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?
yxlei
Intimidate rockers?!?! Bring it on kids. WE were intimidating your grandparents! :-)
I am now playing rap music in my car at 100 dbs, just to intimidate other rock-loving Audiogoners. It appears to be working. I already see eight posts complaining of my ways.
Thomas

CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May be the funniest post in this string. Unless you count the ones from the morons who actually think that hip hop can be wished away because they don't like it.
Okay,I'll get this thing jump started again.To quote Gregg Allman from an MTV or VH1 interview(can't remember exactly)...."RAP? Short for CRAP." Let the festivities begin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a humorous read! I know how you "rappers" feel, even though I don't care for the genre. And, yes, I have tried. It is just doesn't do anything for me. Perhaps that makes me ignorant and uneducated? :-) Most audiophiles don't have much if any respect for music other than classical and maybe jazz. I listen to rock, classic rock, prog rock, goth, techno, country, bluegrass, and sometimes throw on some jazz. Rarely classical, but there are times when I enjoy it. So you can imagine the looks and comments I get from most professed audiophiles. So reign in the negative labels please. Some of you are starting to sound exactly like "them"! It really is ok to form your own opinions and let others do the same.

And don't get me started on the sound of audiophile gear! 99% of which can't play our kinds of music worth a damn.

Darkmooebius

What's a bored guy to do?
I don't want to see this thread dying, but if it gets any quieter I am going to be sitting here taking jabs at myself.
Out of boredom I jumped onto some others but, not to say I found them uninteresting after this, I just found them as interesting as sitting alone in an empty racket ball court while eating a ton of rice.
Oh man, did this thread go off the rails. But, it's getting pretty damn funny, too.
THE EXCITING SOCIAL LIFE OF HI FI SNOB

Hi Fi snob got married at 23

Hi Fi Snob has never set foot in a club because he got married at 23

Hi Fi Snob will (very occasionally, say every five years) go to a rock concert but afterwards will brag more to his friends about his back-stage pass than the vibe.

Hi Fi Snob thinks he is too old to go to concerts or clubs because he just turned 24

Hi Fi Snob has never been young. He has done "old people" stuff since his teens.

Instead of going out dancing on a Saturday night Hi Fi snob prefers to sit on the sofa bobbing his head from side to side to Carly Simon.

Hi Fi Snob criticizes people over 25 for going out to clubs suggesting they are "trying to relive their youth"

Hi Fi Snob taps a police officer on the shoulder at the Niel Young concert and says "look officer - I just saw that guy smoking a joint."

Hi Fi Snob tells his kids "Don't get me wrong, I too was a wild partier back in the day"

Hi Fi Snob puts his hand in the back pocket of his neatly pressed trousers to find a business card, then pushes his tie (emblazoned with Stanford logos) to the side to dig in one of the two little pockets of his knit cardigan.
He finally pulls out out a business card and says "hey young fellow, if you want to listen to some real music from the 70s call me up. There will be wine and cheese......it's gonna be absolutely craaaaazy"

Hi Fi Snob loves to sit on the sofa listening to John Denver while playing with Rubic's Cube, because just like him..........it's SQUARE.

Bongofury,

I be feeling ya bro. If you need a new crib fo crashin in, complete wit hoes jus holla at ya bouy. Things be poppin owf at ma crib an my hommie just turned me on to some dope christian rap, his band "Big Baby Jesus" be slingin mixtapes all over the hood.....they even better than The Beatles.

Lata
While I acknowledge Rap sells albums I find no appeal in its pounding rhythms and violent lyrics. I have listened to various rap tunes extensively mostly by having them blasted through my car windows from cars next to me at stop lights. I guess rap ballad would qualify as an oxymoron.

I also feel the same about opera and while I don't think opera sells as well as rap I have never been subjected to a 110db aria from the trunk of the Mercedes next to me.

