Do you like rap music?

I like good rap yes. Mos def, talib kweli etc etc etc.

Sure. I like both rap groups, The Sugarhill Gang and The Fat Boys.

Want deep rap songs?
Letter from God to Man
Angles
Waiting for the beat to kick in
Tommy C
What We Made

I love rap like that^. I however can not stand the crap that is popular. “soulja boy” GTFO

“Rap music” is an oxymoron

I like Saul Williams. Does he count? I also like Listener Project and some of the old school classic rap stuff, but I don’t know it very well. My roommate listens, and I learn from him.

No.

I like rap…more like hip-hop but now a days the main stream stuff that they label as hip-hop is crap.

As with most genres, there are some high quality rap and hip-hop songs and artists, but also a lot of commercialized, formulaic garbage.

I will listen to anything once, to give it a fair chance. I am very open-minded when it comes to music unlike some (@anthony81212)

No, not really.

Actually no. I was never able to appreciate the….......no, I don’t really like it.

I tried REAL hard to like Rap as I can enjoy most other genres. Just couldn’t warm to it. I do enjoy Hip Hop, however.

my favorite rap song is “my mind’s playing tricks on me” by the geto boys. classic

No. I’m 16, so there is no generation gap preventing me from accepting it. I just don’t appreciate the way most rappers degrade and disrespect women, singing about us like we are possessions. Also, the endorsement of drugs, sex, and alcohol so prominently manifested in these rhymes (for I don’t consider them songs) strongly influence our youth in negative ways and are partly responsible for the extreme violence and detrimental behavior teenagers have begun to exhibit in the past decade or so. I believe there are better, more positive forms of music to listen to besides the “rap crap” that has recently become so popular.

yeah man I dig rap/hiphop if it glorifies God ( must have the Holy Bible sacred text supporting it )
Check out artists like:
Hazakim http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c996c605577c9d37f440
Lecrae http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=14eedabdaa1dc5b2a377
Flame http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=36933a9c7ba0d5600638

I hate it all, they started playing it on the station I listen to so I sent them a long letter and stooped listening to it. Then I ate lots of bacon, and watched the little house in the preyer… what was I saying?

*prairie

<3 rap and hip-hop…amazing…

Some rappers that need to be checked out:
lupe fiasco
nas
common
andre 3000
they all = amazingness

agreeeeed

Yep, I like rap and hip-hop. Mostly old school artists like Wu Tang, Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, KRS One, and Slick Rick. There are many others on my playlist. I CAN’T STAND crap like Lil Wayne. Right now I’m really digging MIA, soulful little Brit with deep bass and whitty lyrics. Rap isn’t an age thing with me, I didn’t come up listening to rap, my husband introduced me to it when we got together. Him being from East New York and coming up in the 80’s and 90’s means we’re an old school East Coast rap fam.

no. I don’t like rap music

For the most part, my general stance on the rap genre is

you can’t have crap without rap

I do, however, like acts such as Kanye.

@blastfamy how are you gonna go saying ”you can’t have crap without rap” and then say you like Kanye….ewwwwwww

kanye is the best, bite your tongue!

Kayne is a masterful lyricist but his arrogance kills it. I don’t like him.

i saw him this summer, and he seemed very humble. i think the media gives him a bad wrap. loosing his mom put him in the right place i think.

here’s another one from Lecrae
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=959497ae3d5ddbcf192b
..actually there’s no song of his that’s not good.
BlesS!!!

kanye preformed at my school once he’s ok I see no one mentioned digable planets..they’re dope.

I love rap music. I also love hip hop. You know it’s funny to me how so many people criticize a form of music, but don’t really know much about it. For instance:
Sloane: A lot of 16 year olds I know listen to different stuff than 26–30 year olds. They is a bit of a gap. (rap/hip-hop is over 30 years old)

Secondly: people give rappers grief about talking about drugs and sex, but forget that many rockers, and country singers talk about alcohol and drugs just as much, if not more.

I’d also like to say that yeah, they sample, and loop beats, but there is some talent involved with that. (it’s not as easy as it seems) There are some hip-hop bands (The Roots, Gym Class Heroes), and some of these producers are really talented musicians.

I’m not saying my opinion is correct, but I get really tired of people talking down on it. Yeah, they have gotten complacent in some aspects, but more than not, some of the same things have happened in other genres of music as well.

I don’t agree with all the things they talk about, especially the whole misogynist thing, but I defend their right to say it.

I don’t mean to sound spiteful or angry, and if you feel like I was taking a shot at anyone I apologize ahead of time.

I’m agreed with wine. Good music is good music and it transcends genres.

All music genres promote drug use and degrade women except classical. (And we can’t prove that the great composers weren’t inspired by drugs.

