"Simplified Rap" Blame?

[Hadez]

This post was inspired by the post on what Scarface said recently about "the powers that be" simplifying rap because it was becoming "too great."

I would like to know some of your thoughts on who you think is actually at fault for the "lack of intelligence" in today's rap.

Personally, I hate when rappers think it's some higher source (labels, managers, government, etc...) that doesn't like rap and wants rappers to dumb it down. In my opinion, it is almost entirely the listeners that are to blame. Labels are greedy. They want the artists to do whatever will make them money. Retard Rap is what makes money right now. Why does it make money? Because the majority of listeners enjoys it. Believe it or not, the people who don't enjoy the bubble gum rap are in the minority. If old school rap sold like newest school does, don't you think labels would push for that instead?

The other party to blame is the artists themselves. You can tell that they actually don't mind Retard Rapping at all when you hear them only talk about money in interviews. "Yea man, we're doing big things, makin' money." It's only about money with them. The specific rappers that are to blame are the ones who say rap is in a great place right now.

What do you guys think it is?

[Notalius]

I agree with everything you said.

Hip Hop is fucking dead.

Hip Hop is as big as it ever was. Mainstream rap is wack, not dead.

You have some amazing new rappers including older ones coming back and dropping dope projects, well most of the time. I'm looking at you jay.

[classthe_king]

There's not much difference between modern rap and old rap. If anything it contains more intelligence than older shit like NWA and all that

[Hadez]

I really don't think it's an issue of dead or alive. But it is "falling apart." Back in the day (early 2000's and back), you could get quality music in the mainstream.

Nowadays, you have to say things like "Rap is ok if you don't listen to mainstream." To me that's the problem, you shouldn't have to. Rap lost it's "I have something to say." Now rappers just say shit. And it's always the same shit. Nobody says it particularly different from each other either.

Rhymes are simpler, metaphors and similes are simpler, flows are simpler, subject matter damn near retarded 97% of the time (please don't come back with the handful of songs you know off top with a half decent subject, it's still a problem).

Like I said, the problem isn't that it's dead, it's that it is simple. It honestly seems like there is zero thought going on when writing these lyrics.

[classthe_king]

hip-hop is fine lol even mainstream hip-hop

ppl complain too much

[Hadez]

I personally think these bitter old niggas need to stop bitching, it's making them look bad. There are definitely rappers out there that started this trend of shitty mainstream rap, specifically Lil Wayne, and unfortunately it's hurt the quality of music a bit... but it's not like dumb shit wasn't around in the 90s either, it's just much more apparent now since these newer fans are growing without an interest in older hip-hop (see the faggots on message boards that refer to older music as dust).

It's all a cluster fuck created by both fans and artists, the labels just sit back and enjoy it.

So as far as my original question is concerned, based on you're last statement, would you say that you agree that it's the artists and the fans to "blame" and not necessary entirely the labels fault?

[Hadez]

I personally think these bitter old niggas need to stop bitching, it's making them look bad. There are definitely rappers out there that started this trend of shitty mainstream rap, specifically Lil Wayne, and unfortunately it's hurt the quality of music a bit... but it's not like dumb shit wasn't around in the 90s either, it's just much more apparent now since these newer fans are growing without an interest in older hip-hop (see the faggots on message boards that refer to older music as dust).

It's all a cluster fuck created by both fans and artists, the labels just sit back and enjoy it.

So as far as my original question is concerned, based on you're last statement, would you say that you agree that it's the artists and the fans to "blame" and not necessary entirely the labels fault?

Yes. Labels only follow trends. Trends are created by artists and accepted by fans. Take a trend setter like Kanye West, it wasn't for 808s, we wouldn't have a Drake or a Kid Cudi blowing up the way they did. Labels just took the opportunity to bank on it.

People seem to forget the influence that some specific artists still hold over the genre. The impact that the musical direction of a guy as big as Kanye has on the hip hop industry is immense. Just wait till 2014 when some start trying to pick up where Yeezus left off....

Or look at Wayne, his whole corny Punchline style blew up and everyone started doing it... even Em.

