The backlash against Hip Hop is coming...

[LeafsNation]

Like musical trends past, it's day of reckoning will come. It may be next year, it may be five years from now (hopefully sooner than later), but for one will be delighted when it does.

The only question that remains is...will it be a resurgent rock music that will fill the void, or something else? I sure hope it's the former....

Cheers

 

[HelloAngel]

I guess I'm not understanding both points of what you're saying.

Hip-hop is NOT a musical trend like say, swing music. It is a valid form of expression for the people it represents - which isn't yourself from what you have said. Just because you might not understand, respect or relate to something doesn't mean it's not a valid piece of music and not a "trend."

Another thing, "resurgent" rock music? Rock is extremely popular right now and is full of exciting rock bands that are all over radio and the video channels.

 

[Zoomerang96]

yeah, i have no idea what the author of this thread is trying to say either.

in terms of mainstream radio, hiphop is pretty much the only inovative genre out there.

 

[melon]

Hip-hop won't die. That's most of the African-American market right there, and you'll always have preteen white kids trying to be "badass." And mainstream music will always cycle between different degrees of crap. After all, look at all the "punk" that's "popular" right now?

Popular music will always suck, and caisenema here is right. All the original producers these days are hip-hop producers.

Melon

 

[Zoomerang96]

now you're calling me caisenema too???

get it right!!!!!!!

 

[Zoomerang96]

and by the way, rock music blows for the most part. i'd be careful before i go wishing for it to be any more popular than it already is.

think about it. does the world need another coldplay/nickelback/matchbox twenty?

 

[u2popmofo]

I agree with everything everyone has said. A musical genre which has been in the mainstream for 20 years now is not exactly a trend. In all honesty, hip hop is absolutely dominating the musical industry (in the US at least).

On a somewhat related tangent, there are TONS of hip hop acts that really should be given a chance, great stuff.

 

[indra]

Well, my theory is, if you don't like something, just don't listen to it. Find something you do like and listen to that instead.

 

[cujo]

I pretty much share the same sentiments as the majority of replies in this thread... except that I think the current iteration of rap in its mainstream form will lose favour (notice the difference between rap the medium and hip hop the cultural expression). The prevalent aesthetic of excesses in this mainstream type is reminiscent of the glam era rock, and it's only a matter of time before the demand is shifted towards a more organic and stripped-down hip hop mentality. Music has always worked in this cycle... crossing all genres.

"Hip Hop" will not go away. Rap will not go away. These collectively shouldn't go away. And for all the guitar-worshipping rock fans out there that loathe the prospects of this art form continuing... I hope you enjoy listening to the same albums for the rest of your life. Then again, the current self-referential state of stagnation in rock doesn't lend much hope to a different outcome.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I agree with everything everyone has said. A musical genre which has been in the mainstream for 20 years now is not exactly a trend. In all honesty, hip hop is absolutely dominating the musical industry (in the US at least).

On a somewhat related tangent, there are TONS of hip hop acts that really should be given a chance, great stuff.

Ditto, and I am so glad to see that people here aren't willing to jump on the "let's bash rap music" bandwagon. I swear, I don't know when it suddenly became cool to say that all rap music sucks, but it really annoys the heck out of me, especially after having to witness argument after argument with other people regarding what genre is "better" or "worse" than another, why this genre or that genre supposedly has no redeeming value, etc. And the people who say x genre sucks base this purely on stereotypes, no less, as well as on reasoning that could easily be applied to any other genre (ex: "All rappers do is sing about girls, drugs, and money." Yeah, so have a number of rock acts over the years...your point?).

The bottom line is that there's good and bad music in all genres, and even then, what is "good" and what is "bad" is still entirely personal opinion. Everyone should just listen to whatever they personally love to listen to and leave it at that.

Bah. Sorry about going off on a bit of a rant here, but that's just been something that's been bugging me a lot lately, and I'm just really glad to see that people here aren't falling into the same trap .

Angela

 

[lmjhitman]

I think the current iteration of rap in its mainstream form will lose favour (notice the difference between rap the medium and hip hop the cultural expression). The prevalent aesthetic of excesses in this mainstream type is reminiscent of the glam era rock, and it's only a matter of time before the demand is shifted towards a more organic and stripped-down hip hop mentality.

Wow cujo... that's hot

Then again, the current self-referential state of stagnation in rock doesn't lend much hope to a different outcome.

Agreed. Nickelback/Matchbox20/ThreeDoorsDown and their ilk are killing rock music. Hip-hop's the only genre that's shaking things up right now.

 

[Palace_Hero]

Rap music is crap, no matter how many people like it.

That is not an opinion, but a fact no one can argue with. Deall with it.

Cheers,

J.

