Rap music is an absolute joke

To write off an entire genre of music as garbage is, and always will be, the musings of the opinionated. To suggest that anyone can make a hip hop record because it's easy to sample a record and record some raps is patently absurd. Even the music referred to as garbage, in this case the reference to Kanye West, is laughable because even though you may not enjoy a song like "Otis" doesn't mean that it's ripe for the denigration of the misguided. The art of sampling, and make no mistake about the nomenclature that I have chosen to describe it, isn't the armchair musician approach that you would make it out to be. It's oftentimes an extremely involved process, please listen to anything that J-Dilla ever put together for future reference of that, or Pete Rock, or Dj Premier. Any mainstream music regardless of genre, can rightfully called garbage by the incessant, and oftentimes more eloquent, criticisms of the purists. How ironic that De La Soul is mentioned as great whilst bashing the act of sampling which they have always done.

There is a lot of good hip hop out there, unfortunately you have to look for it. Back in the 90's you could trip over great music at the record stores with little effort, now you have to be a little more savvy lest you leave with some corporate manufactured drivel that populates the shelves.

I don't disagree with everything the OP says, but I am really getting tired of seeing "Rap music is an ABSOLUTE JOKE" on the top of the page.

You're wrong. Change your title to MAINSTREAM rap is a absolute joke. I understand what you're trying to get across, but labeling the entire genre as crap without acknowledging all the hidden and independent talents of the underground, is disingenuous and insulting at best.

reply to post by sir_slide

I'd like you to listen to Immortal Technique. Thats real rap. By the way, mainstream 'rap' is pop music. Nothing else.

EM CEES:

For the philosopher:
www.youtube.com...
KRS-ONE (Knowledge Reign Supreme Over Nearly Everyone)
One of the originators of thoughtful rap.

For the cospiractor:
www.youtube.com...
Immortal Technique, a gangster who saw the other side and dedicated his life to revealing truths.

For the tripper:
www.youtube.com...
www.youtube.com...
Edan- This guy is white, vegan and don't touch drugs. He also is the DJ the producer, the rapper, the beatboxxer. This type of guy is an all in one, less about the live battles more about showing your all round skills.

For you californians:
www.youtube.com...
www.youtube.com...
www.youtube.com...
Freestyle fellowship, originated from a shop in Cali. Chilled out vibes, deep lyrics.

For you stoners:
www.youtube.com...
A bit of the marley sons, still keeping it real for their father.

For you off the tops (freestylers):
www.youtube.com...
I was at this one.

For the icons:
www.youtube.com...
Common, remember this song isn't about Love, its about his love for the progression of Hip Hop

For the Orgiginator of the thread who had a go at Tupac:
www.youtube.com...
Digital Underground, of which Tupac was a member

How to piss Tupac off:
www.youtube.com...
This is the song, which was released whilst Biggie was touring Tupacs area of the USA. Biggie never meant to air this song but did it to piss off a lot of tupac fans who went to his gig to heckle him.

A song for the tear in the eye:
www.youtube.com...

The one and only Guru (so truthful):
www.youtube.com...
www.youtube.com...
www.youtube.com... (my favourite)

For the unemployed:
www.youtube.com...
www.youtube.com...

For the fatty and specky:
www.youtube.com...

For the corporate americans:
www.youtube.com...

If your outta beer:
www.youtube.com...

The funny:
www.youtube.com...
www.youtube.com...

Who Rage against the machine ripped off:
www.youtube.com...

British Dub Hop:
www.youtube.com...

These are a collection of Rap artists, who do not rap about, crap.
These are the originators of rap, so before you crticize rap you need to really the 'gangster rap' comes after this.

Mainstream rap/hip hop is unbearable and is like poison in my ears, I'm actually OK with most mainstream music but almost 95% of mainstream rap/hip hop is all about girls,drugs, and self promotion which is just annoying to listen to in my opinion. Underground rap is much more soothing to the ears for those who seek deep lyrics and truth. Good underground rappers (even though some are signed I still consider them underground) in my opinion are JMT (Jedi Mind Tricks), AOTP (Army of the Pharaohs) , Immortal Technique, Diabolic, Genocide, Beast 1333 there are quite a few more but those are high up on my list.

