Is Rap/Hip-Hop the closest to what Rock n' Roll was many years ago ....

[Buddy J.B.]

Why not?

they....

anger parents

drive young girls wild

love to be the bad boys

try hard to be on top of their game

enjoy being in the spotlight.

Am I the only one that thinks this? The thought has never crossed my mind of owning a rap/hip-hop album but I don't dislike rap either. The rap stars seem to have reincarnated the Jim Morrison appeal. Whatever that is considered "Rock" today seems to be portrayed as the "good guys?" Do you agree? I'm just curious...

[Dead N' Bloated]

Is Rap/Hip-Hop the closest to what Rock n' Roll was many years ago ....


NO.


 

[Eazy E]

Is Rap/Hip-Hop the closest to what Rock n' Roll was many years ago ....

NO.

Add:  The people who don't like it whine that "its just a bunch of noise" and "that's not music!"   

You're right, rock music doesn't get anyone riled up anymore.

[metallex78]

I dunno, I'm a rock n' roller for life, but all this rap/hip-hop sounds all the same to me.

I think it's fair to say that most people would say that most rock music sounds all very similar, but I don't understand how all this rap and hip-hop can be so popular when it's exactly the same case.

I'm waiting for it to all go away and "real" music and "real" musicians to come back to being popular again.

[journey]

Rock isn't as dangerous as it used to be, but neither is rap, with the exception of a few artists. But I feel like if a song is good, then that's all that matters. It's tacky to try to be 'dangerous' just to sell records. Cliches and tired formulas die fast, great lyrics and music stand the test of time.

I like rap and hip-hop but I love rock too. They're two totally different forms of style and they have to be appreciated in their own capacity.

[Buddy J.B.]

I dunno, I'm a rock n' roller for life, but all this rap/hip-hop sounds all the same to me.

I think it's fair to say that most people would say that most rock music sounds all very similar, but I don't understand how all this rap and hip-hop can be so popular when it's exactly the same case.

I'm waiting for it to all go away and "real" music and "real" musicians to come back to being popular again.

That's not what I'm saying, I don't care if it's either loved or hated. But  some of these rap stars seem to share that spot in the media with like Jim Morrison or Axl Rose with that kind of " bad-ass" attitude. There is no R n' R artists that get riled up anymore like what Easy E said. Despite how both genres sound, they are a lot alike. Youngsters admire music stars with a bad reputation.

[Mattman]

Why not?

they....

anger parents

drive young girls wild

love to be the bad boys

try hard to be on top of their game

enjoy being in the spotlight.

Am I the only one that thinks this? The thought has never crossed my mind of owning a rap/hip-hop album but I don't dislike rap either. The rap stars seem to have reincarnated the Jim Morrison appeal. Whatever that is considered "Rock" today seems to be portrayed as the "good guys?" Do you agree? I'm just curious...

I actually totally agree with you.  I've been thinking the same thing for a while.  I started listening to rap seriously a few months ago.  I'd always liked Run-DMC, but somebody played me an Ice Cube song while I was smoking weed and I thought it was fucking awesome.  I suddenly "got it".  I still don't listen to much modern mainstream rap, but I've been listening to Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nas, 2Pac, Cypress Hill, and Biggie like crazy.  Weed definitely helped me to get into it (why else was that Dre album called The Chronic?), but I enjoy it the rest of the time too.  I guess I just appreciate the music more - the rhymes, the beats...and the attitude!  That's exactly what rap has right now that rock tends to lack - attitude.

When I think of a "rock band" these days, I think of somebody like Jimmy Eat World: nice guys who are "all about the music" and don't really partake in the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle.  Let's face it, most bands these days aren't exactly M?tley Cr?e.  And that's where rap comes in.  While rock is content to sink into political correctness and blandness (not all of it, just most mainstream stuff), rap celebrates sex, drugs, violence, all that stuff.  It's offensive, vulgar, flashy and trashy - exactly the same things people used to say about rock 'n' roll.

Rap artists these days also tend to have more personal charisma than rockers.  There aren't many solo artists in rock these days...mostly a lot of bands.  Part of the result is that bands tend to have more anonymous images.  Also, ever since Nirvana destroyed the "rock god" image, we haven't had as many charismatic lead singers or flashy guitar heros to single out.  It's mostly just a band, working away at creating music.  Whether you think this is a good thing or a bad thing, it means that the field is left wide open for rappers to fill the image gap.  Rappers are individual artists, which makes them easier to single out.  Back in the 50s, rock was dominated more by solo artists, and as a result people could heap their criticism on Elvis just like they're doing with Eminem right now.  It made the music more visible and controversial.