I suppose I would never attend a rap opera.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" to quote Miss Piggy.
Thomas

My wife just read this string and wanted to know about the three strip clubs I own in the San Fernando Valley. I now have an embedded ATC speaker in my crotch. I am okay. Everytime I cough when it hurts, it plays Public Enemy.
Can someone please say something controversial. This has been very entertaining so far and I am ready to see some more blood and snot flying.
Shadorne

You made me spit my coffee back into my cup reading that - brilliant!
What makes it so funny is it is the truth. I have read a few gems on here and that ranks right up there with the funniest.
Signing off this post, I have to go back and read that one more time.
Thomastrouble

Based in LA. Love the Bay Area Club scene, including Slide, Ruby Skye, Folsom, Apartment, etc....
Please keep the quality rap recommendations coming. I'm sifting through the strange soap opera above for a few music gems for MY musical pleasure.
Did they really remove my parody thread? Are you freaking kidding me? Is fun not allowed here? Give me a break! The racist posts can stay but my funny post is taken down...Jeez!
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...
Sit, nice to see someone willing to explore - you won't regret it! Maybe dip your toes into some "trip-hop" this is a kind of chilled out hip-hop and the Ninja Tunes label have been doing this well for a long time, check them out on the internet, I think they are still around but there is a wide variety of stuff on that label so don't be put off at first glance.
Bongofury, did you know that The Streets first album got onto Rolling Stones best 100 albums of all time and still be considered "underground" too! If anybody is from England you will get more out of this guy very humorously depicting english working class life.Bedroom produced stuff but raw as it gets and if there are any clubbers out there you will know what he is talking about, he has definately lived a bit of that life.
Bongofury, gotta say it again, your knowledge is very impressive - what do you do for a living? Are you also from the Bay Area?

Anyway, good to see all this heated debate, wether I agree or not. For me this is where the real passions should come out - regarding the music itself, as opposed to that extra 2% of sonic quality when listening to it.
For any country folks out there you might want to try Bubba Sparxx "Deliverance". Brilliant Timabaland produced album, witty, not gangsta with a focus more on chickens and dogs in the yard than urban life. This was a hugely critically acclaimed album but commercially, no so. "Dark Days Bright Nights is another masterpiece by him, but forget about "The Charm" when he sold out and nose-dived.
Thomastrouble

Amen to that. I have worked with over 1,000 bands per year in a live concert setting and LOVE all music. It would be a sad day when people dictate personal taste. My 25 and 28 year old children and I are constantly exchanging fresh music. My daughter loves house and techno and married to renowned Bay Area artist Dave Kim, who has fused classic violin over DJ music. I love young bands. On heavy rotation at the moment is The XX, Mos Def, the Throwdowns, Sticky, and the Union Line.
Hey Bongofury and Darkmobeus - very refreshing to see a couple of obviously well educated and OPEN-MINDED music lovers on here, yes, MUSIC lovers. I listen to everything from jazz to rock to hard core rap and love it all. As far as intelligent rap goes don't forget Common, Atmosphere, Black Star and Talib Kwali (on his own). Bongofury we should hang out - BIG Mike Skinner (Streets) fan here ....profound insight from this kid. Lets not forget another truly great ARTIST - 2Pac!
Only once people are prepared to open their mind regarding music will they get all they can out of it and it is their loss as far as I am concerned. A quick scan of the music for sale on this site will tell you who we are dealing with - Pat Boone, Johnny Mathis, Cliff Richard, Bing Crosby, I mean come on guys, people have been making great music in the last half-century in case you weren't aware, and while rock really has not been able to out-do the 60s and 70s hip-hop has been driving things forward.
The OP suggests that we won't be listening to any of these hip-hop records in 20 years time???? Sorry to tell you we already are and some from 20 years back are as fresh today as they were back then and we will still be listening to the hip-hop classics in 50 years. The greatest thing I ever stumbled on in my life and it changed my whole outlook on music was techno (in a broad sense) and I am so thankful that I was open-minded enough to "get it" - it has been the most rewarding chapter in my musical life and I know there are people reading this now thinking it is all bang, bang, bang. Maybe it is ...... until you really take an interest and it too is ART and millions of people across the globe are hitting up clubs, festivals and parties every weekend and having the musical time of their lives. It is almost sad that many people will never get to experience the buzz that myself and people like Bongofury get to experience simply because of closed-mindedness. I never listened to jazz until recently and the reason I am enjoying it now is because I decided that if so many people are into it then I must be missing something. I opened my mind and now you can find me on a regular basis tearing the Jazz isle to pieces in search of something fresh, at least fresh to me. I DJ internationally for a living and I can tell you there is nothing to destroy your passion for music faster than playing and listening to the same old tracks. The whole rush for most of us is finding fresh music continuously.
Not knocking anybody for "looping" their music from 50 years ago, just don't knock people for, as Mike Skinner puts it, "pushing things forward."
Happy listening to all of you.
"Rap sucks although it does provide, in many cases, a career path to 3 squares a day and a warm bed ranging in time from 1 month to 99 years."