 

[Saracene]

My rock-loving Dad has been saying "rap is just a passing fad" for the last 15 years or so,

 

[intedomine]

Hip Hop and Rock are merging at the moment.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

And for all the guitar-worshipping rock fans out there that loathe the prospects of this art form continuing... I hope you enjoy listening to the same albums for the rest of your life. Then again, the current self-referential state of stagnation in rock doesn't lend much hope to a different outcome.

I love you cujo, and I want to have your babies.

No, but seriously, that sums up exactly how I feel about the whole 'rap is crap' argument.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Rap music is crap, no matter how many people like it.

That is not an opinion, but a fact no one can argue with. Deall with it.

Cheers,

J.

...

Angela

 

[pax]

Why the backlash against hiphop? He seems like a decent fellow to me.

 

[joyfulgirl]

"Also looking forward was Adam - to 25 years time when the hip hop community would be being inducted into the Hall of Fame."

Just read that over in U2 News...

 

[RademR]

hip hop used to be a very strong genre of music, there were some real great talent in the field until the late 90s. It has now become a awful genre which is solely done for marketing and making money. There is no art or talent involved. The worst part is the rap artists that get played on MTV are the worst.

However, there are still some good hip hop artists out there, you just have to look hard for them. The roots are an incredible hip hop band, they play all real instruments and have some great lyrics.

I'd say 90% of hip hop today = Ignorant Poetry + Looping Drum Machines

 

[LeafsNation]

Rap music is crap, no matter how many people like it.

That is not an opinion, but a fact no one can argue with. Deall with it.

Cheers,

J.

All I'm saying is I'm tired of turning on the radio, MuchMusic, movies, going into music stores and hearing only this stuff. It is clearly the dominant music right now, and anyone who thinks rock is as popular as HipHop right now is deluding themseves.

Maybe I just don't get it, but I simply cannot understand what's so appealing about a guy talking about the crap going on in his life over a drum machine with some scratches (is it that much different than some guy talking over a fiddle at your local square dance/hoedown...you know, "Skip your partner round and round, pick her up and put her down...). I'm not saying these guys aren't talented at what they do (especially the older acts like Run DMC and the Beastie Boys), and I would agree with one of my critics that it is a valid form of musical expression, even if it's a more base form.

Nevertheless, I just can't get into a genre that essentially has little to no melody. Even a loud obnoxious AC/DC song like Hell's Bells has some kind of melody. When was the last time you whistled a rap tune in the shower or hummed one on the way to work? I know Bono likes Hip Hop, but to use his expression that music is a "reflection of the soul", please explain to me people how this music can touch your soul like a rock song can (or even an R and B, Blues or Jazz song).


Cheers

 

[HelloAngel]

Maybe I just don't get it, but I simply cannot understand what's so appealing about a guy talking about the crap going on in his life over a drum machine with some scratches (is it that much different than some guy talking over a fiddle at your local square dance/hoedown...you know, "Skip your partner round and round, pick her up and put her down...).

Here's a question: how are you drawing a distinction between story-telling techniques in good rap music versus story-telling techniques in rock music? Is it that you don't relate to living in the ghetto and growing up impoverished with no true heroes to look up to, versus the woe-is-me aspect that alot of rock music has?

While I'll give it to you that 90% of the hip-hop that is played on the radio is absolute drek, you have to realize that the true story-tellers out there: Nas, Jay-Z, Mos Def, Common, The Roots, OutKast are tremendous at what they do, and really do write beautiful words. They are telling their stories and they are touching - it's just a matter of whether you relate to and/or appreciate the struggle or not.

Case in point, I worked at a music store for 3 years. My best friends on staff were total hip-hop headz and they knew full well that I was a rocker chick. They'd put on Wu Tang or Biggie Smalls and totally vibe, whereas I'd put on David Bowie and Depeche Mode and totally vibe. When Depeche Mode was on, my good friend Toya actually looked scared at the stories of the rock music I loved, just as I was a tad knocked back by the stories B.I.G used to tell. It's about what you relate to, and this often becomes a matter of, "I don't relate to it, therefore it must suck."

 

[GibsonGirl]

Rap music bugs me. Rap videos bug me. Rappers bug me. And there's nothing I, nor anyone else, can do about it. Rap/hip hop isn't like disco (though it's equally bad, in my opinion ) - it'll be with us for a long time.

Ah well. That's why selective hearing works so well. Don't like it, block it out and focus on something else.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

and by the way, rock music blows for the most part. i'd be careful before i go wishing for it to be any more popular than it already is.

think about it. does the world need another coldplay/nickelback/matchbox twenty?

You know something, Zoomerang? The amount of times I've seen you bitch about Matchbox20, makes me think that you're secretly a huge fan of their stuff... you mention them in approximately 6 out of every 10 posts of yours (that I've seen).

Thinking about it... maybe you are one of the Matchbox20 bunch... in which case, if you're Rob Thomas, you're not bad looking, but if you're any of the others, forget it.

Well, my theory is, if you don't like something, just don't listen to it. Find something you do like and listen to that instead.

