Music, for me, is by far the best artform that exists.
Nothing surpasses it for: variety, depth and range of emotion, and its ability to be appreciated after so many 'viewings'.
Movies, TV, visual art, plays, etc, can all be great, but even the best of them can only be viewed a limited number of times before they become too well known to be fully enjoyed after a certain point.
But I've lost track of how many times I've listened to music by: Chic Corea, Stravinsky, King Crimson, Univers Zero, Magma, Elliott Carter, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, and an uncountable list of others, and they still reveal new subtleties each time I listen.
I can fully appreciate it for these above attributes. Giving voice to so many people that have not historically had one, is a noble attribute.
But I do not judge music on that level. Music for me to enjoy music, it has to have certain attributes, the most important being: very high level of musicianship, musical complexity, wide and deep ranges of emotion conveyed, (usually) long form, with a lot of changes.
Unfortunately for me, Rap has none of those things. It is usually played by mediocre musicians, it is musically simple (basic melodies, simple time signatures, simple chord structures, etc). And those are the main reasons I do not like it.
As others have said, Rap for me is much closer to spoken word art forms, than musical ones. And since I am not really a fan of spoken word art forms, I am not the best judge on its merits in that regard. I can only judge it on its musical merits, and for me, it fails on that level.
Nothing surpasses it for: variety, depth and range of emotion, and its ability to be appreciated after so many 'viewings'.
Movies, TV, visual art, plays, etc, can all be great, but even the best of them can only be viewed a limited number of times before they become too well known to be fully enjoyed after a certain point.
But I've lost track of how many times I've listened to music by: Chic Corea, Stravinsky, King Crimson, Univers Zero, Magma, Elliott Carter, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, and an uncountable list of others, and they still reveal new subtleties each time I listen.
There were a number of folks who were dismissive, even derogative, of this genre of music. It was said that rap is not ’real’ music, whatever that’s supposed to mean. I wish these folks can see how rap is becoming the universal language for people around the world, especially those trying to survive in tough environments and circumstances. And it’s not just limited to the United States. Whether it’s Dharavi (Asia’s largest slum in Mumbai, India) or a tough neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, rap music cuts across languages, cultures, and geographic boundaries. It has become the musical language of choice to express not just frustration and angst, but also aspirations and hopes of a better life, a better world.
I can fully appreciate it for these above attributes. Giving voice to so many people that have not historically had one, is a noble attribute.
But I do not judge music on that level. Music for me to enjoy music, it has to have certain attributes, the most important being: very high level of musicianship, musical complexity, wide and deep ranges of emotion conveyed, (usually) long form, with a lot of changes.
Unfortunately for me, Rap has none of those things. It is usually played by mediocre musicians, it is musically simple (basic melodies, simple time signatures, simple chord structures, etc). And those are the main reasons I do not like it.
As others have said, Rap for me is much closer to spoken word art forms, than musical ones. And since I am not really a fan of spoken word art forms, I am not the best judge on its merits in that regard. I can only judge it on its musical merits, and for me, it fails on that level.