Why do people seem to lump all rap music together in one bag and claim it's bad, lacks talent, etc?

Question

I don't really listen to rap music much, but watched Idlewild yesterday and it made me think of how back in the 1920's people were saying tthe same thing about swing and jazz music. In the 1950's it was electric slide rock and roll and the blues. Today it's rap that gets the bad wrap....Whats the deal with that? There's a small segment of gangster rappers out there who use their music to express their socio-economic situation in a gritty and harsh fashion, you get that with death metal and punk too, but no one really complains about those two styles of music. Most rap is nothing more than artistic expression for its own sake like most music....

Thoughts on why you love it or hate it?

Answer 1

There is rap that is awesome, that has lyrics that mean something, a sound the amplifies the thought in the words, a beat that matches the beat of a heart...

But the MAJORITY of it IS garbage. A lot of "I like b*****s, I like ho's, money money money, give me all you got" type c**p which for some reason, SELLS RECORDS. And this is why people hate it, because of idiots buying the bottom of the barrel songs and jumping around like morons to it and blaring out of cars where other people (who probably have not even had a chance to experience the golden crop of the rap world) have already turned themselves off to the whole genre.

There are songs that I love, (which people like my father can't stand), and I know that he's the lumper-type of person. He's only been exposed to the lamer stuff walking through NYC, hearing ghetto kids blaring garbage out of beatboxes, and he just lumps all of the stuff I listen to (which I think is gold out of sand) and doesn't think twice about listening to any of it.

As to why this all happens, which is the root of your question, people's minds typically work by association first, inquisitiveness second. If they can associate something new with something pre-experienced, then they will. It doesn't really matter if the new matter is good or bad. So if the majority of what is in the "associative-pool" is good, the new matter is already preconceived as being good, if the majority is bad, the preconception is bad.  

Answer 2

i know, it sucks. i listen to a lot of rock, but my brother listens to hip-hop and rap, and people would be surprised how talented some of the rappers out there are. there are some who rap about problems in society, and them some who write their own lyrics and you can't believe they are so poetic. i hate it when people say that anyone could rap, i know for sure i can't rap to save my life, nor freestyle. if some of those people actually try to come up with a sick rap or freestyle they will probably suck at it. and they are also hypocrites. i know that there are artists in every genre of music that isaren't really that good and lacks talent. i've heard some amazing rock bands, and then some that are horrible and can't be original to save their lives. rap is like every type of music, their is good and their is bad.

Answer 3

On the whole people just don't take the time to appreciate it.  From a rhythm and musical perspective I love rap.  Yet I have to agree that many times I find the lyrics over the top.  I realize that rule doesn't apply to all rap but I can see that if someone has only listened to a little bit of it, they might make that generalization about it.  Plus, the worst rappers get the most attention and so people who aren't looking for good rap WILL find bad rap.  It's unfortunate but it is also true of many really heavy bands too.  People assume they're all about satanic death whatever, but it's not always the case and I can also appreciate that style of music as well.

I wish there were more examples of the good rappers and rockers etc out there.  As someone who tries to guard what images and thoughts I meditate on, and also someone who appreciates a broad diversity of music, I have to appeal to the music industry to look a little harder at what they're producing.  If more individual musicians in each of these stigmatized genres would take more pride in what they're producing, in the long run people would notice.  And they would listen and enjoy it I think.

Answer 4

I love it. You are right there are other kinds of music that curse in the lyrics. Lots of Rock and Roll singers have been locked up as well as rappers. I think people are always going to complain about something. There are a lot of rap songs with a good message. They (rappers) do not lack talent, thats why their rich. Rap On!

Answer 5

I honestly don't like rap. It is no longer a form of expression. They are not talking about their socio-economic status anymore.  All I hear is bling-bling and harmful sexist lyrics against women. How is that artistic? Jazz and swing was expressing freedom and feelings and emotions. It brought people together. Jazz was original. Rap is not. Back in the day, the people stood up for what was right. They didn't worry about their careers as much as these rap artists do.

How can one rap about the hood and they live in a mansion? Where is the economic struggle there? Rap used to uplift people, now it's about the all mighty dollar.

Rap takes music and lyrics from old songs. How is that art? That's plagiarism. I put it to you this way. I view rap as one would view the Mona Lisa with p**p being smeared on it. It's art, but it stinks.

Answer 6

no one wants to listin to it bc SOME dont have anything nice about women!

Answer 7

I don't hate or love rap as a whole. I tend to dislike popular rap music, but I also dislike a lot of popular music regardless of classification; i.e. rap, rock, pop, etc. I find that popular music tends to converge to one style and a tried and true approach that quickly becomes uninteresting and frankly bad in most cases. I've never been a big fan of 50 Cent or Kanye West, I find them both to lack genuineness. However, I do like K-Os (amazing Canadian artist) as well as Common and Mos Def. I realize that both Common and Mos Def are fairly well-known, but they are not nearly as popular as Kanye or 50 Cent and, I find, can maintain some of their creativity and originality.

Answer 8

I don't like rap, but there are some good rappers out there that make good music.

Answer 9

I listened to it in the 80's when it first came out. Since then, most of the songs sound the same. I believe it is a talent, but that many of the rappers are NOT talented. There are a few I am impressed with, but overall, it's just too hard to find anything "different" about each song. It's usually got one core component: applauding themselves, giving themselves "props" and talking about dissing. How many times can I hear that same story?

Answer 10

The problem with today's modernized rap is, that they cuss to much and rap about the same thing in every song with just a different beat.

"only a SMALL percentage that contains a message worth listening to." I agree with this statement.

Answer 11

I don't love or hate rap...or any other types of music for that matter.  I agree with you.  Most people that I have encountered that have a distain for certain types of music, actually have ZERO musical talent themselves and are not able to appreciate the diversities (individual talents) with all music.  

I listen to everything and appreciate the artists talent, whether I agree with lyrics or not..who cares...LOL

Answer 12

Artistic expression, well It seems like a lot of people have the same artistic expression ie sell my dope, f**k my b**ch, money, h**s, cars, clothes. you know It starts becoming redundant and repetitive. I like some rap and a variety of other genres of music. It's just that rap has become this big blob of the same story told over and over. But, and I do stress the "BUT", there are a few rappers who have different approaches and different methods that are pretty good.

Answer 13

*without reading the details of your post, as it doesn't pertain to the question...*

Because the majority of the rap music they have heard sounds bad, lacks talent, etc.  People can only judge things based on what they have experienced. Apparently, you have met people that have only experienced bad, talentless hip hop.

Example: "yo ***** ima s***w a ***** and drink bottles in the club and then rid on 24s and shoot some cops up *****" there's the next big rap song.

Answer 14

cuz ppl r ignorant

Answer 15

I don't lump it.  I like it.  I wish Biggie Smalls would make a new CD. /

Answer 16

For a start, rap frequently doesn't conform to the requirements to be considered music.  A sample played over and over to someone rhythmically talking fast isn't music - it's a man on a soap-box with a beatbox.

If anyone can rap (and anyone can), then clearly it doesn't require talent.

Secondly, MOST rap is the socially destructive garbage we have come to know and disdain.  It is only a SMALL percentage that contains a message worth listening to.  Small wonder that we lump it all together and call it bad then.

Answer 17

I generally don't like rap, but occasionally I do run across something that I think is good and came from real talent.