Originally posted by modusoperandi
To write off an entire genre of music as garbage is, and always will be, the musings of the opinionated. To suggest that anyone can make a hip hop record because it's easy to sample a record and record some raps is patently absurd. Even the music referred to as garbage, in this case the reference to Kanye West, is laughable because even though you may not enjoy a song like "Otis" doesn't mean that it's ripe for the denigration of the misguided. The art of sampling, and make no mistake about the nomenclature that I have chosen to describe it, isn't the armchair musician approach that you would make it out to be. It's oftentimes an extremely involved process, please listen to anything that J-Dilla ever put together for future reference of that, or Pete Rock, or Dj Premier. Any mainstream music regardless of genre, can rightfully called garbage by the incessant, and oftentimes more eloquent, criticisms of the purists. How ironic that De La Soul is mentioned as great whilst bashing the act of sampling which they have always done.

There is a lot of good hip hop out there, unfortunately you have to look for it. Back in the 90's you could trip over great music at the record stores with little effort, now you have to be a little more savvy lest you leave with some corporate manufactured drivel that populates the shelves.

take it from someone who has recorded tons of different projects. it is exponentially easier to create some types of music than others. and it's not just rap.

certain types of hardcore, metalcore, and punk, are dead simple to write better than 90 percent of whats out there. why? because you take a big piece out of the equation when you are imitating something else, and putting up borders and boundaries about what is acceptable or not.

for instance, if you're writing a hardcore track. you dont have to write melodies. you have to scream and write lyrics. that's it. if you make it sound heavy or "bad@ass" enough, people will act like you're mozart.

it's similar with rap. yes, a rapper has to have a flow and some sense of lyric writing, but the bar's not exactly set too high. not to mention the VAST majority of rappers don't write their beats/songs, so all they have to do is spit to it. it takes next to nothing.

now there is definitely oversaturation in every genre, and something good to be found in any genre, but with some, it's just way easier to create and have success. rap has almost become a cop-out these days.

and by the way, the "art" of sampling and beatmaking IS the armchair approach it's made out to be.

I'm sorry but you know nothing about rap because rap/hip hop is the most powerful genre of music today. Rock is dead my friends and it has been since 25yrold males started dressing like female middle schoolers but back to my point. Rap does a things that no other genre of music can do, it can makes you feel strong emotions with just words alone because in the mind of a rapper/poet you don't need instruments those are just extra sounds because at the end of the day words are what get your message out there. Rap/HipHop is music for the struggler, the rebel, the truth speakers, thats why they tried to destroy it. Do you think it was a coincidence that NWA came out right after Public Enemy? Hell NO TPTB needed something the counter act Public Enemy because they couldn't have angry, poor, minorities screaming "FIGHT THE POWER" because eventually they'll start fighting the power so get them to scream "F The Police" and you have a totally different result. Another example, If you listen to Kanye West nowadays you'll see that he's completely sold out and raps about cars, clothes, hoes, money, fame, and fine dining but if you go back to his early years he was a conscience Rapper like Talib Kweli, Common, Dead prez, Immortal Tech. He had a strong message that was simple at the same time which was be yourself, believe what you believe in, and chase your dreams. He knew about the struggles most people in the world go through and did a lot to let the world know but something happens to rappers when they become to famous and that's called "ILLUMiNATI". They control rap because if you do that then you control minorities and that's why you'll here rappers say stuff like this "I'm swimming in a yellow B*tch, In the red 9/11 looking devilish" it's brainwashing that's why you only here a handful of mainstream rappers doing songs together because there part of the same things. Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Drake, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj etc but even if they aren't now they will be soon because if they don't they lose their fame or die or both! Example, Tupac Shakur was asked by Quincy Jones to have gay sex with him (Pac being the top) and he said no. Now Tupac was engaged to Quincy Jones daughter so what happened after that is Tupac was murdered, Quincy Jones daughter was best friends with Aliyah the singer who also is dead now, and she was engaged to Dame Dash who after her death was fired by Jay-Z after Jay-Z met with the "bluebloods" over the weekend before The Black album tour. Everyone in the equation either died or is out of the lime light because thats would have been Tupacs ritual to get in the illuminati but since he said no he was disposed of and so was anyone else who could have exposed the truth. See TPTB fear rap music because it can and will start a revolution of truth and justice if they let it so they must dumb it down. You can't do that with any type of rock nowadays because all the kids listen to is Scene music and those who listen to metal (like me) and other types like that can't understand the words anyway so who cares but rap will always have the same formula. No ones gonna know your hardships and the hardships of the planet unless you speak it to them, and no one is gonna listen unless they like what they hear so you throw the uplifting, inspirational lyrics over a dope ass beat and what you got there is a mind opener for a lot of people. There's a lot of new rappers coming out now that are great and bringing hip hop back to how it used to be because they can see what's happening to it now. That's why most new rappers are staying independent now because they cannot beat the system for the inside especially when you don't know who to trust. The Rap industry is a game that no one ever wins you just try and do better on your next album/mixtape.

