Topic #2: Rap = Crap?
I admit it. In my early years, I was a main stream freak. I liked pop -- N*Sync, the Spice Girls, Hanson... even Britney Spears. That's not to say I didn't like some other utterly awesome music too (Pearl Jam, Collective Soul, No Doubt, etc.), but I was on the verge of having a pretty sad taste in music for a while there. Before my tastes dramatically changed, my cheerleader friends (yes, I had cheerleader friends) introduced me to the Rap/Hip hop genre. Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Lil' Kim, early Missy Elliot and Puff Daddy, Ludacris, Outkast, DMX, Notorious B.I.G. and more. And I found this was a welcome change from the sappy boy-band ballad. And because I enjoy dancing, this stuff was all right up my alley. The gals and I would dance around endlessly to it, be it in the Jr. High cafeteria at dances, or in our bedrooms at sleep overs.
Later, as I began discovering more and more about the world of music, my taste became increasingly diverse. I began listening to alternative rock, folk, punk and metal. When I hit college, I joined the campus Radio Station ranks, and began discovering the amazing world of Indie rock. That's not to leave rap/hip hop behind -- through WMEB and music blog searching, I discovered artists like The Streets, Lady Sovereign, Goldie Lookin' Chain, and Tinchy Stryder.
Back to the topic at hand, I would comment that rap does not promote thug life, derogatory terms, violence and promiscuity. Yes, it speaks of these things, but I have yet to hear a song that explicitly states "You, the listener, should do these things because I do them." We have our own minds, people. We have free will for a reason. Anyone who blames rap music, Marilyn Manson, or music in general for the plights of the world is full of it. There's a deeper cause that most people refuse to see or try to fix. But that's another post entirely.
As far as debunking the Rap = Crap myth, it is and always has been a matter of opinion. Everyone is entitled to one, blah blah blah (there goes that sense of entitlement again). There is a good portion of rap, I will admit, I do not enjoy listening to. I will not go out of my way to listen to it, and I may even roll my eyes if I'm forced to listen to "Work It" one more G.D. time.... And of course, we are all victim to the dreaded overplaying of what was once a great song, thanks to commercial radio. That's one of the reasons I don't really listen to the radio anymore.
But there are two sides to every coin. I prefer the other side. Music with a good beat, for dancing or taping your foot to. Music with clever lyrics. Brits. An unusual take on an old standard. A remix of older songs to make a brand spankin' new one. These are the types of rap/hip hop I enjoy.
In conclusion, Rap ≠ Crap. Just because you don't like it doesn't make it a complete and utter failure. Someone put some hard work into making it, and whether you enjoy it or not, you can still appreciate the craftsmanship. Just because you don't see a need for a hand made jewel encrusted elephant statue doesn't mean it's not pretty to look at. Or something.
Seacrest out.
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