what makes you listen to a artist ?

[,-,'-{Bar}-',-,]

so like what makes you wanne go check out an artist ? or are you the kind that will check out anything


for me i check out stuff thats recomended or that ive came across and have a good feeling about, like if i see a guy and his name is "G'd up Gangsta" and the track is "Killing in the club" imma automatically slip by and not even check him out, maybe its wrong but thats usually what i do

and most of the people i listen to i get told about through other people (wether in college or on the forum) and i hardly ever stumble upon new artists myself, not that i dont look and i do listen to lots of artists that i never heard of before but i rarely ever randomly find a artist and be like "wow that is awesome"

[BigBangBazinga]

It's the lyrics for me. Sometimes a great beat is enough, but mostly the lyrics.

[yoshi]

if i come across new artists, it's their name in the first place. i know this might be shallow, but just as Bar said - all the 'Bigs' [except for few legendary names], 'Lils', 'Fats', 'Dipshits' - it's all about creativity i guess and making it catchy. Immortal Technique, Talib Kweli, Chali2Na.. i noticed most of artists who are actually able to come up with something even slightly more creative than 'Lil/Fat/Big' are more likely to construct a song worth listening to. i can honestly say i have not listen to ANY of Lil Waybe's songs, except of his few guest appearances.

then, it comes the beat. i like when it's mixed with some jazz tune or there's something more than just drums. or when it's funky - funky beat makes me feel better, happier. dunno why, it just does. i love beats on Jurassic 5 songs. or Hi-Tek's beats.

last but no least - lyrics. no doubts that's important, but often comes in the end. why? because in 80% of times it's the beat we hear at first. when it's catchy, we continue. i try to listen to new songs even if i don't like the beat tho, because i still hope lyric's gonna compensate lol sometimes they really do.

oh.. there's also one important thing for me: voice. some people say they cannot stand Kweli's voice; i find it absolutely amazing - and that's why they don't listen to him. well.. i could say the same about MF Doom. no matter how complex he is, no matter how metaphorical he is, i just CAN'T. it fucks up whole song for me and i just can't. but i like Dre's voice, i like Chali2Na's voice, Nas', Talib's, Guru's, X's..

i guess that's it. wow, it's like my first proper post on this forum since a long time..

[Wallace]

The things that make me go listen a song are in the first place, the name of the artist, it they're already known by me I always check it. If the artist is unknown by me, I go for the name of the song that I think it's cool. As I hear 99% of the time english songs (bein' brazilian, I don't understand enough to say about lyrics), then I go for the voice, beat, the flow, the feeling the singer pass through the song, if I like 'em all, I go read the lyrics. Sometimes I go for options that are accepted for most of the people, most of the time I accept too, I think if a lot of people like I will probably like too. But I hear a lot of kind of music, since oldies (50's,60's, 70's, 80's) until news. I like all styles of music, except brazilian funk and some excessively romantic songs. In general, 99,9 % from what I hear I like. and most of what I hear nowayas since yeras ago is Hip Hop, mostly underground (like Da regime) but a lot of mainstream too, like Eminem, D12, kanye West, and others. I hear so much songs, hours a day, I can't even know how much songs I know I think it's like 5000 or more plus I do'nt have 'em all in mp3, then I go sometimes to my memory and remeber some forgotten songs and go downlaod 'em all. I use music for fun and when depressive ,and as inspiration too, I do songs too and hear myself too. It's very relaxin'.

[IceAxe]

If I'm being recommended an artist, it sometimes depends on who's telling me about them. if it's someone I know has no knowledge of Hip Hop (i.e Soulja Boy fans), I'll generally not take their advice. If it's someone I know has a good understanding of the music I'll listen.

Other times it's features with people I already listen to. If their verse delivers I'll end up checking out their music.

Also if they have an original, creative, or strange name I'll look into them. And not just the MC's name, sometimes song names. Like if a song has a title like "Books of Blood: The Coming of Tan" by people like "El Eloh and "Ikon the Verbal Hologram", chances are I'll listen to see what the hell's going on.

And their lyrical skill is the hook. Not just rhyming 5463135 syllables (although it helps), but what they have to say and how they deliver it.

[Robbie G]

I usually find new artist through features, and sometimes a recommendation.

[Tash8]

I usually, don't like an artist, I prefer songs...

Ocassionally, I find an artist who I like most of the songs from, i.e. flipsyde, eminem, nas... but most others, I usually, just like a song.. for example i like "Apologies" from OneRepublic, but I dont think i'd like anything else from them.

To me, I look for songs, not for artists..

so if i find a good song from them, i might look them up, but rarely will i like them.

[,-,'-{Bar}-',-,]

I usually, don't like an artist, I prefer songs...