I'm bored of typing this now so I'm gonna go f**k my b*tch to some California Love and sip henny while a toke a Goddy so...P.S Tupac didn't rape anyone look at the facts and if Rap is a joke all other genres are down right hysterical especially rock.

He did.

I look at rap music the same way that I look at homosexuality. I just don't get it. All I know is this: You're going to be hard pressed to find ANY positive messages in rap music. Why? Because the subject matter isn't positive. Why? Because the ghetto isn't, by and large, positive. Why? Becasue 95% of the populations in the ghettos across the country don't make an effort to change their circumstances. Why? Becasue it's easier to complain about the way things are then to actually change them. And if you can't change them, what 's the point in being bitter and angry about it? Is that going to change anything? Of course not.

Oh, wait a minute.....I'm wrong. It WILL change something. You can take that bitterness and anger, rap about it, make tons of money, and whether you stay in the ghetto with your roll or move to Beverly Hills with it, all you are at that point is a n*gger with money.

Excuse my french but I've seen this happen since the "80's. I've seen it first hand becasue I was married to a black woman in "80's, had a child with her, and have seen first hand what this lifestyle is all about. Flame me all you want, but I know what I'm talking about. Most of these types of rappers and the guys who try to be like 'em take it on the downlow. It's disgusting that they get so much media attention and influence so many kids today.

You see that guy under my name on the left? He did more to bring attention to the likes of Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and Howlin' Wolf than any of these rap nitwits today ever will. Has he ever taken it on the downlow? You can bet he has. You can also bet that he doesn't make any bones about. He doesn't put on airs to make you think he's something that he's not. What you see is what you get, and that's the mark of a real man.

THIS is music:

www.youtube.com...

www.youtube.com...

reply to post by sir_slide


Firstly i think rap music is the worst possible music or musical style anyone could ever use as a role model and here's why:-

1. if they are so talented in rapping or rather imaginative use and appliance of English language, why do all rappers either flunk school or never attended school, yet if they realized their true talent in English they'd have a respectable and credible career?

2. rappers only incite hate and separatism on their own will, no-one else's and blame everybody but themselves for their hardships?

3. rap glamorizes crime, it's profits and proceed's to crime, we daren't say a word cos' we'dbe racist otherwise yet they can use profane word's such as n***r, but if a white person were to use, reference it they would face charges of racism.

4. they make it look like their hard done by, maybe they should look at their (likely) criminally minded parents who were non-achievers and took to crime to feed their family (i wanna be like my awesome daddy!). Yes once upon a time, afro-caribeans were treated poorly and unjust and rightly so fought to change their future,rights,prospects, and entitlements, but not today , they have the world in their palms, at least in the UK.

5. the mainstream media and music industry probably wants to turn their back on rap, but don't in fear of racist claims, why did rap get so big in the first place? it's not about black or white here, it's about whats good and bad. but the music industry will focus on anything that'll make big bucks, today it's rap, hey let's bring up my child on music that'll give my kid a sound knowledge of :- how to not goto school, hate authority, murder the friend who pinched a fag off you, rape the girl you wished you could go out with, whilst drugging her at the same time, make good money in drugs (who needs school?) , look daddy i can fire a gun like you!, "kid you ain't hard till you done time son, wanna be a hardman, you know what to do son.", why get car finance when you can carjack a merc like your rap idol does, daddy when i grow up i'm gonna be a rapper so i can be rich, dangerous, goto prison, have "respect" and afford a house with loadsa private security so i can do drugs with my hommies.

AND YOU LET YOUR KIDS LISTEN TO THIS #? time to wake up and smell the coffee America and UK, it isnt racist to say a music style is so bad a influence that we now have a whole generation of outright bloody dangerous and violent kids roaming our streets ready to kill an innocent person for a haribo sweet?, that will not work for love nor money, cos all they know is crime pays! and there favourite music style teaches exactly that!