I heard a country song, I kiss my sweetie with my fist. There’s a million rock songs about hallucinogenics and heroin use. And what other types of music do you better then thou types listen to?

@Sloane2024, Teenage violence is usually a result of domestic violence. It’s not a result of video games. It’s not a result of violent movies or television. It’s not a result of rap. It’s not a result of rock and roll (parents of the 80s will disagree).

When someone does the right thing and you see it, it’s a teaching tool. When someone does the wrong thing and you see it, it’s a teaching tool. I mostly listen to rap and I’m not out poppin caps or gang banging. I’m adjusting the hem on my button up shirt.

Have you ever listened to a song and said… “Hum, I think I want to go do whatever the words in that song say.” I haven’t. I’m not a gullible idiot. For anybody who thinks that music changes behavior, I’ve got a new single called Send Bodyhead Your Money. You know you want to listen to it.

Yeah. I like all music, which includes rap.

Knuck if you buck.

Nope. Very few rap songs appeal to me. Tend to avoid them all together. I don’t believe it’s a generation gap issue. As I am a young adult.

I agree with @puttzilla, as the general tone and theme of rap songs are of an overwhelming majority.

While it is true that genres besides rap use drug and sex references, as @Wine3213 pointed out, it cannot be ignored that the themes of rap music continually return to the same topics: sex, drugs, “jockin’ the bitches,” and violence. Just take Lil’ Wayne’s most recent album “The Carter 3” (itunes link). He is arguably one of the most influential and successfull rappers in the “game.” Songs like “A milli,” “Shoot Me down,” “Pussy Monster,” and “Prostitute 2” are among songs that I can tell are filthy from their titles, let alone the songs that have other less-overt innuendo, such as “lollipop.”

The part that really gets to me is that with all of the popularity of this particular smut-filled genre, many kids take these messages to heart and use them not as fantasies, but as integral parts of their lives. I’m not going to go into details, but the seer irony in the use of the “N-bomb” is astounding.

Beats are fine. Even referring to sex is fine. Where rap crosses a line, is where it, as a genre, glorifies the devaluation of women. Entertainment should not resort to treating any group of people as swine.

blastfamy, what type of music do you listen to that doesn’t glorify violence, drug use and the degradation of women?

Rap doesn’t do anything as a genre. There was no meeting where 2pac, Biggie Smalls, Big Daddy Cane, Puff Daddy and Nas got together to decide the direction of rap music over the course of the next ten years.

You are referring to one group (Lil’ Wanye) and trivializing and generalizing a whole genre of music based on the music of that one group. If you did the same thing with De La Soul, Pigeon John, Spearhead, Eric B and Rakim, Jurassic 5, mc Chris, The Pharcyde, Rahzel, Run DMC, Talib Kweli or Outcast you’d have a much harder time using the song names to promote a false agenda towards rap music. There’s plenty of rap that encourages analytical thought and uses violence as a metaphorical tool to convey a poignant story. I’m willing to bet that you don’t listen to much rap music. You haven’t listened to enough rap music to make a statement on the topic matter of the “overwhelming majority”.

Popular rap music is often terrible and derivative because all popular music is often terrible and derivative.

It’s easy to condemn something when you think it promotes violence or subjugates women… as long as you condemn all things of a like nature. Do you also condemn the forefathers of this country, action movies and the holy bible?

While it is true that genres besides rap use drug and sex references, as @Wine3213 pointed out, it cannot be ignored that the themes of rap music continually return to the same topics: sex, drugs, “jockin’ the bitches,” and violence

This is an inaccurate supposition. What you probably should have said is that music about controversial topics is much easier to market and make popular. If there was a rap song about a dining room table, no one would listen to it.

If you live a life that is full of sex, drugs and violence and you rap (or sing) about something else, wouldn’t you be creating a lie? If I did sell drugs and sang songs about accounting, I wouldn’t exactly be going with my strong suit. If TV content and ratings tell you anything, it’s that American society loves to be exposed to voilence and drugs.

@ Blastfamy: I’m a huge Lil’ Wayne fan, but do u know what the songs you mentioned actually talk about? A milli is a freestyle of random things, there is no actual theme to the whole song. It’s called a milli, because of the person in the background looped saying it. “A Milli” is slang for a million, or millionaire. And on “Shoot me down” he does talk about guns, and violence, but he is using shooting down in a way of saying don’t reject him also. You can say what you want, but know all the aspects before you make your statements. It’s easy to pick the bad out of something you don’t fully understand.

@bodyhead:

If you live a life that is full of sex… it’s that American society loves to be exposed to voilence and drugs.

You say this as if it should just be considered OK.

The fact that these “artists” have to stoop to the above-listed atrocities in order to be marketable only demonstrates why they deserve no record deal to begin with.

