Lyrical Lounge Forum The State Of Hip Hop and Socie..

This is a forum where you can express your views on the culture. You can share your opinion on why Hip hop is dead.Or Why hip hop is doing well. What you would do differently to make Hip hop more real to you. What can the people do to make Hip hop more real to them. The state of society as a whole and how powerful a role music plays in the lives of people. Talk about how sound, media, and other convenient distractions can cover up what is happening to the world. Get deep. Come with a poem, rant, freestyle or just simply state your views. This is open to everyone so come with your best and expand the consciousness of others by sharing the door of your own consciousness.

Peace

Zeru

Reppin the Lyrical Lounge

Awe s**t....I'm goin to have to get on this one. I've been ranting about this topic for dayum near a month now. ::tongue::

It's on n poppin! ::happy::

I don't think hip hop is dead, just changed faces for the time being. I don't see hip hop as I did in the late 80's or 90's. Now it is all about the dancing in a video and how many naked girls you can cram in there. Soul music period is no where near what it use to be. What happened to songs that had a deep message or when it mattered if you could hold a note no matter how cute you were? Now all you need is Lil John on a track and you are made. Don't get me worn, I love music today and would by a song in a heartbeat...but I miss the old time soul.

i don't agree with Catrina at all. i hate today's popular muisc. if it comes on the radio the chances are i hate it. i don't even like going to parties with my peers cuz i know they're gonna play that bullshit. pop culture disgusts me. i'm sorry. i only listen to the old s**t and the underground s**t cuz those are pretty much the only cats still ripping it like a birthday package

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Hip Hop is sleep like a mug Yira. I haven't heard from it in years now. Not at the same vibe of the early and mid 90's and mid to late 80's. If the radio comes on by accident while i'm switching cd's, I'll turn the whole s**t off. Its like mental pollution listening to the radio. lol. And i most definately agree with you, I miss soul music. Whether its in hip hop or in R and B. No one sings about anything that matters anymore. There are no more songs about love, friendship or being loyal to the things or people that you love besides money. Now everything is about sacrificing yourself and your talents for the almighty dollar. All the songs have the same message. And you are right, If you don't have a bunch of ghetto a*s chicks half naked in your video and at least one guy that can't write, speak or understand proper english then its just not rap. lol Word play is dead because these guys dont know any words. They make sounds now. And that seems to be the recipe. If I got the opportunity to do a song Today I definately wouldnt want to collab with anyone on the radio. And I don't want to do a collab with any broad that cant sing. No matter what she looks like. When Beyounce Knowles is considered one of the best singers in the industry you know there is a real problem out there. I dont want nobody wailing on my songs. I want somebody that has a "little" bit of tone. lol But yeah Yira I'm co-signing on everything you said except doing a collab with somebody that can't sing or rap. Somebody start makin outrageous word sounds on my track i'm going to have them escorted out of the studio...I'm sorry...hahahahaha
Thanks for the comment Yira lol


"Z"

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I remember when it all started changing for me. It was around the mid-90's to late 90's. Biggie had died at this point. And puffy's get money antics begin to take over mainstream hip hop. Then Jay-Z changed his style up from Reasonable Doubt and got his Puff Daddy kit and started whoring his self to become a more mainstream entity. It worked but it ruined hip hop. It was like a corporate move to kill the conscious rap lyrics and to become more intuned with Masonic values...such as money...self sacrifice...and that homo s**t. Then they got songs out there if u play them backwards there are hidden messages for your subconscious and man i dont have the time for all of that. I miss the days when people were putting out they own creative niche and weren't solely concerned with control over the music as a whole. I still listen to old raps and underground music. But alot of the so called underground music could be played on the radio so i'm still hatin a lil to a certain point. But we will see. This won't last. Thanks for the comment T.

Zeru

some underground s**t can be played on the radio but some s**t is just good music

i'm on so much Jedi Mind Tricks right now. i feel like destroying the music industry.

and yeah i hate Beyonce'. i can't believe people like her. i mean i'd f**k but....that's kinda where it ends. she's god awful. and teena marie's new s**t sucks too. i miss the old her.

i think some of the only R&B chicks still bringing are like Mary J. and Alicia Keys.
Sadie is the s**t too.

I see a lot of artists that keep up the form of what "music" should be muted. They don't get the real "shine" because those that are overly commercialized are gettin all the attention. The problem is that we have so many of the young generation growing up on this s**t that the real meaning of hip hop doesn't exist any more. Ask a 15 year old what Tupac stood for, and they look at you like they are from outter space. We don't have enough lyracists displaying the true art of form. The only imagination I see is on the music itself. You give a bootleg rapper a tight a*s beat and they blow up. Who cares if you will buy me a drank.....who cares if you are in love with a stripper......who cares if you have a grill......or ridin on 22's. What about your territory? That is where hip hop came from....proving who you are in ways of rhythm and rhyme. Back then, an emcee could get on stage and flow a'cappela and still get a standing ovation because people were actually paying attention to the statment made.

So many don't know the origin of what they put forth. How can you call yourself an emcee but don't know who Cool Herc is? Who Grand Master Flash is?

I want to go back to the days when you heard "the hip hop to the hibbit" type s**t.

As for as singing.....there are many R & B singers that have fallen to the commercialized ways of society as well. I have only a few people that I actually give my props to. As far as females....I always have love for Kiki Wyatt, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Mary J, India Arie...... You can tell when they sing, it's actually for the music.

As far as male R & B singers...the main one I am giving props to at this time is Lyfe Jennings. He has his own style, and doesn't need much to support his voice.

Hip Hop is not hip hop any longer....it's just a bunch of "rappers". Without soul, you have no true sound.

