I realized a few years ago that I had no idea what music was popular and considered “good” these days. This was mainly because I hadn’t had a car for a while and that’s where I’d listen to the radio. I wasn’t actively seeking new music, on Spotify, Genius, Vevo or whatever the hell people do these days… but if it comes my way like radio, I’ll tune in.
Today’s rant is about rap music.
I used to be a B+ rap fan. I’m 42, I remember as the form was first taking shape. Sugar Hill Gang, Slick Rick, Run DMC, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy, etc. Times were changing in the 80s and music reflected it. Sometimes it was just entertainment, sometimes it was social discourse, and sometimes you didn’t know what the lyrics were about. Music is ultimately art.
Though the were exceptions, the two things rap music always seemed to be good for was Tempo and Beat, which are tied together. They were songs that excited people, that I could at least nod my head to if not dance to at clubs.
Or at least that’s how it was up until I got rid of my car in 2000. In the years following I had a casual finger on the pulse of rap, hearing songs here and there… Eminem Jay Z, Kanye, etc.
But in 2012 I got a car again and after a while of listening to classic rock and sports, I’m trying to learn about what’s good in today’s rap and the radio usually played the popular stuff, especially the rap/hip-hop station in NYC. And my the prevailing question that I ask is…
WHERE THE FUCK DID THE BEATS GO?!?!
What’s replaced a good drum beat is this slow, creeping be-boop, be-boop or a slow riff on a high-hat cymbal and a soft beat. And often there’s a sang musical interlude sang by someone else. And the sang choruses allow for all of the “featuring” artists in songs. Thisperson featuring Thatperson. See the example I found on the radio.
There’s no hip, and definitely no hop.
I mean, Snoop had a sang chorus in Gin and Juice, Biggie had a sang chorus in Mo Money, Mo Problems, were those the founding fathers of today’s awful rap/sang format? Is it because of them that Eminem now sounds like this?!?!:
Say it ain’t so!!!!
Rap music has lost it’s edge. And I don’t even mean they have to be about race relations like Public Enemy or Gangsta living like NWA. I know there are good artists out there somewhere, but as it seems from radio, what I’ve seen on tv and countdowns, that to gain general acceptance, music producers forgot how rap should sound.
I think there is only one beat now that powers every genre of music. You can hear virtually the same beat in country music, too. The dummies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmmmmm
LikeLike
A hilarious but also very true comment about music
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks
LikeLike
They sounded strange, even for me (I don’t understand much about music but the rhythm was missing 🙂 )
LikeLiked by 2 people
Seriously gone
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not much into rap music but what annoys me about the radio is they play the same set of 20 songs all day long. Have you noticed that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That too. Great point
LikeLiked by 1 person
Probably one of the reasons why i now listen to more trap music than Hip Hop, it definitely has a beat.
LikeLike
I have to look that up. Never heard of it
LikeLiked by 1 person
However, lyrically there’s nothing much to it and it’s infused with electro house. You can look up Dan Farber
LikeLike
Will do
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good rap moved off off the radio. But it is alive and well. Try listening to slaughterhouse, they can have my money any day.
LikeLike
Hmmmmm…
LikeLike