I'VE SAID MY PIECE, IT'S TRUE, IT'S NOT RACIST AND YOU WONDER WHY THE U.S AND U.K ECONOMIES HAVE TAKEN A SKYDDIVE?


i forgot to mention that most if not all those who like or produce rap know absolutely nothing about music and music theory and have never attempted to learn an instruement yet call them-self a music artist? ifyou failed music in school would you try to make a career out of it? this explains their wildly warped mentality if you ask me.

reply to post by CBSEInfinte


holy wall of text. theres no way my brain can handle reading that mess

just to humor the first couple sentences, id say rap lost its relevance when everything got glossed over with autotune, or even arguably after big. theres garbage and gems in every genre, and that definitely includes rock, i dont completely agree with the op, i just was giving my 2 cents about how easy rap is to make nowadays, and how 99 percent of it is indeed an uninspired joke.

Most Rap is a joke.

Lyrics like this:

Down in da hizzy
I went and got mizzy
Oh and I hand that MotherF%^$#%# Banana
Met a hunny named Anna

God, that stuff pisses me off.

If it makes some sense, it's fine by me.

I'm a song writer/musician. I grew up listening to classic rock and heavy metal and those are still my favorite genre. My father was a classical music and jazz fan and turned me on to some great artists. I liked rap music growing up also. Ever since the beginning when the Sugar Hill Gang, Grand Master Flash, Whoodini and Run DMC first came onto the music scene. In high school I liked the Beasite Boys, Ice-T, Public Enemy, NWA and many others

I'm not really a huge fan of rap music these days. But a few bad apples don't always spoil the whole bunch. There are many rap artists who I think deserve much props and cudos for their work and contributions to music, spirituality, passing on life lessons and knowledge.

How many kids have committed suicide because they were listening to some heavy metal song or some goth song? It is a bad practice to blame artists for the actions of others. "Don't shoot the messenger, just because you don't like the message." I think rap is good outlet for people to express themselves and vent their anger and frustrations with TPTB and the state of society and the World we live in.

Take the former gangster rappers Ice-T and Ice Cube. They both moved on in their careers to become actors in movies and television. Ice Cube made some great family films like are "Are we there yet". Ice-T now plays a police officer on television. They and others promote a positive message to the public and youth now.

I would like to share a few rap songs created by ATS member nakiannunaki. His songs and videos I find to be very creative, informative and inspiring. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Youtube user name Maitreyatfa

A the end of the day this topic is going to go to a dead end.
Some like rock, some like metal, some like pop and some like hip hop.
Its the one thing in the world I am happy to disagree on.

But I am very very happy to see the ATS members with a good knowledge on Hip hop and wide range of genres.

Keep up the good work everyone.

Except the trolls.

reply to post by MBUK3D


yes but metal, rock, jazz, blues, classical, opera and pop plus many other mainstream music styles never incited crime, hate and racism, this is unique to rap music, yet rap was invented by 4 evangelical ministers back in the 50's, i doubt they wanted their message and passage of god to evolve into this! and that if they thought for a moment it would, they would have thought up some other way to transmit gods message.

Originally posted by sir_slide

The Absolute majority of the 'music' is stolen. It is sampled/STOLEN from other people. IF it is not it is usually unimaginative, derivative of every other piece of Sh** rap record that hasn't made the top 40 and repetitive.

if i had to quote on all i agree too, well, this part by itself deserves a S&F

Originally posted by Dr Cosma
What a waste of server space.
Get a life.

and by life you meana big a$$ chain?
or a bentley?
or a bunch of crack to peddle to people with a life?

how about some self respect, or humility. not worshipping someone who uses an autotuner to sound "good" while he brags about how he can fk your woman because she only wants money, and he has it

reply to post by qonone


i totally agree, this is because most youth and 40 year olds that think their 16 and share their wardrobe with their sons have an attention span of 8 bars, to those rappers and their fans out there, translation:-

60bpm "must be a ballad or these drugs are giving me palpitations"
100bpm this is about 20 seconds
140bpm about 10 seconds "enough time for you to think, i like this song"
160bpm "too drugged to care"
rinse and repeat "otherwise ya might skip the track"

reply to post by technologicalsingularity


Well here in the UK, we had a lot of tensions, maybe not so much of ethnic, but between genres of music.
The mods and the rockers. That was around the 1960's before any violence could be condemned to rap.

I'm pretty sure i've heard a few Rolling Stones interviews where they confessed to joining in.

Also, i'd double check on the origins of rap, it was a story telling device used in central africa to the beat of the drums.

I'm pretty sure rap has never incited racism, if anything it helps black brothers to cope with the suppression they received in the last century.

reply to post by MBUK3D

Good song list.

This is one of my recent rap favorites by Immortal Technique