Short view on today's Hip Hop
So I will tell the people who like to know about some of my feelings about certain trends in Hip Hop these days. And how I feel about these trends.
-Let me start off with the trend that drumless (I call them beatless) beats became. This seems to be a very unpopular opinion amongst younger heads and also amongst some of the older ones. I don't like it one bit, it gets the focus on lyrics/the mc too much. It's cool for a break on an album, but not for entire albums or even entire discographies (like 90% of it). It seems to become more and more popular, with now slowly some of the (much) more known producers using this type of 'beats'. To me it's an anticlimax when you don't get the percussion kicking in at a certain point. I think it makes MC's look pretentious and good producers seem to be not necessary anymore. I like fat beats, dope lyrics and a MC that sounds nice. It's ideal and even in these days not impossible to have all these 3 on a track or even an entire album. I agree on the point: bars over production. To show what I mean I add a joint by a well-known producer and a well-known MC:
Conclusion: Beatless beats is where I draw the line.
-Sales are way too important nowadays, it seems sale matter more and more. The stuff I like is not probable to sell much. This is mainly caused by me being an old stubborn head, who is very fond of BoomBap type of ish. But when I hear people name some very well-known MC's new albums, and call it dope while either the production or the MC-ing is being (way) sub-par... Like the man Big L (may his soul rest in peace) said it: "I don't understand it, how MC's take this rapgame for granted". I miss those type of MC's, I don't see another iconic and revolutionary (he raised the bar on punchlines, popularized it hugely, and was never touched on that front) MC like L coming up these days. I mean: sure you can sell a lot and have a dope record, but the majority of fans will be mainly influenced by labels, TV and Radio (as far as people still use those 2). For example there were some releases this year that are majorly overlooked by many heads. Why? It doesn't get any attention in the media, and most people do not properly research for new stuff. Word of mouth is important to me. There are certain heads, whoms opinion I trust on. It's probably mainly an age thing, and the fact I am kind of a purist. But here is an example of a dope track from an overlooked album that was being released this year:
Conclusion: Underground is my ground forever probably.
These were the main 2 subjects I wanted to cover. I hope my opinion is clear. Btw: this was just my opinion. There will be some guestwriters one time and they might think differently and want to share their point of view.
Peace,
P-Dub
-Let me start off with the trend that drumless (I call them beatless) beats became. This seems to be a very unpopular opinion amongst younger heads and also amongst some of the older ones. I don't like it one bit, it gets the focus on lyrics/the mc too much. It's cool for a break on an album, but not for entire albums or even entire discographies (like 90% of it). It seems to become more and more popular, with now slowly some of the (much) more known producers using this type of 'beats'. To me it's an anticlimax when you don't get the percussion kicking in at a certain point. I think it makes MC's look pretentious and good producers seem to be not necessary anymore. I like fat beats, dope lyrics and a MC that sounds nice. It's ideal and even in these days not impossible to have all these 3 on a track or even an entire album. I agree on the point: bars over production. To show what I mean I add a joint by a well-known producer and a well-known MC:
Conclusion: Beatless beats is where I draw the line.
-Sales are way too important nowadays, it seems sale matter more and more. The stuff I like is not probable to sell much. This is mainly caused by me being an old stubborn head, who is very fond of BoomBap type of ish. But when I hear people name some very well-known MC's new albums, and call it dope while either the production or the MC-ing is being (way) sub-par... Like the man Big L (may his soul rest in peace) said it: "I don't understand it, how MC's take this rapgame for granted". I miss those type of MC's, I don't see another iconic and revolutionary (he raised the bar on punchlines, popularized it hugely, and was never touched on that front) MC like L coming up these days. I mean: sure you can sell a lot and have a dope record, but the majority of fans will be mainly influenced by labels, TV and Radio (as far as people still use those 2). For example there were some releases this year that are majorly overlooked by many heads. Why? It doesn't get any attention in the media, and most people do not properly research for new stuff. Word of mouth is important to me. There are certain heads, whoms opinion I trust on. It's probably mainly an age thing, and the fact I am kind of a purist. But here is an example of a dope track from an overlooked album that was being released this year:
Conclusion: Underground is my ground forever probably.
