When will rap music be less mainstream?


First time I heard MC Hammer’s song many years ago, I like the rhythm and thought it is quite unique. After that, all kinds of rap music pop up. I never thought rap music would be mainstream for such a long time in US. If you look at the music award ceremonies, you will find it being flooded with rap music. Sometimes I am not even sure rap can be considered as song because you don’t sing but speak. Now you start to hear rap music in some other languages like Chinese, Japanese and Korean that don’t sound good in rap format. It would be interesting to hear rap music in Italian.

Time will tell if a song is good or not. A song is good if somebody want to play it for their loved ones on the radio 20 years later. I can’t imagine someone will play a rap for their beloved one 20 years later. Just curious if any A’gon member keep any rap collection?

Besides rap, I also have a feeling that the music industry in general is getting cheesy now. American Idol show gets huge attention while lots of singers perform at the bar or hotel can easily sing better than the idols. The show also asked Barbara Streisand if she watched the show and who was her favorite idol. What do you expect her to answer? People said Justin Timberlake is very talented singer/songwriter. I know him because I saw lots of headshot of him on commercials and magazines, but can you name any popular/well known song from him?
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Showing 7 responses by shadorne

Any of you like Maroon 5 - this is a rap hip hop influenced pop group. Kind of Jamiroquai meets a rap beat like Eminem?

Anyway, just to say that those who dismiss rap out of hand simply don't get it.
I don't hate rap/hip hop at all. I think it's very important socially, but I don't consider it music at all

It is ok to not like it - I don't care much for country or opera but I do not dismiss these genres out of hand. In fact, on the contrary, I can appreciate a fine musical performance of both it is just that I do not collect a lot of CD's of this type genre (I have a few dozen opera and country discs but that is all)

Another example is Punk - I do not care much for that but I sure appreciate what it gave us - Blondie, The Clash and a while lot more were inspired from Sex Pistols...
Just picked up Vampire Weekend's new release - it was released yesterday - I have been liking their sound since their debut.

Hi-Fi snobbery is an evil disease when it blinds us to music. It can affect us all to some degree and I admit to it too! Once you catch the disease then you can lose sight of what is really important.

Here is what Hi-Fi snobbery can become in its worst form:

Hi-Fi snob forks out $20K on a high-end Hi-Fi
Hi-Fi snob gets more snobby and supposes to now be an expert on music
Hi-Fi snob tells everyone else what they should like and what constitutes good music.

Sadly in reality, our "Hi-Fi snob" has never bought more than 100 albums - all mostly from the 70's and 80's high school and college student days. In reality, Hi-Fi snob spends more time fiddling with and talking about gear than really listening to music or expanding musical horizons. Sadly Hi-Fi snob doesn't even play an instrument. The truth is that Hi-Fi snob is not really interested in music but has plenty of disposable income and a huge ego to feed, which manifests itself in glowing lights and cool expensive looking aesthetic components...
This thread has got too heavy - time for a joke:

Why do most Audiogoner's treat their music collection like candy?

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A: because they throw away the wrappers!

ROFLMAO
Rap and hip hop have roots in funk. I love funk. I enjoy rap and hop also. I agree with Bongo - lots of great stuff out there! My favorite BEP numbers are not the hits you hear on the radio.

The BEP cover (sampling) of James Brown's "Mind Power" is awesome
They don't want music. This is proof that rap is not a new horrible sound but an evolution, with highly distinguished roots: think of it as an evolution of Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock, James Brown, Maceo Parker etc.

The drums on this track is courtesy of the incomparable genius of John Jabo Starks!