I don’t make a point of listening to every rap song that is produced. I think it’s clear why: I don’t need to hear messages that the genre typically conveys. I have, however, heard enough to know that the striking majority of this “music” does convey these messages.

Take Outkast: “Miss Jackson” is all about an illegitimate child and subsequently how the father berates the mother for attempting to talk sense to him – that he’s a loser, and that he should GTFO.

Take MC Chris: “The Tussin,” is about abusing the OTC med. Robotussin.
Take the lyrics:

The Tussin, The Tussin
Put it down like it was nothing.
Robocop couldn’t stop me puking and flushin’.
No balls to be bustin’, no fightin’, no cussin’,
Just love for a drug called Robotussin.

Here we have abuse of drugs and references to violence. What a role model that one is…

I pulled Lil’ Wayne out because he is incredibly popular. People listen to him. As you said, people obviously want to hear his message, and the message of so many other’s in the genre.

You’re right. Rap doesn’t do anything as a genre. Every artist does his/her own thing. Bu tell me which is worse:

Artists coming together to manufacture uncouth “music”

or

Each artist choosing to produce the same style of “music” on their own, suggesting that it is intrinsically in the culture of the genre to produce such “music”

@Wine3213, the song is called A Milli because lil’ Wayne is calling himself sublime as weed. And in “Shoot Me down” he’s essentially calling violence his crutch to cope with the real world. Anybody who has to draw the metaphor of his pistol being his towel does not exactly show off his moral prowess.

——————————-

What I’m trying to say is that I don’t like rap “music” because I think that on the whole, the music glorifies the wrong things in life. This is not to say that other groups in other musical styles don’t, but it is hard to argue against the shear volume of angry, hateful, derogatory messages that consume the rap industry. I’m frankly scared that a great number of young people today are so transfixed on these stars who do nothing but tell them about a violent immoral lifestyle. I can’t bring myself to like most of the genre’s material.

I’m not condoning society’s worship of violence, sex, and drugs. If you’re mad at rap for these things, maybe you should be mad at society for wanting these things.

It’s real easy to pass judgment on something that you aren’t very familiar with. Making the sweeping generalizations you are making is akin to me saying rock music promotes worshiping Satan. Do you think it does?

MC Chris does comedy. Not everyone gets it. I’m willing to bet Robocop could stop MC Chris from puking. I’ve seen his movies. Robocop can be very effective. MC Chris also does a song called Fett’s vet about how Bubba Fett (from star wars) is doing jobs to fly around in space in a fresh ride. I’m not exactly sure but I think that MC Chris and Bubba Fett are different people. I believe it’s meant to be taken as a joke. It may not be funny to you, but it’s comedy none the less.

Mrs. Jackson is actually about apologizing to a woman’s mom because she doesn’t think you’re good enough to be with her daughter. Hence:
I’m sorry Mrs Jackson, Oh I am for real. I never meant to make your daughter cry. I apologize a million times.

Is apologizing also one of society’s problems? This song seems to be glorifying it. Maybe we should start a crusade against apologizing.

For the record. I’ve listened to Lil Wanye’s album and I don’t like him. I didn’t make a decision based on what I read in the paper or what I heard on a right wing talk show. I just listened to the album and didn’t like it. The subject matter didn’t offend me. I’m a grown up. I watch rated R movies. He didn’t rap about anything that I haven’t seen people do in the movies.

My main question was what type of music do you listen to. I reread your response a couple of times and didn’t see an answer. I will probably twist it so at to where whatever you list will look bad and immoral so I see the reason to leave the answer out.

I do however see your point. You don’t like rap music because you associate it with degradation of women, violence and sex. I do like it because I associate it with a positive message, vibrant metaphors and poetic imagery.

—————

As a side note, this is circular reasoning:
I don’t listen to every rap song because I don’t like the message the songs (which I don’t listen to) promote.

Maybe you should listen to some different types of rap.

No, I can’t do that because I don’t like the message the songs (I haven’t heard) promote.

@bodyhead

Maybe you’re not indicting societies’ worship of violence, sex, and drugs, but I am. I’m not saying that rap “music” is the only contributor to this either… but with its staggering popularity, it can’t be ignored as a major part of a general manners problem…

Some rappers are more egregious with what they say involving their personal vanity and violent agendas, but there is nary an example that I can think of who is faultless.

I’ve heard MC Chris. I understand his comedy. Some of it I think is funny; but once again, a great deal of his messages are centered around themes and messages that I don’t agree with.

This is, of course, completely subjective opinion – but I also think that on the whole, every rap act sounds identical. Agree or disagree, this is another one of the reasons that I don’t like rap music.

For the record, my library is filled with music the likes of Keane, Paramore, Jack Johnson. and Stellar Kart love these groups. None of them use the same sort of imagery as Rap “music” acts do.