These were the main 2 subjects I wanted to cover. I hope my opinion is clear. Btw: this was just my opinion. There will be some guestwriters one time and they might think differently and want to share their point of view.
Peace,
P-Dub
I am with this take 100%! Every time I hear a hip hop track with no drums I am waiting for the rest of the beat to drop. The Roc Marciano - Rosebud Revenge 2 is cool, but doesn't hold my interest for that reason. Has no replay value, and shows no skill from a production side.
ReplyDeleteIt might be a generation-thing, Eddie. RR2 was interesting to me at first cause of the bars, but I can't listen to it anymore. I got to the point of no return, and got 110% fed up with that bullshit!
DeleteYou're wrong
ReplyDeleteInteresting point you are making. I love how you explain it too!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteMYV = MTV
DeletePoint 1: as I said at the beginning of the text, it are my feelings. And it has nothing to do that I like things to stagnate. My point is very clear: It puts the emphasis on the MC too much. DJ-ing and MC-ing need to be both involved. And not too much emphasis on either one of them, just as I dont like most Snowgoons-ish (anymore) for instance. This is because they overproduce their stuff 95% of the times.
DeleteTry evolving in another way, HipHop always has been a trendsetting genre since it came up a bit more. I am sure there will come trends I can ride along with again. I hated on Grime for a long time, but I can accept that now. Trap & Drill both not meant for me (only when Kool Keith does it :-B). It's not because I dont ride along with the trends I am a hater. Lots of good stuff still being released. Brings me to:
Point 2: If those ways were around in the 80's and early 90's, what wouldve happened do you think? You think PE wouldve been topping the charts with each single, would 36 Chambers immediately have sold as much as any album these days? To quote my man Germaine: "It's a misconception that a movement in any direction is progression".
I like it when ppl try new things. Otherwise it's just the same old music
DeleteCan't strike gold every time, but they should be encouraged when they try
Love boom bap, but i've heard it all before. give me something fresh
>> If those ways were around in the 80's and early 90's, what wouldve happened do you think?
You would have known about the golden era acts have have discovered the past few years because of the internet
I liked some of those beatless thing at first, but it gets old quite fast, plus an entire album is boring. I agree it should be encouraged to try new things. I even prefer Trap over beatless nowadays. I mean, you need a real strong MC to carry those drumless beats. I think it was a nice thing, but they need to move on to another thing. Yet there is a reasonably big audience for it. For example: I think you know Kool Keith, he does try new things quite often. Is not so popular because of his weirdness, yet I like him and mainly because he keeps on trying new things. To finish: It's nice when people try new things, but this one (the drumless) is not appealing to me. I make the decision to not listen to it.
ReplyDeleteOn the second point I was asking two thngs in one additional question. But to answer it I like to quote a wise ex Feyenoord-player: Every advantage have its disadvantage ;-)
1. Ok, at least you gave it a chance
Delete2. You say things get popular because of sales, labels Tv/Radio
Sales don't matter anymore, music is a free commodity, the money is being made with merch and live. Labels were needed for fronting the cash to make an album and bribe the gatekeepers. But you can make an album today for next to no money, and there are no more gatekeepers to bribe. And nobody watches TV anymore :-)
I'd say popularity is more based on social media (global word of mouth), youtube, podcasts.
Wonder what other ppl think, or are we the only ones on this kick ass blog?
I reply to point 2, they dont get popular because of sales. But it seems to be an unpopular opinion when you dont like a goodselling album nowadays. You will get slaughtered by them stans. This proves a point: The fact that quality doesnt matter anymore in Hip Hop. Just go with the flow and whatever is popular. You know there are a lot of people on social media that try to influence/convince people of the greatness of certain album. If sales were representive for quality than I rather have my old boom bap back. Sure stagnation isnt good, but 99% of changes in Hip Hop nowadays are for the worse.
