C[rap]

Can somebody explain what the deal is with all the disliking of Hip-Hop? I know that everybody is entitled to their own opinion and that is fine, but I think that he/she should have some valid point why though. No? Not just "Man it sucks!" The bling (commericalization) of it really hurt the creativity of it without a question, but is it really all that bad?

Anyways enough of my rambling. Opinions people please.

I see rap as a release. An outlet for aggression that we cannot express in our every day lives. Just like many listen to Heavy Metal. When I need to relax i'll chuck on a bit of Coldplay or David Gray, but on other occasion I like to here 50 Cents tales of gun crime or how Eminem likes to beat on Kim. Its just a way for me to feel another emotion through music.

I agree. It's just closed-mindedness. It's the same with people who claim to hate country, jazz, classical, metal, electronic or whatever other genre its fashionable to turn your nose up at.

"It all sounds [the same/repetitious/boring | offensive | like noise]."

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the other side of the same coin, looking down my nose at people who have different or narrower tastes. Everyone's entitled to their opinions. I certainly don't enjoy every bit of music I've ever been exposed to. Heck, I'm not a big rap/hip-hop fan myself.

I think it's pretty dumb, though, when people make sweeping and degrading generalizations about a genre they don't like and likely know very little about about.

If the music doesn't move you, fine. That doesn't make it inherently and objectively inferior to the music you love.

So do I Biggsy, but why is there so much hatred aganst it? Why can't somebody play "For Whom the Bell Tolls" right after "In da Club" without all of the dirty looks? I realized all of the weird looks sometimes came from my own "friends" who would tell me that "only white people listen to that type of music." So sad isn't it?

Rock on, my brother.Surely, you're friends won't look at you funny after you play them some of this.

Either that or you could follow up Metallica with some Brotha Lynch Hung instead of 50. When I'm building a playlist, I usually try to stay with music that haas a similar mood or sound, regardless of the genre.

silent killer did I ever love that list! Pretty damn funny and kinda true.

The problem I have with rap now is after about two months another bunch of crap songs are pumped out and anything that is worth listening to gets lost in the wash. This becomes even more apparent on the radio. There are over twenty years worth of rap and all they ever play is the same stupid shit over and over. Broadcast radio does anyway.

The Roots
Talib Kweli
Mos Def
Common
Blackalicious
Jurassic 5
80's to early 90's LL Cool J
Lupe Fiasco
Missy Elliot
Run DMC
Nas
Kanye West
Eminem's first two albums
Del aka Del tha Funkee homosapien/Deltron3030/Russel's Poltergeist
The Fugees
Lauryn Hill
Busta Rhymes

Anything from these people is good, except where noted. Some more that aren't quite hip hop but don't exactly fit into other genres, that are worth listening to.

Nelly Furtado's first album. Just that one unless you want to be disappointed.
Mya
Usher
John Legend
Res
Kelis If Beyonce had a dark side, Kelis would be it.
Faith Evans
Jill Scott
Monica
Aaliyah
DJ Shadow
X-ecutioners

Hopefully this will narrow the search for people looking for good rap or its like. Anyone else care to add or retract from this list o' mine?

Hm, I think Hip-Hop or Rap is too 'thugish' and usually discriminates against women, labeling them to being whores, or strippers. Which truly doesn't make women look so good. And it also uses to much drug references. Like in the song 'In Da Club' by 50 Cent(WTF kind of name is that!?), it talks about girls badly and drugs. I also think it is just a sore excuse for music, in my opinion.

Also, I don't think I've worded this all to well, it's too late to think..

That's just one end of the spectrum, Maria. Rap, just like any other genre covers a wide range of subjects and styles. Unfortunately, what everyone hears on the radio is usually the most generic and oftentimes the worst the genre has to offer. In Da Club sucks anyway. 50 couldn't rap his way out of a paper bag. Unfortunately, the media likes to shine the spotlight on those goons. I still can't believe that shit Lil Wayne won a Grammy. He sucks more than 50. Also, you misspelled "thuggish".

Honestly, go through just about any Rap or Hip Hop group that is NOT drastically obsessed about, and it might be worth listening to...

Anything mainstream rap really is cRap... Lupe Fiasco is pretty good, but seriously, just about any other rapper that gets credit either: Can't rap better then a 5 year old/too stupid to come up with words better then a 5 year old's, or they rap about the generic shit
Mainstream Rap has sorta lost it's purpose(The point was to speak out both politically and poetically in order to motivate others to do the same and that sort of stuff) Now it's just... well, crap...

Honestly, I'd recommend anything on Silent Killer's list, cuz most are pretty good, and also Flobots is pretty good... their lyrics are kinda hard to comprehend, but *Gasp* They actually have some meaning other then: We be in the club fucking dem hoes cuz we are thugs and we can do that you knows! (Rofl, I bet I could find that in a mainstream rap song too... god...)