Ocassionally, I find an artist who I like most of the songs from, i.e. flipsyde, eminem, nas... but most others, I usually, just like a song.. for example i like "Apologies" from OneRepublic, but I dont think i'd like anything else from them.

To me, I look for songs, not for artists..

so if i find a good song from them, i might look them up, but rarely will i like them.

lol no offence but thats sorta shallow man, i mean judging an artist on one song but i guess everyones different

i personely judge an artist on a full album, like i litterely listen to the full album then make my mind up on wether ill keep tabs on the artists movements and check his old stuff ect. although on the rare occasion it can be that bad that i will stop the album 5 songs or so in but even at that i make sure i gave the guy a chance, Nas is a artist that i had to listen to his full album before i started enjoying it, not that i forced myself to like him but he has some Awesome songs that when you listen to as a stand alone there awesome, then if you try go through his albums the other tracks dont match up, but when you actually listen to his tracks and give them a chance you notice that they are just as good..just different types and you got to understand his style before you understand what hes doing on track (if that makes sense)


i do agree with you though, some people like an artist so much that they dont judge the songs, like people defend no apologies coz it was "alot better than his other recent stuff" all that does is show his recent stuff sucks and he shouldnt get credit when he makes a less sucky song coz it still sucks, just using eminem as an example i could say it about 50 cent aswell were people are like "its 50 cent this is awesome, alot better than candy shop"....im like..huh ?

a guess there's no proper way to see it but i think you got to have a mix, i myself if i hear a song i like ill check the artists album out to see if i like them, and it may be i just like that song, but if i hear about an artists and soemone recomends him to me ill try download all there material and listen to it then decide what i think, coz there's always the chance that you just download weak songs and your missing out...like if you got told to check out jin and downloaded the rest is history, you would be leaving yourself short changed coz on that album he got fucked by his label mislead and completely embarresed himself...but if you check out emcee's prpoganda you get a sick as fuck artist, ya know

[Tash8]

i dont judge an artist on one song, i say usually just cuz i like one artists song, wont mean i'll like the artist, so if i check out the ablum, i usually wont like alot of the album..

[J Rmix]

wikipedia

[SajN]

I listen to those artists who has good lyrics, and delivery.
The beat is also something that I count on, but it's like in the end.

I am a lazy boy, unfortunalety, so I take time to check out artists/groups. Like Jedi Mind Tricks, a friend of mine recommended them to me, and played me a song, and I liked it. But I've never taken out time to check them. As well as other artists that I want to check out.
One thing is that thoise artists I check out, is artists that other has recommended for me. I don't usually search for rappers on net. I'm just lazy.

So, I would like to got PM'd if you got any great Hip-Hop artists/groups that you recommend, no matter if they are underground, commercial, famous or not.. I don't care. I just want to listen to good stuff

[DrRapid]

I always stick to an artist more than a song. What I mean is if I like the song of any random artist I'll look up for more of his stuff so I'm not like a lot of people who have loads of artists on their iPods but just a one or two songs for each, I might have a lot of songs for each artist (not always though).

In a song what will catch my ear first is the beat but then as I actually listen to it I like to listen to the lyrics. There are songs which I don't like the beat but I really happen to like the lyrics so I listen to it, e.g Brenda's Got A Baby. This song I found very annoying the women in the background and a beat which you can't hear so well but the lyrics I find really interesting to listen.

There are some artists which get me instantly but others which I have to force myself to like, like Nas, MF Doom, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Common...

But to tell you the truth in music specially Hip Hop I still have loads of talented artists to know but I'm just taking my time. I've been listening to Hip Hop for probably about a bit more than 3 years. A year and half of it has just been Eminem who got me to Hip Hop.

[dbeauluvswomen]

I'm picky. Honestly I don't really like much rap music. I only a listen to a select few artists. It's hard for me to like new artists. I've always liked fast rapping (bone, tech n9ne, tonedeff, no clue)..so if you rap fast I'm going to check out your music. I like artists that put harmony into their music (bone, chamillionaire) ..i like good lyricists as well....good flows..and ones that can tell a story with their words. I like violent songs. i absolutely hate snap rap or any club music. (soulja boy, d4l) ...but I used to be big into rap music..i grew up listening to cash money and no limit records..they were the shit back then..now i dont like any artists that were on them and i just dont like lil wayne like everybody does down here (new orleans)

[Slimm]

Well.. It's usually recommandation for me.. Like someone sending me a song saying check this out and if its tight ima download more albums. Also when u hear alot about a artist i wanna check it out, so i just download some songs which ppl say are good and listen if i like it.

Props to Bar for making good topics every time

[J Roc]

People Gotta Say They Nice .... Then When I Feel Like Listenin To Somethin New ..... Ill Go On Youtube An Search Tha Artist .... If I Like Them .... Ill Download a Few Songs ..... They Gotta Have Punchlines .... Meta's .... Or At Least Good Ideas To Rap On ....