So getting back to Supermike's main point - yes, I totally think that rap is the closest equivalent we have today to what "rock 'n' roll" used to be.  The fact that people often criticize it for being "just noise" and "all sounding the same" helps drive home the similarities.  Personally, I used to be like that a few years ago.  But ever since I actually opened my ears and just listened, I realized that there's good points and bad points about all music.  So I listen to both rap and rock, because both have plenty to offer.

[Acquiesce]

I'm not a rap fan, but rap does have that rebelliousness that once  belonged to rock music. I think that is the main reason why it is so popular today. Younger people are attracted to that rebelliousness.

[mrlee]

rap, modern rap is just a trend like most things *coughemocough*

I think stuff like rage against the machine, thats like, good rap, because it has good music and good lyrics. (and classic basslines)

[BA]

i kinda know what you mean in some ways.
but there are still(and i know its rare)some true rockn roll bands out there.i mean just take the council for example.

[Mattman]

rap, modern rap is just a trend like most things *coughemocough*

I don't think you can call rap a trend anymore, seeing as how it's been around for over 25 years.  It's just another genre of music now, like rock or country or blues.

[Eazy E]

I like rap and hip-hop but I love rock too. They're two totally different forms of style and they have to be appreciated in their own capacity.

That's the best way to think of it.  They are very different styles and need to be appreciated differently.  It took me awhile to warm up to the idea of listening to rap music, but after awhile you develop an ear for it and spot what's worthwhile and what isn't.  You "take" different things from each genre, but you really need an open mind to do it.

Rap music definetaly causes more controversy these days, but just like Elvis shaking his hips, I think it will gradually die down.  Lyrics about violence and guns is still a hot topic though... that issue will probably stay alive for as long as people try to make a connection between confrontational lyrics and actual violence.

Remember, the Government hates rap!  All you need to do to get away with murder is shoot somebody and then put a demo tape in their pocket!... "This is a rap killing!  Let's go home..."   

[josh85]

when rock and roll was the rebelious music to listen to, it was our parents who were being rebelious. as they became parents and a younger generation was born, rock music no-longer seemed rebelious because it was what they grew up with. then came along rap music which although was aimed at black youths, was adopted by a wide variety of the society quite possibly because it was the most rebellious to listen to. but as that generation grows up and a new generation takes it's place, rap will have lost it's shock factor just as rock did before it.

[Bridge]

No, but rap is the closest thing to shit since last time we visited the ol' commode.

[josh85]

there isn't anything wrong with rap, some of it is quality. granted that quite a lot of it is a pile of shite but quite a lot of every type of music is a pile of shite, including our beloved rock music.

are you trying to tell me you don't like the beastie boys?

[mrlee]

rap, modern rap is just a trend like most things *coughemocough*

I don't think you can call rap a trend anymore, seeing as how it's been around for over 25 years.  It's just another genre of music now, like rock or country or blues.

Hence the use of the word "modern", as its different to older rap, say like run DMC.

[Walk]

Rap is similar to rock in that it overglorifies originality at the expense of old, yet valid and good ideas. In fact, rock and rap both have a lot of groupthink, despite aiming for "individuality". Philosophically, the most interesting music is one that is full of rules that are only broken at the most appropriate time, and those are the interesting parts. Baroque and its counterpoint come to mind. Rarely, they lead to a new type of music. Heavy metal was created when rock stars wanted more complex compositions based on harmony instead of ego. Of course, now metal is now teeming with mediocrity, the same way rock is. 

Both rock and rap come from the same way of thinking; despite having different aesthetics, the end result is the same 99% of the time: worthless. Good music seems to be accidental. Rebellion, "coolness" (popularity, rebellion's opposite!), and ego are more important, and always have been, in rock music. The contradictions make it hard for anything coherent to come through.

The catch is, the good rock that does make it through the trial is superior to any rap. The rap, of course, becomes popular, and good rock music is almost always ignored.

[shotgun_blue]

I personally think everyone is crying out for a great 'balls out' rock band to step up and shock people with there skills and behaviour just like Guns n Roses did and rap would take a serious back seat.I just found Rock slipped away rather than rap replacing it. Jimmy eat world is a perfect example- good band but no charisma.

[Doc Emmett Brown]

when rock and roll was the rebelious music to listen to, it was our parents who were being rebelious. as they became parents and a younger generation was born, rock music no-longer seemed rebelious because it was what they grew up with. then came along rap music which although was aimed at black youths, was adopted by a wide variety of the society quite possibly because it was the most rebellious to listen to. but as that generation grows up and a new generation takes it's place, rap will have lost it's shock factor just as rock did before it.

well said.

Which brings up the inevitable Q:  what comes after rap?  I suspect it will be some kind of ethnic-fusion type of music (futuristic Reggaeton perhaps?).  I say this simply because the demographics are changing so rapidly.

[Walk]

Stop thinking linearly. Rap hasn't replaced rock at all; it's simply more popular now, and that means nothing. What "comes after" rap isn't relevant.