Rappers Reign While Geniuses Starve!

[Steve M.]

Did you know that, while creeps like Eminem spew out their hip-hop garbage to growing audiences, radio stations that cater to small audiences who just want to hear somer real music played pon real instruments have to hold fundraising events? WFDU-FM, New York's NPR-affiliated folk/rock/country/blues/soul adult-alternative station, had to hold a benefit concert to help pay its bills, and WBGO-FM, the only decent jazz station in this entire country, also has to do pledge drives. These formats are on public radio because there's no money in it, and meanwhile hip-hop continues its drive for more unearned riches and lower common denominators! Sean Combs and Russell Simmons won't rest until hey have all of America rapping to their tune! They must be stopped!

NOW!!!!!!!!

And somebody stop dance music while they're at it!

[ABlairican Pie]

Where is the justice?? Why is it that Vanilla Ice sold millions, while Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died penniless?

[Dean Winchester]

I am not a fan of hip hop and I think everyone knows it.

But "genius" is objective. You brought Eminem's name up and saying he's a creep who spews hip hop garbage (and keep in mind, I am no fan of the man), you gotta keep in mind that there are a lot of critics and fans out there who disagree with you and will argue that he's a genius and perhaps the most important artist of their generation, same goes for Kanye West, a lot of people think he is brilliant and both of his albums have been well-regarded and not just by hip hop press, but by rock and alternative critics as well. Blender Magazine usually focuses and caters to rock and alternative music, but even they called Kanye's debut the best album of 2004 (dunno about this year, I don't read them as much as I used to). Whether you think hip hop is the biggest cancer on the face of music or the best thing to happen, you can't lump everyone in together, because people like Kanye have broken the mold and are getting authentic respect from well outside their target audience.

[ABlairican Pie]

I think there is a point there, a lot of rock and roll would have been seen as a slap in the face to promoters of musical quality who upheld classical music, etc. as the most perfect form of music. Rock and roll originally was seen as coarse, vulgar so-called "music" performed by oversexed teen hoodlums--and it ended up changing the course of history.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Captain ABlairica

Where is the justice?? Why is it that Vanilla Ice sold millions, while Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died penniless?

Because Mozart didn't release a music video for ANY of his hits...

[dawsongirl]

It's called...A CD PLAYER.

[JT]

Originally Posted by dawsongirl

It's called...A CD PLAYER.

Agreed.

People should stop getting their nerves bad over other people's WILLING opinions.

[Steve M.]

Originally Posted by HUNG UP!

You brought Eminem's name up and saying he's a creep who spews hip hop garbage (and keep in mind, I am no fan of the man), you gotta keep in mind that there are a lot of critics and fans out there who disagree with you and will argue that he's a genius and perhaps the most important artist of their generation, same goes for Kanye West, a lot of people think he is brilliant and both of his albums have been well-regarded and not just by hip hop press, but by rock and alternative critics as well.

Joe Queenan once suggested that white rock critics pretends not to hate rap because they don't wnat to appear racist or unhip. It's this similar political correctness that makes them cheer Sinead O'Connor for dissing the Pope yet say nothing about the rappers who belong to the Five Percent Nation, an offshoot of the Nation of Islam started by young blacks who think Farrakhan is far too moderate. Except for one critic I read who sympathized with the Five Percenters because they were being investigated by the government. Hello? They're an anti-white radical Islamic group!

Also, I'm glad Phil Spector told rappers in 1990 to take singing lessons. Too bad he had to go and get involved in that murder; now he has no credibility bashing rappers. But anyone who thinks the Vatican is a greater threat to civilization than the Five Percenters ought to be investigated by a shrink rather than by the Justice Department.

How did we go from Sam Cooke, John Lennon, and Marvin Gaye, who were killed by guns, to rappers, who own guns?

[MissZero]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Because Mozart didn't release a music video for ANY of his hits...

yea record stores were few and far between back then too

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by Steve M.

How did we go from Sam Cooke, John Lennon, and Marvin Gaye, who were killed by guns, to rappers, who own guns?

the thing that makes me sick is that a lot of people compare Tupac and John Lennon, what's the similarity besides they're both dead? Lennon's message was one of total peace, Tupac represented a violent gang image, how do you compare what the two stood for and argue that they were both the same?

[vashti1999]

Originally Posted by HUNG UP!

the thing that makes me sick is that a lot of people compare Tupac and John Lennon, what's the similarity besides they're both dead? Lennon's message was one of total peace, Tupac represented a violent gang image

Not true. Aside from "Hit 'Em Up" most of 2Pac's music addressed concerns over violence more than promoting or glorifying it. 2Pac's anger was evident but that doesn't equate to representing a violent gang image. Brenda's Got A Baby, Dear Mama and Keep Ya Head Up, three of his most popular singles, were pro-women, cognizant of their struggles. It wasn't all about the "thug life" tattooed cross his belly.

As for the original post in this thread, if there's no money in jazz or other so called "real music" formats on radio, maybe you're better off not relying on the radio to hear the music you want to hear. I think you may have to get used to rap and dance music sticking around for a while. I hope those stations you mentioned got a healthy contribution from you at the fundraisers.

Oh and you forgot to blame the murders of Sam Cooke, John Lennon, and Marvin Gaye on rap music too.

