Vinylboy... I love ya, but I couldn't refrain from puttin' in my two cents. I'm gonna temporarily hijack this thread.
Not a problem, my friend. :wink:
When they stopped rapping about food... it was all downhill.
Touché. :biggrin:
Well... that's two... can you name any more? You did say a number of...
If I have to mention some more... Talib Kwali, KRS-One, Common. Rappers who have more social commentary instead of "bling bling" in their lyrics.
Hip Hop is a vile industry bent on preparing perfectly good black men to enter prison and prepares young black women to be ho's.
Even so, that's not the roots of Hip-Hop. Listen to music before 1995 when there was no real money in the music, and now with all sorts of major label corporate influence. Before money came into the picture, people in the rap game were more creative and expressive. Now it's all about the dollar, so the majority cling onto phony images of gangster life and violence.
Ho's on the other hand are always welcome, male or female. We need more music about Ho's. :biggrin1:
It has been destroying the black race for about twenty years. Originally designed to help young urban children to be musically creative without expensive musical instruments, hip hop was the poetry of the post modern urban black experience. It was a loving return and reworking of the original "hambone".
You do have a sense of its real roots. +1 for you.
Hip Hop has now degraded to the point that it is ruining the growth of African Americans... I sincerely believe that
To some degree, I believe that as well. This is why I haven't done a Hip-Hop party in a very long time. The number of socially conscious rappers out there are few & far between the Lil' Waynes, the 50 Cents, Lil' Johns and the Soljah Boys.
Alternative (good) rap purchases are a tiny smidgen of the total rap sales. Kanye and Common are big and famous, but even they had to rise up within the hip hop community working against the gangsta component.
I always have to give Common his props because he's been in the game a LOT longer than people realize. I was getting into his music and his lyrics back in the early 90s when he used to call himself "Common Sense". He had to reduce his name to Common because of a lawsuit by some other rock band sharing the same name. Still, his words were always poetic and mentally stimulating. Even back then he spoke about the changes and downward spiral that Hip-Hop was taking before it actually happened.
Common and Kanye have to be THREE times as talented as the other gangsta rappers... why is that? Kanye and Common can even make beats from scratch... which 99% of rappers cannot. Hell, even De La Soul can't sell any records in the U.S. and had to go work with Damon Albern and Dangermouse in the U.K.
Well, selling records is a whole different discussion.
I honestly don't see any real artist making the same money that they did in the 80s and 90s unless you're willing to sell your soul and become the label's puppet. With that said, these highly established names can make a good dime if they're willing to take complete control of their music and the way they get it to their fans. These days, with digital technology, nobody has to go through the old school label drama. And with names like De La Soul, they could easily make their own D.A.I.S.Y. Records label, sell all of their old tracks in CD & MP3 formats (if they made smart business deals in regards to rights with their old albums) and occasionally make new ones. They're not going to make the same dollars as before, but they'll have more access and more freedom to do what they want. And it keeps their name out there.
As long as young black boys keep listening to hip hop and living the lifestyle, we will NEVER have another Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Earth Wind and Fire. Hell, middle class blacks who can afford any musical instrument that they desire eschew actual music in favor of sampling other creative musicians and talking over drum machines.
Not always true... it really depends on the producer and the group. There are groups out there now like The Roots & Gym Class Heroes that are very adamant in playing live music when they perform. Guru has done three hip-hop albums with live music under the "Jazzmatazz" moniker. The Brand New Heavies also did an excellent live Hip-Hop album called "The Heavy Rhyme Experience". You can tell when people are out to make a quality record because even the samples (if used) are tastefully done. You can also tell when they're just out for a quick buck as well... it all comes out in the final product.
There intelligence is also reduced from constantly being exposed to uncreative music by uncreative people.
That's why people need to stop letting big labels, FM Radio and MTV dictate what is hot. It's hard for people growing up to do these things because these corporate entities paint a picture of perfection when it comes to selling product. Kids eat the imagery up. But usually around the mid 20s people start to think for themselves and find their own tastes in music. Is there no wonder why MTV makes sure their age demographic for advertising between 13-24? :wink:
You are what you eat as well as you are what you listen to.
And right now, I love Techno. I guess that explains why I'm so crazy. :biggrin1:
I thought that it came from being uncomfortable with gayness? I know plenty of homophobic people that have NEVER stepped inside a church. Homophobia is an irrational fear of homosexuality. Some young boys get molested by older males and might be homophobic... some boys witness a homosexual act when they are young and become homophobes. Some people have gay relatives and become homophobic. Some people are so in the closet that they are homophobic...
All of these are factors. But even though a person never goes to church, a sense of religion or spirituality has impact them. The stories regarding Christianity and Catholicism are so well known that a lot of its folklore lingers in the minds of people. And I honestly do believe that the major components of homophobia was brewed in modern day religion. Once we get past the political rhetoric about the issue, you hear it in the voices of the majority of person against it: "God made Adam & Eve, not Adam & Steve"... constant interpretations & misrepresentations regarding Leviticus, Sodom & Gomorrah... the list goes on and on.
A wise man once said, those who control the images control the culture. And the people in control of religion has a way in painting a picture that can be very glorious, yet very nasty & condemning at the same time.