By the way: you are right about that argument being circular reasoning. Absolutely right. Too bad for you that my argument was not centered around not listening to every rap song. You juxtaposed that position onto mine on your own. My argument is centered around the fact that this “music” keeps coming back to the same ideas time and time again. This view is fact based on practically every rap “song” I’ve listened to. You have no idea what I have or have not listened to, nor will I bullet them for you. Just know that I have listened to a great deal of the music from the eighties up to the present; this covers many sub-genres of rap. Especially in modern day, this “music” is filled with horrid images that I do not choose to fill my life with. I would rather listen to the above artists. They actually produce art to be proud of. Why would I mix the degradation of women, sex, and violence with vibrant metaphors and poetic imagery if I didn’t have to?

All rap sounds identical just as every rapper looks identical.

I notice you only list four bands from your library. You don’t list a type of music that you listen to. What careful wording you have used.

It is interesting that you mention Jack Johnson. In his song Cookie Jar, he seems to debate this same point with himself without making his stance clear.

I’m doing nothing to convince you to be more open-minded. My agenda has failed. You win this one, blastfamy.

I do listen to mostly Rock (of varying sub-genres), but a great bit of what I listen to is trance/techno. Listing groups of this genre would be of little relevance to the topic at hand…

Melody-less beats with words attached are of no wrong. As you said, lyrics with vibrant metaphors and poetic imagery are a great thing. I only wish that I could find that sort of rap without the overtones of bad messages attached. If you know of some, please let me know. I’d love to hear it…

Dude mc chris is the shit, dont be dissin his music. isnt the ending of tussin a good enough reason not to abuse it in the first place though?

w3rd

First, I’d like to correct myself. I am not that big of a Lil Wayne fan. I think he is semi-creative, but I’d like to ask blasfemy where you get your info from. I never heard that about “A Milli”.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with liking Lil Wayne. A couple of my friends are crazy about him. I don’t see the pull but I respect their opinions. (I just can’t get into anyone who uses the same voice modulator that Cher used) They are adults and can choose to listen to adult themed music.

I think we are arguing a couple different points here, blastfamy.

1. Adult themed music shouldn’t be in the hands of children.

Maybe this is true. I absolutely believe that the parents should play a huge role in what types of entertainment a child takes in. If we expect any type of media to raise our children, they are going to turn out messed up no matter what. Some parents don’t pay attention to their kids or the influences of their kids. They leave it to chance. This is wrong. We’re not debating this.

2. You reject the sound of all rap music based on the message of some of it.

That is until your last response which seems like a total 180 from your earlier responses. I’m guessing that I could point out some fantastic rap with a great message and you’d still associate it with the message you decided it has. You even twisted Mrs. Jackson to mean something entirely wrong and agenda based.

Not every rapper is as bland as Will Smith. Not every rapper is as violent as Easy E.

You, of course, realize that a huge portion of trance/techno listeners are drug users. Even if the music isn’t about drugs, the listeners imbibe to make the listening experience more powerful. This is why they play techno at raves. This is why a lot of ecstasy users specifically seek this type of music out. I’m not saying all. I have known some straight edge people who have enjoyed techno. Personally, I would be much more worried about how my kid was spending his time if he was sitting in his room listening to techno then I would with any other type of music. I would immediately begin searching for drugs.

That being said, if you truly want to listen to some rap with a powerful positive message
you might check out Spearhead, The Roots, Tribe Called Quest, etc. Have you ever heard the 2pac song Dear Mama? It’s about how badass he thinks his mom is. If you have actually been listening to rap since the 80s you would know about groups and songs with a positive message.

Maybe you want to check this link
My favorite excerpt is this one:
“Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It,” Ice Cube-Lays waste to the logic that blames rap for everything from selling crack to college shootings, in fact arguing that gangsta’s the loudest voice against everyday violence. And the reason, Cube explains, “Lyrically I’m so lethal…Just to feed all my people.

I don’t enjoy rap music personally. It’s just not my thing. I’m sure many rap fans feel the same way about Yanni’s music :)

Ick… yanni….

I don’t like his music either. But I love using his name :)

Underground hip-hop > RAP

i agree with you bodyhead and what your sayin…
hip-hop/rap comes in many forms of styles, rappers, and so on

so you really cant put all of rap and hip-hop into a stereotype, because mainly they are not all the same.
i mean i can list a huge amount of differences in the rap genre…

Anybody here like Wale?

Exactly. The sounds can be completely different, the types of lyrics, the beats, the over aspect of certain artists. They can’t really be compared.

over all*

wale’s kool,

haha every time i rock my nike boots, i have to listen to that song

And chelseababyy….im there with you 100%

Lately, I’ve been bumpin’ Slaughterhouse by Joe Budden. It’s got a lot of great featuring artist on it.

@NazNthahouse23 yay good!