[isiahthomas]

Vashti1999 thanks for putting Hung Up and Steve M in check. Steve M always be dissin rap music and i'm tired of his bi*ch ass always dissin rap. 2Pac was ignorant but he also made positive songs like those you mentioned Vashti1999. 2Pac would still be alive today if he wasn't ignorant and he hadn't signed with Death Row Records. I still believe Suge Knight had him killed because there was a rumor about 2Pac leaving Death Row. Then again the people who killed 2Pac was probably the people who were retaliating on him for stomping that gang member Orlando Anderson in the lobby of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas where the Mike Tyson fight was that night.

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

Vashti1999 thanks for putting Hung Up and Steve M in check. Steve M always be dissin rap music and i'm tired of his bi*ch ass always dissin rap. 2Pac was ignorant but he also made positive songs like those you mentioned Vashti1999. 2Pac would still be alive today if he wasn't ignorant and he hadn't signed with Death Row Records. I still believe Suge Knight had him killed because there was a rumor about 2Pac leaving Death Row. Then again the people who killed 2Pac was probably the people who were retaliating on him for stomping that gang member Orlando Anderson in the lobby of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas where the Mike Tyson fight was that night.

That's right, rap is the greatest music in the world, greater than Mozart, Charlie Parker, The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix combined. Heck, you don't even need a musical instrument to be be great, that's so highbrow and elitist. All you need is a turntable and a ton of attitude.

But rap has a long way before they beat the legacy of PANTERA:

Goddamn Electric
by Pantera

There is a part of me that's always sixteen
I've found the secret of eternal youth
Some get high on life or money, but there's an
Escape, drop out of the race.
- To walk through the world by ones self, you can't be
Protected... your trust is in whiskey and weed and
Black Sabbath - It's Goddamn Electric

(Chorus)
Don't waste your time, embrace it
And then you'll know yourself
The change in you is Goddamn Electric

The weight of the world has lifted and parted
My eyes roll blind to sights that distracted
Through tunnel-vision and dope-hair blinders
I'll cut a path and evoke my will
- To walk through the world by ones self, you can't
Be protected... your trust is in whiskey and weed
And Slayer, it's Goddamn Electric

(Chorus)
Don't fake your life - inhale it
And then you'll know yourself
The change in you is Goddamn Electric
Don't waste your time, embrace it
Annd then you'll know yourself
The change that is Goddamn Electric will focus
The Mind's Eye...

One hand on the bottle, the other a shaking
Fist, rejuvinated, isolated, no pressure
From the outside, my sight's Goddamn Electric
And these eyes have seen a world
Goddamn Electric system...

(1st Chorus)

Goddamn Electric...


Rex, Dime, Vinnie, and Phil:

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Steve M.

Joe Queenan once suggested that white rock critics pretends not to hate rap because they don't wnat to appear racist or unhip. It's this similar political correctness that makes them cheer Sinead O'Connor for dissing the Pope yet say nothing about the rappers who belong to the Five Percent Nation, an offshoot of the Nation of Islam started by young blacks who think Farrakhan is far too moderate. Except for one critic I read who sympathized with the Five Percenters because they were being investigated by the government. Hello? They're an anti-white radical Islamic group!

Also, I'm glad Phil Spector told rappers in 1990 to take singing lessons. Too bad he had to go and get involved in that murder; now he has no credibility bashing rappers. But anyone who thinks the Vatican is a greater threat to civilization than the Five Percenters ought to be investigated by a shrink rather than by the Justice Department.

How did we go from Sam Cooke, John Lennon, and Marvin Gaye, who were killed by guns, to rappers, who own guns?

Who is Phil Spector to tell ANYONE how to perform? He is nothing but a murdering ass who also beat his women and treated his ex-wife like dirt.
BTW rapping and singing are two different things. Rapping is a vocal style. Singing, well, it's all abt which notes one can sing, etc.
As for the threat of any group...the threat is only there once they get the attention and the people to agree with them and then from there something worse comes out of it.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

Vashti1999 thanks for putting Hung Up and Steve M in check. Steve M always be dissin rap music and i'm tired of his bi*ch ass always dissin rap. 2Pac was ignorant but he also made positive songs like those you mentioned Vashti1999. 2Pac would still be alive today if he wasn't ignorant and he hadn't signed with Death Row Records. I still believe Suge Knight had him killed because there was a rumor about 2Pac leaving Death Row. Then again the people who killed 2Pac was probably the people who were retaliating on him for stomping that gang member Orlando Anderson in the lobby of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas where the Mike Tyson fight was that night.

can you please NOT put me and Steve M in the same sentence? No, I am not a fan of rap (and did you know it's a right as an American not to?) but yet I was still disgusted with his comments that "white people only say they like rap to come across as politically correct" as well as the anti-Kwanzaa views.

No, I don't like rap and I have every godforsaken right not to, just like you have said you don't like rock, but I have never said, nor ever believed that the only reason white people listen to hip hop is because they want to come across as PC. I mean, people likely said the same thing about white people and Motown, or white people and funk, or white people and Michael Jackson (before he became a white person himself that is, lol) and we all know those were false analogies. I know a lot of people who are white and like hip hop, because hip hop appeals to them... hip hop just happens to not be "my thing". While Stacy corrected me about my opinions on 2pac (and granted, I have never sat down and listened to a Tupac record), me and him usually get along and respect each others opinions so it wasn't like he was dissing me.