This statement reminds me of that ridiculous trial, where the prosecutor tried to claim there were subliminal messages hidden on a Judas Priest record, that convinced two kids to commit suicide. Utter nonsense.
Lawerence-Fishburne-Like-Named-Dude, that was mighty strong, I might say, excellent comeback!!

Also to BongoFury, I just re-read my last post, and that was a little (probably more than a little) uncalled for, sorry, bad post. I was out of line, just because I don't agree with you on something, I didn't need to go overboard. Once again, sorry about that, wish I could take it off. I made myself look like a little bit of an ass.
01-11-10: Audiofeil
However, very few rock and roll/country songs advocate cop killing, murder, rape, and general thuggery.
Hmmm, off the top of my head:

Guns N' Roses "It's So Easy"

Ya get nothin' for nothin'
If that's what ya do
Turn around bitch I got a use for you
Besides you ain't got nothin' better to do
And I'm bored

"Anything Goes"

Panties 'round your knees
With your ass in debris
Doin' dat grind with a push and squeeze
Tied up, tied down, up against the wall
Be my rubbermade baby
An' we can do it all

"Used To Love Her"

I used to love her
But I had to kill her
I used to love her, Mm, yeah
But I had to kill her
I had to put her six feet under
And I can still hear her complain

I used to love her, Oo, yeah
But I had to kill her
I used to love her, Oo, yeah
But I had to kill her
I knew I'd miss her
So I had to keep her
She's buried right in my backyard
Oh yeah, Oo yeah, whoa, oh yeah

I used to love her
But I had to kill her
I used to love her, Mm, yeah
But I had to kill her
She bitched so much, She drove me nuts
And now I'm happier this way, yeah
Whoa, oh yeah

I used to love her
But I had to kill her
I used to love her, Mm, yeah
But I had to kill her
I had to put her, Oo, six feet under
And I can still hear her complain

Motley Crue "Live Wire"

I'll either break her face
Or take down her legs
Get my ways at will
Go for the throat
Never let loose

"Bastard"

Out go the lights
In goes my Knife
Pull out his life
Consider that bastard dead
Get on your knees
Please beg me, please
You're the king of the sleaze
Don't you try to rape me

Chorus:
(Bastard)
Consider that bastard dead
(Bastard)
Won't get screwed again
Whoa! Whoa!
Bastard
Make it quick, blow off his head

Got your neck in the noose
I got nothing to lose
We're really gonna screw you
Consider that bastard dead
Quick a a shark
Beast has its mark
You can't beat the dark
Don't you try to rape me

Goin' in for the kill
Take my fist
Break down walls
I'm on the top tonight

"All In The Name Of..."

She's only fifteen
She's the reason - the reason that I can't sleep
You say illegal
I say legal's never been my scene

I try like hell but I'm out of control
All in the name of rock'n'roll

For sex and sex I'd sell my soul
All in the name of rock

Pretty, pretty so innocent
She sais you ain't seen nothing yet
Brings me a dirty, dirty magazine
There she was for all the world to see

I try like hell but I'm out of control
All in the name of rock'n'roll

For sex and sex I'd sell my soul
All in the name of rock

Says to me daddy
Can I have some candy
Wanna be your nasty
Anytime you want
You know you can have me

All in the name of rock'n'roll
For sex and sex I'd sell my soul
All in the name of rock

Motorhead "Jailbait"

Jailbait
Hey baby you´re a sweet young thing
Still tied to mommas apron strings
I don´t even want to know your age
I´m just happy you´re back stage
You´re jailbait and I just can´t wait
Jailbait baby come on

One look baby all I need
My decision made at lightning speed
I don´t even want to know your name
It´s enough to know you feel the same
You´re jailbait and I just can´t wait
Jailbait baby come on

Hey baby know you look so fine
Send shivers up and down my spine
I don´t care about our different ages
I´m an open book with well-thumbed pages
You´re jailbait and I just can´t wait
Jailbait baby come on

Really, it's not that hard to come up with a long, long, list of rock lyrics from gold or platinum selling albums.

Punk, which is sub-section of rock, has more than it's share of anti-police and violent lyrics.