Couldn't agree more. A person may not like a particular "style" or"type" of music - but to dismiss the entire genre as a fad is, in my opinion, pig ignorant.

We are here on a U2 discussion site*. I wonder how many of the "rock" acts, (however you define that term, which is a whole new debate in itself) appreciated by so many of us, got where they are by writing off important cultural influences and remaining in their own shallow little popworld, refusing to extend their musical repetoire by opening their minds to all kind of music?? U2 certainly didn't.

That's that dealt with. NEXT.


*hey, there's nothing wrong with stating the bleedin' obvious

 

[bollox]

I pretty much share the same sentiments as the majority of replies in this thread... except that I think the current iteration of rap in its mainstream form will lose favour (notice the difference between rap the medium and hip hop the cultural expression). The prevalent aesthetic of excesses in this mainstream type is reminiscent of the glam era rock, and it's only a matter of time before the demand is shifted towards a more organic and stripped-down hip hop mentality. Music has always worked in this cycle... crossing all genres.

you make a really good point there and the analogy is intriguing (and appropos). unfortunately, the "bling" era of rap has been going strong since the mid-90s and shows no signs of ending. there's a lot of great stuff out there, but the majority of the popular artists are pretty awful, much in the way motley crue/poison/et al were awful in the glam metal era.

still, it's ignorant to think that the awfulness of the genre's most popular artists negates the value of the genre itself; just because nickleback/creed/linkin park suck doesn't mean that rock music sucks. nirvana ended the reign of glam metal in the early 90s; will a new artist come along and do the same for hip hop? there's lots of talented hip hop artists, but will the mainstream recognize them? there's nothing wrong with hip hop itself, it just seems that the current market rewards those on the more shallow end of the spectrum.

outkast is one of the few acts that is progressive musically while retaining street credibility (all-important in hip hop) as well as mainstream success. though it looks like they may not continue to make music. eminem is hugely successful and certainly talented, though the artistic quality of his work has steadily diminshed since his second album. will an artist come along to revitalize hip hop as nirvana did for rock? it will be interesting to find out.

 

[Zoomerang96]

You know something, Zoomerang? The amount of times I've seen you bitch about Matchbox20, makes me think that you're secretly a huge fan of their stuff... you mention them in approximately 6 out of every 10 posts of yours (that I've seen).

and you know what? i've been ragging on them for a lot longer than you've been a member of this website. if you don't like it, tough. matchbox twenty has played a large part in destroying mainstream rock radio, and they deserve all the shit i throw at them - and a whole lot more.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

and you know what? i've been ragging on them for a lot longer than you've been a member of this website. if you don't like it, tough. matchbox twenty has played a large part in destroying mainstream rock radio, and they deserve all the shit i throw at them - and a whole lot more.

Thankyou, Lester Bangs, for that balanced, articulate, and meaningful assessment of Matchbox20.

Zoo, chill out. if you wanna moan about them that's your business - I just responded with an off-the-cuff remark, which as it stands is not yet illegal. I personally couldn't give a rat's arse what you think about Matchbox20, and I am pretty sure you feel the same way about me. I'm not stupid enough to think otherwise, or to get into a rage about somebody disagreeing with me over something reasonably trivial. I was brought up better than that and also to use a bit of common sense.

As for you bitching about a band for longer than I've been here - how mature! That really made me laugh. The fact that you, in your own words, have been "ragging on them", while I've usually tried to have interesting and reasonable discussions (as opposed to just chucking toys out of the pram at random), says a hell of a lot more about your mentality than it does about mine. What does it matter how long any of us have been here? I'm just as entitled to express my opinion as you are to yours.

To summarise, if YOU can't handle a rational debate... well, suffice to say that it isn't MY problem. Take a few doses of your own medicine: if YOU don't like it, it's tough for you, not me. So back the fuck off, pal. Try logic next time, rather than pathetic bullying tactics - I left the playground a long, long time ago.

Best wishes,
An ADULT.

 

[HelloAngel]

For what it's worth, Bear, Matchbox 20 are pretty much defunct. Now you can attack Rob Thomas' sure to be dreadful solo "career." They're not even played on any other radio stations besides adult contemporary stations, so not sure the belief that they destroyed rock radio holds a tub of water.

The mainstream rock radio stations I listen to play Muse, The Kaiser Chiefs, Interpol, The Bravery and Franz Ferdinand. I think that's pretty cool

 

[yimou]

I truly hate hiphop videos. I am sick and tired of the concept of a few rappers looking cool while a bunch of half naked women dance around them.. And NO !!!!, its not because i am jealous Its just pathetic..

But i guess its a real hit in the hiphop community.

 

[HelloAngel]

Let's not confuse "crunk" and "booty music" with true hip-hop.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I think I support most of what you say HelloAngel but crunk and booty music is as much a part of "true" hip hop as what the "artists" such as Black Star, the Roots, Blackalicious, etc. put out.