ReplyDeleteSales do matter though, fans throw it around like if sales decide what makes an artist more gifted or better. Merch and Live is huge now, that is a good thing. But the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer if you catch my drift. It's getting harder and harder for smaller acts to make some decent money if they don't go along with the trends. And trendy music more interesting with merch than for most lesser known artists. Let's throw in a name: Artifacts, still active and they rely mostly on merch indeed (thats the impression at least). Streams and YT and such things dont bring money to the table if you arent supermainstream. And Live performances always been important for the lesser known artists. So that isn't so different that much. Sorry if I make it seem like I thought such.
The album I mentioned by Flex Mathews & Damu The Fudgemunk is undeniable quality Hip Hop. It won't go platinum for very, very sure. Certainly when you put it up against 4:44, Daytona or that Travis Scott joint. I dared to listen to that Travis Scott album (I think the most selling this year) and I am doubting very much anyone can say it's quality. I might put it wrong in the original article. I meant to say, people seem to ride along the same bandwagon more and more. People evolving, intelligentwise. But I doubt if that goes for music(taste) too (Yo, I am really beginning to sound like an old grumpy man now!).
Things dont get popular because of TV/Radio anymore that's totally true and I admit I was wrong on that point. I do think labels have big influence on sales and popularity though. They have PR-people who think of how to promote it and it would not surprise me if there are some fake accounts spreading some words about certain albums/artists. Just like on social media you have accounts who represent the golden era (https://twitter.com/HipHopGoldenAge), yet they promote your shit if you pay enough. Money talks. Well I am not the one to bribe for such things. Another quote: "I rather be broke, and have a whole lotta respect". It might be the generation-thing but for instance: when you say (quoting the man https://twitter.com/kil889 now) I prefer Q-Tip over Jeru, many people have the interpretation you dislike Jeru...
DeleteFor the rest I like to say I couldnt care less what the next guy on social media says, I am able to form my own opinion on albums/tracks. And so The exception to this is if someone said it who knows *quite accurate* that I would like it. Like a certain guy I know from the town I grew up in. He is sort of my mentor in Hip Hop (and Graffiti) and he knows what quality Hip Hop is. He likes it boom bap-ish or at least something that kicks. I recommend him an album every now and then, and vice versa. Almost never disappointments... At least, not major disappointments.
I am not a person who writes short replies (not short of dust, LOL) mostly. But it was just an opinion, I aint trying to force anyone to agree or disagree. The major point (also not literally said) was: everyone decides what to listen himself, but I dont like the big selling albums rn. In the 90's you had Tribe's 3rd selling very well. Wu-Tang sellig reasonable. Nas going wild with Illmatic. I don't see these type of albums or artists coming up anymore. J. Cole or Kendrick Lamar are being touted as some (possible) classic material dropping rappers. I beg to differ.
Also I read an interesting thing on Twitter last night: A guy I know got some tweets aimed at him that he should accept that this is a new golden era of Hip Hop. And he was talking not about the less selling (more underground) artists. He also said that the old stuff from end 80's till half 90's didn't have any content. I could embed the tweets in here, but I wont. But really: content and dope lyrics/mc-ing were important in those days. PE, NWA, Rakim, Paris, BDP. All very different but yet they have in common they had a trademark lyrical style and it had content (whether you agree with it or not NWA had hat), dope bars or clever wordplay.
Last: Some acts in my era (at the end of it, around 96-98), being 2pac and BIG became huge (also through their beef) and I think they popularized the genre hugely. Hip Hop will never be 'dead' in my books. I hope it clarifies my feelings and other things. And If it is (or was) too long of a read, I'm sorry but I explained that already.
Peace,
P-Dub