Is rap "music" dumbing kids down?

reply to post by Timelab


The very same can be said about heavy metal music. IN fact much worse, satanism, occults, the chords of the devil...all that stuff.

I am a heavy metal artist. I just recently released an album FOR FREE, at the 44.1 frequency (haha)

My HEAVY metal carried a message about how much we are exactly what you said about the 2000'ers. But also how we are manipulated by politicians, by the MSM and by our own IGNORANCE.

Society is crumbling in on itself, and we know it, but we think the joke will be over soon.
It's no joke. Wake up to the preacher of sanity. He isn't crazy. We are killing ourselves, each other, the earth and any chance for redemption. Anyone watching, be it God, Aliens or some kid at his ant farm aquarium window looking in on us, aren't laughing.

They are just waiting to swipe away our decaying debris, to start with something fresh, less destructive and more entertaining. We can't teach any Omnipotent observer anything further about what we are doing to ourselves. We certainly can't learn anything either.

Self absorption is rampant. 10, 20 year shelf life? The speed at which we communicate now, is instantaneous. From one end of the earth to another. Even DEVASTATING news doesn't hold our attention for more that a month. Japan for example? Suffering still happening, but since it is in cleanup phase, the people are no longer interested in the atrocity. We aren't interested in helping clean up, we're interested in the next major disaster, suffering....

Sad. Sorry to rant. Long story short: It isn't the music.

...It's the people.

i am a hip hop fan and i have to say main stream hip hop is dumbing kids and all people down. listen underground hip hop has intelligents in it still main stream has to sell out to get notice because of the media n big record labels with the money

In my humble opinion hip hop's been controlled by tptb since the late 80's and it's real agenda today is moving toward the emasculation of black american males, alcohol and drug use, indulgence in sex and objectification of women. Thats why you have retards like the new boyz rocking skinny jeans and skater shoes at the vma's. People like gucci mane (who produces the most tasteless cretinous disgusting music i have ever heard) and yo gotti and rick ross also promote coc aine heavily in their lyrics. The same nine club bangers play over and over again on the radio drilling more retardation into their listeners heads. tptb have always tried to keep black americans down, and turned hip hop from a genre of music moving toward unifying black people to calling each other n*ggas and killing each other in gang violence. You didn't see any artist use the "N" word in their lyrics until the early 90's, the days of NWA and Dr Dre ect. It seems that hip hop honestly is trying to get people to # up. Rappers rap about the club but mostly don't even go to the club and when they do they get paid to make a showing. Lupe Fiasco has always been one of my favorite artists and is one artist that speaks truth in his lyrics, and his new album Lazers has a lot of messages in it. Music has become a tool influence the masses since rock music was invented and people need to realize that. Plus nowadays every single artist who has a music video throws up the all seeing eye or the baphomet or satan horns and whatnot...

Originally posted by JRCrowley
Rap is the worst music to come long since the beginning of popular music. It offers the least talent coupled with the most attitude, and I have no idea why kids these days are so quick to pay top dollar to go watch someone give them attitude on stage. The music lacks any depth whatsoever and the people involved are the least musically talented people in the field. They can't even play an instrument.

Back when rap first hit the scene, I scoffed at it because it was so shallow and stupid that I truly believed it wouldn't last more than a few years. How wrong I was! People really are so stupid that they latched onto this vapid sonic tripe. People really have terrible taste.

Rap is a microcosm for the problems in the world today, financial, economic, social etc. Rap proves that we are near the end. When kids are growing up they should be developing a passion for this planet and the issues confronting humanity. Instead they spend their time - and money - watching some idiot rap at them, grabbing his crotch and acting like a fool. That's not music. That's garbage.

Rap is crap, but unfortunately many in this world seem to like crap. And yes, to answer the OP's question, rap is dumbing down today's youth, but then what isn't? It's made to work this way. TV, video games, bad education programs. Nothing new here. Just another project that fits into the big picture, MAKE PEOPLE DUMBER AND THEY'RE EASIER TO CONTROL.




Meanwhile, here is some proof of my argument. I challenge anyone with an IQ over 85 that this shyte isn't the dumbest music on the planet.

(One last thing, warning, the video contains the "N" word, BUT IT'S OKAY BECAUSE THE IDIOT SAYING IT IS BLACK! See how that works? DUMB.)

www.youtube.com...

I agree and disagree with what you are saying.
Rap, is incredibly difficult to do well. Musically speaking. It's difficult to make sure your flow resides with the proper BPM...just like any music...but it is talking...so it is harder to stretch out a word to fit the beat, than singing.

I love all kinds of music. I make heavy metal. That isn't a downfall. I also like classical. And there are a lot of classical elements in metal too.

