey at my school. Its not weird. They dont control you or your mind. You can do what you want. Just b/c majority listen to rap doesn't mean you have too. we All are diff rent. no one is the same. its just ignorance and stuipiness. I pay them no mind but it does hurt my feelings when i try to explain myself and they wont listen. they are really dumb b/c rock and roll was made by black people (little Richard) back then. I think Rock was just tooken into a new genre.
good luck if! u have questions or want to talk hit me up

Answer 3

You are unique, you like what you like and there is no rule that says you must like hip hop because of the colour of your skin. It shows you are original and you do not follow the crowd, you should be proud of that and take no notice of others who put you down.
I was bullied all through my school years for being 'different' but I have no regrets, there are lots of shallow people in the world, but there are also good ones too. Keep your head help high and never, ever say sorry for who and what you are!

Answer 4

Unfortunately, some people haven't gotten used that we are in the 21st century and that skin color and culture have nothing to do with our likes and dislikes. These people are obviously not open minded. Don't worry about what they say some of these people probably like rock too and are just too embarrassed and worried about what other people might say. As long as you feelo comfortable and sure of who you are don't worry what anybody else says. Good luck!!!!

Answer 5

If you spend the rest of your life being concerned what other people think you'll miss out on so much. It is ignorant that your skin tone in some people's minds dictates how you should live your life, however you must learn to look at it that way and do your own thing!

Answer 6

Well, it does seem odd that you like lyrics and dislike rap. Most true rock MUSIC lovers like a little bit of rap. Just as most true Hip Hop lovers like a little bit of rock. Rock and Rap are practically one in the same in many areas. The two worlds do frequently collide.

movie soundtracks - nice to know its not just me.

Answer 7

I reckon its all with regard to the bass lines. hip hop soul rnb etc are each and every so often in keeping with blues bass lines, merely makes you wanna shake da boodie. Rock is an entire distinctive ball activity. nevertheless solid tho. can in no way deny pink Floyd and such like are the masters, yet hey in no way ignore the only and merely Mr ask your self and Al eco-friendly oh the checklist is countless

Answer 8

Yes... couldn't of said it better myself. I also like rock and people expect me to be into hip-hop and rap.

Its just ignorance and it goes into the same category as not dressing or speaking a certain way. Remember the saying "the people who mind don't matter and people who matter don't mind"? Its true.. and it took me a while to realize this.

If people are too ignorant to accept you as you are.. they are a waste of your time and respect and probably not worth being friends with anyway.

Seek out open minded people like yourself who are not so ignorant and you will be surprised how much more fulfilling your relationships will be.

Answer 9

I can relate to this wholeheartedly. I am African American and often people don't really "see" me if that makes sense. For example, I once spent a whole summer in a foreign country with a group of Americans who were not Black (I am American). I rarely use slang (I'm not against it, I just don't know a lot of it), listen to all kinds of music, read all kinds of books, am educated etc. But even two months later, they were still trying to call me "girlfriend", kept telling me stories about drugs in the inner city to try to "relate" to me, would associate just about anything I did with some African person that they knew, and were in constant awe of how much I knew ("how did YOU know THAT?"). It was the most frustrating two months of my life -- and what was worse was that these people saw themselves as being "cross cultural" and cool. They routinely offended the other people in the country we visited and weren't even conscious of it. It made me angry actually because I felt that the people we visited really opened their hearts and homes to us.

I am not against slang, the inner city, r&b, rap or anything else. I love African American art forms and culture and I am proud of who I am and of my people. I feel that it is simply amazing the amount of things that African Americans have accomplished in a very short time since the abolishment of Jim Crow, which really was a modern day slavery in many senses. But, I am also an individual as well. And as an individual I have different preferences, just like any other person. Unfortunately, that is but one of many examples and I'm pretty sure that I'll run into this for the rest of my life. It is a tremendous burden, but as painful as it can be, it has given me tremendous insight and has been a huge blessing.

What I've come to understand is that a lot of people are limited. They don't see themselves as limited, but they are - they are limited by stereotypes and these blind them to actually seeing how people truly are. I firmly believe that this effects every part of our society and do think that this is even at the root of a lot of our difficulties here and abroad. Think about the questions that are asked, even on this board. "Are we ready for a Black president?" If things are so equal why do we need to be ready? What does this have to do with his qualifications? My question is "Are we ready for a good president?" Lest you think I'm only singling out the US, this happens in a lot of societies, not just here.

However, the greatest blessing to being misunderstood is that my capacity to understand others is greater. So, where I have been tempted to judge or stereotype others, I am less apt to do it. And if I do stereotype - I recognize it immediately and I'm filled with regret. And I can spot stereotypes pretty quickly too.

This is an invaluable skill in that it has helped me to reach out to many different people across cultures - because I can actually "see" people and not just their stereotype. This gift is very precious and is a true blessing - and helps me to understand people in a way that can't be taught in a class.

So I just encourage you to continue to be yourself. Don't feel that you need to prove anything to anyone. The hard fact is that sometimes people change, but often they don't. Don't feel that you need to be the spokesperson for your race all of the time. You'll need to be conscious of it - particularly if you are the first in a career a program or a field - because you want to keep the door open for those to come behind you. But don't get bogged down by it. Just do your best in all things. And make sure to spend time with people who just like and celebrate you - the rock-music loving you - as you are. It will energize you so that you can continue to deal with those who can't see you. But most of all, just be yourself.

There will always be people who will only see your skin color - no matter what you do. But, really, that speaks a lot more to their limitations than yours.

All the best,

C.

Answer 10

ahhh... yes... That's actually called prejudice and racism. That's like assuming everyone who is black hates country. Ignore them. Do what makes YOU happy. Maybe offer to let them hear the music you listen to before they judge it or judge you for listening to it.