For the more obscure rock/punk lyrics,there's always GG Allin's "Kill The Police"

Lyrics to Kill The Police :
Worthless pig-man in your phoney blue uniform
You try to tell me what to do but I never will conform
In my world there are no limits or laws
Kill the police before we’re all robots

[Refrain:]
Kill the police
Kill the whole force
Smash the system
Destroy the courts

[Repeat Refrain 2 Times]

On a power trip with your useless authority
Your life is nothin' but (..unknown..)
I hope you all die on the street today
I hope you all die in a deadly way

[Refrain 3 Times]

It's all a lie what they try and sell you
If they can't make a case, they're gonna frame you
Wanted or on bail can you ever be free
It's time to take action, kill the police

[Refrain 3 Times]

[Repeat Verse 1]

[Refrain 4 Times]
Agreed.

However, very few rock and roll/country songs advocate cop killing, murder, rape, and general thuggery.

Rap sucks although it does provide, in many cases, a career path to 3 squares a day and a warm bed ranging in time from 1 month to 99 years.

Or maybe even life.

Yo,what a deal.

Are you feeling me?
Now, now, Audiofeil - Rock & roll and country have their own share of convicted felons.
Some of my favs:

"Let's Riot"
Attica Gang

"Lockdown"
San Quentin Quintet

"Bust You Up"
Leaven and the Worths

"You Ain't Going Nowhere"
Pelican Bayrollers
01-10-10: Sit
The Arrested Devolpment work you sight is on my all-time favs list. Also dc Talk and PM Dawn. What other rap today has this musical flavor to it?
Wow, that's a tough call, they were pretty damn innovative. I'll have to think about that for a while. That was a uniquely creative time in hip-hop.
The others you shared above just don't do it for me.
Nothing wrong with that. Hip-hop covers such a wide universe of sounds & styles, here's bound to hits and misses for everyone interested. Lord knows there's a lot of it that I simply can't stand.
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.
Dark.,

The Arrested Devolpment work you sight is on my all-time favs list. Also dc Talk and PM Dawn. What other rap today has this musical flavor to it?

The others you shared above just don't do it for me.
01-10-10: Sit
Most rap I've heard comes off much too angry, misguided, uninformed, full of predujice, rather rote/uncreative/repeticious and the like for my tastes.
That is a common misconception by those not experienced with rap/hip-hop. While most popular rap is gangsta or hardcore, the actual genre covers a wide universe that fuses almost every known other musical style within it, including country music. Classical and bluegrass might be the exception.

I usually suggest that the uninitiated and curious start out with the jazz-infused rap/hip-hop as an introduction.

One thing people have to take into consideration is that some hip-hop/rap is made simply for the flow of the rhythm and rhyme, where the lyrics will mean nothing at all. This isn't unheard of in rock & roll, either. There are plenty of great, classic, rock songs with utter, nonsensical, crap for lyrics.

A great example of this is 1993's "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" and "Nickel Bags" by Digable Planets from their cd "Reachin (A New Refutation of Time and Space)" which reached the Top 15 on the Billboard Charts and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1994. They were one of the early hip-hop acts to fuse jazz samples with funk and vocal delivery which mirrored the style of jazz musicians. Groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and others approached music from a 180 degree opposite direction of the hardcore gangsta rap of NWA, Ice-t, etc. that was so big at the time. Their movement was about peaceful intellectualism, raps equivalent of Flower Power.

Guru's Jazzmatazz Vols 1-4 are considered definitive collections where he collaborated with jazz artists like Branford Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd, along with soul vocalists like Chaka Khan on "Watch What You Say".

Across the Pond, French artists like MC Solaar were forging their own style jazz and funk infused hip-hop. Solaar's Nouveau Western(from Prose Combat) is one of the classic examples from that period. Solaar ended up collaborating with Guru's original band Gangstarr on Le Tempto

At the same time, groups like Arrested Development were taking hip-hop's peaceful intellectualism in a slightly different direction by fusing funky backbeat with more traditional soul & reggae music flourishes. Their lyrics specifically preached non-violence, education, and respect for women. Their cd "3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of..." broke new ground with it's simplistic, funky, positive style. The songs "Everyday People" and "Tennessee" both reached #1 on the charts, "Mr Wendel" reeached #6, and earned them won two Grammy Awards in 1993 for Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, and were also named Band of the Year by Rolling Stone magazine.