It is just as hard to "scream" in key, as it is to sing in key. I can do both, and do it well.

Rap can definitely be crap. But the art and the expression is as meaningful in rap music as in ANY music. To the artist and to its fans.

Stereotyping runs rampant in ALL genres too.

Rap = Gun toting blacks with an IQ of a dumpster couch.

Classical= snooty nerdy people, sipping bourbon in their libraries

Metal = jean jacket, pot odorous burnouts with long beautiful hair.

Country = Sad farmers

The list goes on. Perception is yours. Have it. Musicians make it for the people who like it. If you don't, great. But YOUR personal tastes aren't the "right" ones, which need to be inflicted on society.

This is the main reason we are doomed to destroy ourselves, each other and everything else around us.

People are forgetting that their personal opinions aren't necessarily the right ones.

Make some music, make some rap, try a few different styles. The same amount of work goes into a classical piece than goes into a lot of "rap".

The debate of commercialized music is a bit of a different story.

People consume what sounds good to their ears.

4 chords. Warning: Following video has swearing.



So what IS good???

Originally posted by Skate

Originally posted by old_god
Rap = CRAP - period

Then you must have a shi**y taste in rap. Rap is not CRAP. You're just really stuck up and not open-minded to the music it makes.

HAHA did you read the rest of post or did you electrocute yourself with your mouse? I was referring to the commercial drivel that is out there.

Real Hip-Hop and Rap died a long time ago (the likes of Ice T, Public Enemy, NWA etc). And yes Rap = CRAP in the modern mainstream.

Lyricist is the more intelligent label to use now

reply to post by Nobama


You are dead on. Rap and Gangsta Rap, are generally quite crap, but hip hop can be fantastic. If I remember my history "RAP" use to be an acronym for "rhythm and poetry" coined back in the 50's by the beat poets, and jazz musicians.

Back then it was a coming together of white and black. The modern mainstream rap seems to do just the opposite. You can't listen to much of it at all without hearing the word "Cracker" in almost every track. I find it just as offensive as the "N" word.

There is lots of intelligent, and well arranged hip hop out there, but you aren't going to find it listening to mainstream radio or MTV (do they still play music?). To the OP do some looking around and you may be surprised by what you can find. I recommend looking at the Ninja Tune record label and its offshoots. Great stuff and very musical.

reply to post by old_god


"Lyricist" is a good label but I prefer Hip Hop if it's smart with well orchestrated music, and rap or gangsta rap if it's the mainstream drivel on the radio. To just use Lyricist you're kind of negating the music behind the lyrics.

There are many groups out there that are actual bands. Check out Herbaliser, big horn section, great dj, kick ass drummer, and there fantastic live.

Originally posted by Nobama
reply to post by catwhoknowsplusone

 

MAINSTREAM rap is. the good stuff is and always will be underground, if you want to hear good hiphop you have to put your ear to the ground and listen

^^^^
This is true for most every genre of music. Rap obviously at the forefront of stupidity thugness, followed closely by Pop, and Country a close 3rd.

All 3 genres push an image, an image of an idiot. Mainstream rock does this as well but not near as bad as real rock n roll is kinda dying and these "pop" punk bands are taking over.

Underground FTW! Get some originality in your life!

This post raises many questions, all of which i could right pages to refute. To save time and reading I will create a list of RAP facts.

1) Rap is a genre, HIPHOP, Horrorcore, Gutter, CrunkCore, Christian, etc ... all have very diverse messages and affects.

2) Many of the negative aspects of Rap like misogyny, vulgarity, and overwhelming capitalistic ideals, are a reflection of our society.

3) The truth is there is " good "and " bad " rap all over, yet the CEOs of these large companies choose to select low level of conscious music.

reply to post by bad man incorporated

A music teacher taught us a long time ago that with the chords F C Dm A# ,you can transpose that to fit your needs and play just about any "pop" song ever written.

reply to post by EarthwormJim


This is just a bunch of stereotypical nonsense! If rap dumbs kids down than country turns people into hicks, metal influences people to cut themselves, rock makes people do drugs and drink excessively at bars, techno/house makes people take ecstasy and dance at raves, and Arabic music confuses the brain and turns people into suicide bombers.

Your whole premise is ridiculous and you proved nothing!

Immortal Technique insinuate degenerate fags!
So no rap is not dumbing kids down...
IT at its finest, btw I never liked rap too much but this is just dope.

www.youtube.com...

reply to post by Coup_Detat_Cam


Wow, thanks. I haven't heard him before. Great lyricist but it still suffers from the basic repetitive backbeat that I feel takes away from it. The best hip hop has to have music that can stand on it's own. Imagine listening to just the music without the words. How long could you take it.