Definitely not looking forward to the Yeezus copy cats.

[Elision]

Mainstream has never been a place for lyrical heavyweights, that's nothing new. They're typically too prideful about their art to ever sacrifice it for more publicity. So the ones that are willing to sacrifice artistic integrity are what you're left with. This is how mainstream media works when it comes to (almost) any art form, they're simply incompatible so long as money drives the whole machine.

[Amadeo]

Mainstream has never been a place for lyrical heavyweights, that's nothing new.

What about Eminem and Jay-Z?

They had dope lyrics that happened to sound catchy.

They're typically too prideful about their art to ever sacrifice it for more publicity.

Or they lack the ability to make catchy music and dope lyrics...and in some cases, lack an interesting personality and image.

[Slim Fiasco]

Who gives a fuck man, but nothing wrong in starting a discussion like this, we need more of that. I've been planning to make a more elaborate thread on listening to music and ego problems with rap fans so look out for that.

[Kill You]

Lately it's been a lot better than it was. From like 2006-2010 I think hip hop really sucked. I think Lil Wayne and YM are to blame for retarded punchlines being cool but they haven't killed hip hop or anything lol. They made "simplified rap" as you put it acceptable and cool.

[Jason M.]

Stop. Rap (hip-hop) is bigger than it ever was. And it has so many different artists and styles, it's THE most interesting genre to follow. And it's been that way for the last few years. If you think rap lacks intelligence nowadays, the fuck are you listening to?

On another note, rock music is fucking DEAD. And that's sad.

[Elision]

Mainstream has never been a place for lyrical heavyweights, that's nothing new.

What about Eminem and Jay-Z?

Em was a gimmick, that's how he managed to slip into the mainstream the way he did. Only a small percentage of people caught on to the fact that he was a dope lyricist, everyone else was just going crazy over the fact that he was white and controversial. Even today mainstream media dismisses his technical skills almost completely when discussing him as a topic. As for jay, I disagree completely that he's anything above average. Never heard a jay song that I've liked to this day, he just sounds very bland and one-dimensional. Which fits right in.

They're typically too prideful about their art to ever sacrifice it for more publicity.

Or they lack the ability to make catchy music and dope lyrics...and in some cases, lack an interesting personality and image.

who? I was referring to solid mc's and why you rarely see them pop up in the mainstream. tons of them get offered major deals at some point but end up turning them down.

[Crazee]

My biggest beef is that even mainstream rap artists with big hits used to be at least average rappers. DMX had great song concepts and emotion, Jay-Z was witty and told stories(same for Biggie), Nelly had a great flow and voice and some decent punchlines every once in a while.

And then last decade it seemed all the mainstream rap songs were just...empty. Generic rappers without even a decent flow over generic instrumentals. As a guy that used to be kind of a multiple rhyme scheme snob and dismissed mainstream rappers, I really started to see that there are other types of talent and a lot of popular artists have musical merit even if it isn't my thing. But the late 2000's had so many one hit wonders and useless artists with no talent spamming the radio.

I actually think Wayne and Drake are legit rappers though, they have things they do well. They have a sound and they're definitely not generic. Even though admittedly...I hate everything Wayne has put out since Carter 3.

[Amadeo]

Em was a gimmick, that's how he managed to slip into the mainstream the way he did. Only a small percentage of people caught on to the fact that he was a dope lyricist, everyone else was just going crazy over the fact that he was white and controversial.

Eminem's had a whole bunch of mainstream hits not because he's white, but because he comes up with catchy songs.

My point was it's possible to have good lyrics and still go mainstream...you just need to be catchy. Catchy + bad rapping = some attention coming your way. Catchy + good rapping = a lot of attention coming your way.

As for jay, I disagree completely that he's anything above average. Never heard a jay song that I've liked to this day, he just sounds very bland and one-dimensional. Which fits right in.

Around the time of The Blueprint, he had songs on radio with some dope rhymes/lyrics. H to the Izzo, for example.

Most of his radio songs up until D.O.A. have all been pretty good.