State of Hip Hop

system · July 20, 2009, 2:03am

For those people on T-Nation that enjoy Hip-hop/rap:

What do you all think about the tone of music coming out. Here in New York it almost seems like we are declaring war against ringtone music and catchy dance songs (i.e. death of Autotune - Jay Z, Hip Hop is Dead- NAS). But, I don’t know how others feel around the country and in the world. Personally I can’t stand anymore Soulja Boy, Autotune, Southern Dance Raps, Snap you fingers, Do the purple nurple, etc. It’s bad music. There will always be a place for pop-rap crap, but in recent years it been in the mainstream for way too long. For those intelligent posters here on T-Nation who enjoy Hip-Hop please discuss.

system · July 20, 2009, 2:13am

Some examples for you guys:

Hate:

My opinion of good Hip-Hop:

Anything on Illmatic by Nas

Lift_or_die · July 20, 2009, 2:34am

Eminem is my favourite but really soulja boys songs i probably only listen to once and then I just can’t stand that shit. Lil wayne has some tight songs. Jay-z is good. Snoop dog. 50 cent is alright lately though most of his songs have been pretty lame. I get money lol a 2 year old could have wrote better lyrics. But I like Eminem, Jay-z, T.I. because their songs tell a story.

Xab · July 20, 2009, 2:43am

My music tastes lie more towards metal, jazz, and trance (techno). I do, however, enjoy a lot of hip-hop.

Mostly, I stay away from stuff that’s commonly on radio stations, except for some Jay-Z. Rap is lyricism, and when you have an entire song that consists of “SUPERSOAK THAT HOOOOO!!!,” it kind of kills the purpose.

I’m all down for more underground stuff though, and verdant, if that is the trend that rap is heading towards, I’d be damn happy. Rap/Hip-hop needs to return to it’s roots and get away from this bullshit of repeating the same line over and over with no regard to artistic integrity.

byukid · July 20, 2009, 2:52am

Aesop Rock

MF DOOM

That’s about all I’ve been on lately. I was surprisingly pleased with Kanye’s 808’s and Heartbreaks- yes it used the autotuner, but it was a real album. I liked it, and I’m not ashamed of that.

Then of course there’s chicken digger

(I wrote the lyrics for this song)

B_L_U_Ninja · July 20, 2009, 3:02am

Right now, I think hip-hop is coming back. Now that Eminem is back and dropping Relapse 2 and Jay-z is gonna be dropping Blueprint 3 and Nas is working on his own album, I think hip-hop is officially back again.

I “fell inlove” with hip-hop because of the lyricism and the story telling aspect of it. I wish RAKIM drops the Seventh Seal soon and KRS-ONE makes another album. I give credit to T.I and Lil wayne for keeping hip-hop on life support while guys like Eminem, Nas and Jay-z all took breaks from the scene for awhile.

And as for soulja boy and all them other garbage rappers, I used to HATE on them alot, but I figured, there’s always gonna be kids who’re gonna like their shit so why even bother? I still hate their music, but sometimes you gotta look at it in their perspective too. They have families to feed and if they’re gonna get their money that way, so be it.

Being 16 and being down with LYRICAL hip-hop, it’s kinda hard to find other “teens” that can relate. I always enjoy hitting that rewind button when someone says something clever and saying “OOOOOHHHHH did you hear what he said”? and making that funny face when someone drops a nasty punchline.

Songs you probably don’t know but would love:

(Kenji by Fort minor)

(Never turns out how you thought it would by Classified)

(OH CANADA by Classified)

(What’s real by Classified)

(Right now by Fort Minor feat. Blackthought)

jtg987 · July 19, 2009, 11:16pm

same old thread once every month or two, use the search function.

i think people are going to be sitting back to see what jay-z and eminem bring to the table and how the public responds to it before anything changes, to be honest I love the death of autotune track, Also slaughterhouse is dropping next month which if they are consistant with everything else they have released so far it will be a classic - royce, joel and buddens seem to have great chemistry on tracks.

Hip Hop isn’t dead as Hip Hop consists of different parts not just rapping such as graffiti, dance etc those parts aren’t dead.

It’s just a bunch of old heads getting their knickers in a knot because they have to search for music they like instead of it being everywhere like before.

Ct_Rockula · July 20, 2009, 3:52am

About eminem, its pretty well known I hate him. For a few reasons

He is a poser, of what? Everything! He steals ideas from another subtype of rap called Horror Core or Wicked .

If you don’t belive me

check these two songs

3 a.a. by Em, talks about killing people in his sleep off his new cd

em’s is a better quality because he can afforf to do all the effects to enhance his product, Psychopathic does theres in their city DETROIT SW

Violent J, SleepWalker, came out 10 years ago…basically the same song

no way to deny that rip off,He was a total I mean eminem has made so many references to wickedness but then he’ll do some pop shit like crack a bottle or without me. If he stuck with HorroCore he’d be good. If he stuck with pop he’d be good. The point of this? If he would let Horror go then good rapperss of that type good get their shine, like Jamie Madrox, who I think is better than Slim…both spittin sickness and in a more relaxed style.

I’ve just realized this, here is a market for real honest rap. Then there is a market for this trash that gets on the radio. The sad thing is, you cannot feel anything from these dudes talkin about there cars and shit. they just lack soul.Sad thing is because of this pop trash there will never be another Jay-Z or Nas. With the current trend it doesnt look good for rap’s future in mainstream.

I like to compare this era of rap to those glam rock bands of the 80’s, ya know where there were some sick ass bands around then came these “look at my hair” types and ruined it for eveyone.

ther is nothing that can be done about it though, the market has been set up for pop rash and that is what will continue to sell…people are afraid of real hip-hop. They don’t want street,the want this illusion of hip hop. lil wayne(pop) vs juvenile(actual street) is a good example.

maybe we need rap to die to weed out these dudes that see rap as ameal ticket rather than being passionate about the craft. I really doubt any of these new schoolers could make a cd where they did’nt mention 1 car or their bank account once…Truthfully, that is not hip hop to me. why? The real thug does not have any of that shit!

and now that I think about it, these dudes might be broke too. I mean, with all the tour costs and that kinda stuff the record company pays for, right? Its all a sick game and ppeople buy into it.

END RAMBLE lol…I’m about to get flamd like crazy tonight!

SSC · July 20, 2009, 3:39am

There has, and will always be, a lot of quality hip-hop available as long as you can look past your local “HOT-93FM” stations or MTV.

J_Wollmann · July 20, 2009, 3:42am

I enjoy hip hop much so, but it depends. I really like Plies, and Jamie Foxx. Lil Wayne has some really good songs, and he is IMO a really clever man. Some of his lines are hilariously witty. As much shit as ICP gets, I enjoy some of their songs, and Eminem is alright.

ron_e · July 20, 2009, 3:52am

Ghostface Killah - Winter Warz

Raekwon - Incarcerated Scarfaces

These are my alltime favorite chef and tony starks songs.

Big_Boss · July 20, 2009, 3:55am

[quote]Ct. Rockula wrote:
About eminem, its pretty well known I hate him. For a few reasons

He is a poser, of what? Everything! He steals ideas from another subtype of rap called Horror Core or Wicked .