Other styles of hip-hop/rap exist simply for the lyrics and the music on provides a backbeat for the cadence of delivery. Personally, I consider a lot of Dylan's early works to be like this since I don't like his voice or music. Not saying that a lot of rap artists are on Dylan's level songwriting wise, but neither are a lot of rock artists, either. Although, I do think quite a few early rappers like Public Enemy wrote equally as powerful social commentary at their height.

Then, there is whole 'nother segment that simply about self-mocking humor. Just good old funtime party music - rap's equivalent of the B-52's or Van Halen.

I'm not suggesting that you, or others that dislike rap, will enjoy or even appreciate the musical styles of these groups, just that the genre is not entirely violence and misogyny-laden. There is tons of highly regarded, well selling, artistic and flat-out funny acts that refute that mindset.

I, personally, am not a huge rap/hip-hop fan(more of jazz, rock, hard rock, & alternative guy), but there is lots of stuff that i do enjoy and I always keep an open ear for something new.

If anyone likes they style of stuff sampled above, I'm sure there a few of us around here that put together a list of quality songs/cd's to groove to.
No, Bong-futility runs the music business now, a 50 plus year old loser furiously holding onto a youth past who owns a few gentlman's clubs in the San Fernando valley makes him what we need.

You know the dude, the loser next to you college kid backstage passing stories about Jimmy and the good old day, then hanging trying to hang out on the fringe of the rap community by letting them have free lap-dances at his club.

Dude, I pity you, give it up, your not cool or hip, your a loser, grow up.
Above discussion sounds like one I've heard starting with when the Beatles came on the scene. Only then it was my older friends parents wishing that, "that terrible noise" would soon vanish; not to mention how they were so against the Stones, Hendrix, Bowie, James Brown, and on and on.

I'm not a fan of rap. Others are welcome to it. I've tried and tried (I believe I have quite eclectic music interests).

I'd be VERY, VERY interested in a couple of current rap albums or CDs that A'Gon followers find worthy of purchase. I'd like to try more than the 15 or so works I have to date.

Most rap I've heard comes off much too angry, misguided, uninformed, full of predujice, rather rote/uncreative/repeticious and the like for my tastes.

In response to those who wrote above that the British "invasion" had roots in the blues created by our black American artists, that is correct.

That these bands openly credited our American artists - from what I've experienced and read that is likely 90+% incorrect.

The likes of John Baldry, John Mayall, Roy Harper, and even Clapton, the Animals and perhaps a few others were somewhat more open about the "borrowing". The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Yardbirds (in general), the Who, and other more popular "British Invaders" were not any too quick at acknowledging such details. Study it. I'm open to knowing where I might be wrong here.

"... and the beat goes on".
If you think that all "hip-hop" is like the stuff you hear pumping from car stereos then check out the kind of stuff that REAL music/vinyl lovers can make.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR-i0qRHLpM&fmt=18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy6jLvRgOhc&fmt=18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHhlaspXVgo&fmt=18
Rap sucks; it's never been and never will be "music".

Although it has a strong appeal to current and future inmates.
PS: Dark Moebius is right. Led Zep denied millions in royalties to the blues artists mentioned. Peter Grant, their manager, was well known in the biz, for being ruthless. It was only when the press and the lawsuits came forward, did they bend.
Macdad

My present clients are U2, AC/DC and the Black Eye Peas, plus three unsigned acts. I own three clubs. I have two touring properties being planned for the summer and have a television series involving 30 Blue Chip Artists in production for the Japanese, US and European market. I find your response to me as unworthy. None of this is being shoved down anyone's throats. It Shadorne's point, personal taste is your personal business. But for people of my ilk, you look stupid.
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...
Can we switch to a Blues discussion then? My first live music event was Koko Taylor off of Maxwell street with my father's best friend and my brothers as a teenager. Still the best music I have ever heard.

We went to the same place a few weeks later, just us, to see Johnny Lee Hooker. He was majorly messed up, but man, could he play.

Ma Rainey, Robert Johnson, Etta James,...... jazz and blues fueled rock and roll, morphed into some great blue eyed soul then R & B and Funk, which still sounds great.

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's lyric poetry, some of it is very fun and interesting, but I think it's more in common with Homer than Mozart.
Macdadtexas, they may have always given them credit in interviews and live concerts, but they didn't always do so where it counted most - legally and financially, in the songwriting credits.