Here's a few tracks where I think the music is just as strong as the lyrics.









Just a few tracks to show what I mean by strong music as well as strong lyrics. Also Prince Paul has produced some great stuff "Handsome Boy Modeling School", "The DIX" real funny.

I've watched the dumbing down process since it started in the late '60s/early'70s when the curriculum at that time was determined to be "racist" because the black and Hispanic kids weren't keeping up with the Asian and European kids. Thus the curriculum was changed to fit the lowest common denominator. Ask any educator who taught during that era. Add on top of that all the electronic gadgets: computer games; cell phones; computers, and of course television. All those toys became distractions from learning.

Whole cultures came about due to the continual use of the above electronic items. Who cannot see girls glued to their mobile phones hearing and spreading the latest gossip; boys eyes glued to TV screens playing mindless video games for hours and hours. The current generation of kids really has no chance of learning anything significant because their parents were brought up in the same environment of electronic imbecility.

I was in management for a number of years, and believe me, every year the new employees were more stupid and caring only about what was on TV and getting the latest derogatory information about others on their mobile phones. Their jobs was of secondary importance.

Notice the media doesn't have much to say about the deterioration of learning? That's because the media is the problem. It's a well known fact that advertisers can reach the highest market share appealing to the 12 year-old mentality. In psychology this is where "moron" fits. Notice the TV programming is also getting dumber and dumber? I don't think any media CEO would okay a series exposing itself as a source of stupidity or desire intelligent programming . Actually the media has the greatest share of participants where they want them: in a hypnotic state receiving messages to buy things nobody needs. But, I guess it helps the economy.

No, rap music isn't dumbing kids down, it's only a reflection of the current low mentality. But take heart, can music get any lower? Can mentality get any lower? I hope not.

One more superb undeground song.
Snowgoons - Planetary takeover
www.youtube.com...

Doesnt get much better then that

This will explain why no rap with a message gets on the radio


This is probably the best song ever regarding a peaceful tone and contemplation


Please watch these and understand its not about who has talent or not but who speaks truth.

music of substance has never been promoted by the mainstream. You could turn ANY commercial radio station from ANY genre and find examples of music that is dumbed down to program the masses.

OR, you could look at the massive body of work from several different artists...

Is rap music dumbing kids down ? Well that depends on what kind of artist kids are listening to. Some artists speak about change and peace while others talk about violence or how lifes all about getting drunk or whatever. Look at soulja boy and lil wayne, these are those that have an impact on ruining society.. but you also need to know that music is stimulation and Although we listen to it, we dont mimic it.

I am a white suburban kid, and I listen to all kinds of music, everything from avant-garde to hip-hop. And some hip-hop is absolutely incredible. You just got to know where to find it. Mainstream rap generally sucks (hey, same goes for rock) but if you look underground you'll see some amazing artists.

I think ATS would like Canibus he raps about 2012, spirituality, and opening his third eye:


CunninLynguists:

www.youtube.com...

Jedi Mind Tricks:

www.youtube.com...

And on a site of conspiracy theorists, tell me if this song is dumbing people down or helping them wake up, I DARE you. This is by Immortal Technique and Mos Def, both are great.

www.youtube.com...

Also see:
A Tribe Called Quest (old school and amazing),
MF Doom (great rapper who works with great artists such as Danger Mouse, Four Tet, Thom Yorke),
Outkast (mainstream but incredible, especially old school, see both the members' solo albums as well, Andre 3000 plays every instrument (guitars, keyboards, drums) on his album The Love Below,
De La Soul,
People Under The Stairs,
Kanye West (mainstream but so what?),
old Eminem (songs like Stan are genius),
Lupe Fiasco,
Nas,
Macklemore,
The Roots,
Pharoah Monche,
NWA,
Wu-Tang Clan,
Public Enemy (one of my favorite old school and very smart),
Talib Kweli,
Atmosphere, (provides live instrumentation as well)
Aesop Rock
K'naan
Jurassic 5
AZ
And many more I'm probably forgetting...

Underground hip-hop is taking the genre of music to another level, just like electronica or avant-garde rock, etc... Even mainstream now and then has some gems. I really like that new song "Coming Home" by Diddy, although it's more of a pop song than a rap song... Ok, done with my rant for now, Thank you very much.

Personally, as a rap and hip hop fan, my opinion is that there are a lot of generalizations. A lot of main stream music can dumb you down, but at what point do we all take responsibility for our own actions and progress as human beings.
I was a dumb kid and liked gangsta rap a bit to much, I also grew out of it. We should have a bit more faith in the younger generations, how will they ever think they can do much more, when all most of us do is tell them how stupid they are. Just my two cents