That, is a fact.

And I agree with you that they worshipped the blues greats.
Dark-"Dude from the Matrix"

I stand by my point, and it's still right on. You make it sound as though these bands denied the connection between themselves and the blues greats. They never did, that.

I never said they did not emulate or anything else, they worshipped these guys as their musical Gods, and my point, and I stand by it, was that they have always, always, given them credit as their main influences.
01-09-10: Macdadtexas
My point, which you in no way addressed, was that the statement Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin among others didn't acknowledge his/their predecessors was WAY off the mark, and I stand by that.
You shouldn't make emphatic statements when the facts don't entirely back that up.

Led Zeppelin released "The Lemon Song" in 1969 on the Led Zeppelin II album,and it's original writing credits were Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. That particular song "borrows" lyrics from prior blues artists work.

The first, second and fourth verses of "The Lemon Song," are clearly recognizable from Howlin' Wolf's original song "Killing Floor".

Also is Plant's "Squeeze the lemon 'til the juice runs down my leg" phrase, look to Robert Johnson's 1937 song "Traveling Riverside Blues." Of course, Johnson wasn't the only blues artist to use this type of imagery. In the 1929 song "I Want It Awful Bad," Joe Williams had included the lines "You squeezed my lemon/Caused my juice to run," and Roosevelt Sykes used similar imagery in his 1937 song "She Squeezed My Lemon." Nonetheless, it is highly unlikely Plant/Page created the line on their own.

The phrase "you take my money, give it to another man" most likely was taken from "Black Eye Blues" by Ma Rainey.

It wasn't until Led Zeppelin WAS SUED BY ARC Records in 1972, and an out of court settlement, that the band was forced to give those blues artists writing credits on Zepp pressings.

Honestly, we could give you a long, long, long, list of famous songs and artists in the great age of Rock & Roll who did (what we now) legally consider theft of prior work. Many others were more performer than songwriters and musicians. That doesn't take anything from them, by the way.

Of course, back then, it was a bunch of kids doing songs they love. But, in some ways, everyone always knew songwriting credit was where all the money was made. A choice not to list someone meant more money in their own pockets.

I should also mention that I liberally "borrowed" all these facts/assertions from this web page
He actually sued them over "Whole Lotta Love" and they settled it with him as soon as they found out about the suit, it was in the late 1980's. The reason it never went to court was their respect for him, and also the fact that the song does sound extremely similar to one of his songs from the early '50's which I can't remember the title of, but the opening riffs did sound incredibly similar to the bridge of Wille's song.

This is one of the incidents that I remember from Led Zep talking about thier influences because I saw an interview with Jimmy Page talking about the incident and his admiration for all of the Chess regards group, with special attention to Willie Dixon and Johnny Lee Hooker (was he at Chess?).
And didn't Willie Dixon sue Zep for them totally ripping him off without giving him credit?
How many die-hard "hip-hop" bashers here have never heard the DJ Shadow album Endtroducing?
Bongo-Furious, didn't mean to get in your pocket. Obviously from your very selective response you must deal with these people everyday. If you are/were involved in any of those "songs" you mention with Pdiddy/Mac/Combs/Daddy, I'm sorry you've obviously lost whatever musical talent you once possesed.

My point, which you in no way addressed, was that the statement Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin among others didn't acknowledge his/their predecessors was WAY off the mark, and I stand by that.

Be it Johnny Lee Hooker, Lead Belly, Koko Taylor, I had and have heard from many of those great rock bands and acts that these great blues artists were their influences.

Also, your dead wrong on current musical tastes too. You obviously don't see all of teenagers I do combing through record stores looking for 20+ year old music, and downloading all sorts of songs from my youth, that's why new music sales are way down. At least that what the Wall Street Journal, and many of the mainstream media outlets say. We never checked out old music as teenagers, we only were interested in new music, admittedly some of it sucked, but we wanted to be on the cutting edge. Current kids do that because what is shoved down their throats by the music biz now, which you seem to be in by your admission is currently clueless as to who is buying music.

To me you sound ignorant, myopic and clueless, and I mean that in the best way. If you really are in the music business and have been for 30 yrs you are probably part of the problem. Get out now and let some kids come in, you don't know what you are talking about.
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!