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True that..some of it is good music. And we can definately agree on the jedi mind tricks being one of the underrated best. I've always pretty much been a fan of the wu tang branch offs..Killa Army, Suns of Man, La the Darkman, ect. ect. So i'm with you on that for real. I tend to migrate to the music that allows me to analyize what has been said. If its nothing to it besides what was said and what was said was wack and it was supposed to be a lyricist style song, I get annoyed. Don't get me wrong I'm not under the impression that every song HAS to have a deep meaning because some songs are made just for parties and clubbing. But when guys like Lil wayne consider themselves as dope mc's or lyricist...Just like i said it about Beyounce and R and B...there is a problem.lol I didn't hear the teena marie joint yet but i hope she's not trying to do the dumb s**t...lol
Good lookin Troy

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I'd have to agree with u there aren't very many kids around that know what real music sounds like. i caught my niece singing "now shake that a*s b***h and let me see whatcha got..." i was 2 steps from smacking the dawg s**t out of her. now a days rapper's just don't really care what they put out there. who the f**k cares that 2 quarters and monopoly piece have fallin off do we really have to here that s**t on a diss record. if it wasn't for people getting shot behind all that drama no one would even care who the f**k these "rappers" were.

I gave up on hip hop along time ago all it does is show the ignorance of people and it makes it worse because most of these "rappers" are black so they just feed into the stereotype i have yet to find 1 "rapper" that finished high school went to college got an education and made it some where else before they became famous. no, becasue everyone's been bleeding the block there whole life, been to prison, and got shot a couple of times.

to change the subject as for r & b singers female and male I's have to give it up for alicia keys, heather headly, jill scott, lyfe jennings, corinne bailey rae, john legend, angie stone, india arie, and cece winans. with out these few all i would have is blues and jazz the last few things that are truly real as far as music goes.

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Its the industry that has control over what artist is getting heard. And those with more talent are much harder to control because their direction would be harder to manipulate vs someone there just to get on for a nice jeep with rims and a couple of groupies. To me its a big part of mind control. In the early 90's the industry realized that the music could control the people based on cause and effect they witnessed threw our "hip hop evolution or growing process". I truly believe this has been carefully done to move the music from self knowledge to dumbing down of the masses. I remember back in the day when a woman wouldnt allow anyone to call her a b***h. Now they shake their asses to being called w****s, hoes, b*****s and are invited threw song to participate in sexual acts. That bothers me. And I blame Rappers like Jayz and Mogul's like Puff for bringing that kind of attention away from our conscious selves. Because they knew exactly what they were doing. All the artist of our times didnt just fall off. They were still nice they just got cut or didnt get re-signed because of the messages they came with. Hip hop got whored and they put her on a stripper poll in a club somewhere. Like you said...Most of the kids today thought Pac was all about being a "thug". But they didnt understand his motivations for portraying that image. It wasnt for you to rob your neighbor or shoot your own people that are struggling with you. It's purpose was to create a sense of danger so the government would respect its people. Tupac wasnt about trivial acts of violence. His writings were organized and alot of people dont know that his mother was a black panther. Somewhere the truth got lost in the hype. And you are right. Alot of kids today couldnt appreciate an accapella freestyle from a dope mc like Supernatural or Krs-1 because they actually think that Nelly is nice. <---(LAUGHIN AT THAT HAHAHAHAHAHA) Niggaz jump on the stage and start singin and s**t...then all of the sudden they are platium rappers. Fucked up but that seems to be the recipe. Fake thugs and Frauds. As far as knowing the culture. Half of these dudes can't even speak english. So why should they allowed to rap anything if they can't even speak a sentence. They are entertainers more than they are Artist. Alot of people dont know the difference between the two. RApper=Entertainer Hip-Hop=Artist. They dont know much of nothing about the culture itself but that they want to get in and say something they've already heard. Get drunk in the studio and say the first thing that comes to mind. Yeah I also feel you on the rhythm techniques of old. Everybody nowadays just wants to get on the mic and just talk to you. Rant about nothing with a fucked up southern twang. Now don't get me wrong now...That s**t that ugk and outkast got out is nice so i'm not dissing everybody in the south. Because cats in the north suck too. I'm just saying the majority of it is coming from that area. I feel you on Jill and India and Ki Ki...love those women. Ki Ki's rendition of "if only you knew" by Patti Labelle is crazy to me. I have gone on your page and listened to "He loves me" by Jill Scott mad times instead of opening up my itunes. The combination of flawless production in that song companied by Jill's immaculate tones, passion, singing is other worldly. India is a lil too feminine for me to really get into her stuff but i appreciate the positivity in her music. And even tho Alicia isn't greatest vocalist in the world I still love the thought and emotion she puts into her songs. She's a very uplifting singer with the gift to take you wherever she goes. And thats a beautiful trait to have as an artist. "You dont know my name" is really a dynamic song to me. She's beautiful..lmao in alot of ways.... but umm yeah. Lyfe is cool because dude is real with whatever he is saying or singing...His stuff definately has a real message to it and i can appreciate that from the brother. He's real. But yeah man, You've made some great points and I agree with them all. Now we have to find a way to un-mask the masses and let them see what we see somehow. I think we can do. Because true talent always overwhelms facades and imagery. And thats real.

Good looking Li

Now give me back my lint

*pats your pockets*

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I'd have to agree with u there aren't very many kids around that know what real music sounds like. i caught my niece singing "now shake that a*s b***h and let me see whatcha got..." i was 2 steps from smacking the dawg s**t out of her. now a days rapper's just don't really care what they put out there. who the f**k cares that 2 quarters and monopoly piece have fallin off do we really have to here that s**t on a diss record. if it wasn't for people getting shot behind all that drama no one would even care who the f**k these "rappers" were.

I gave up on hip hop along time ago all it does is show the ignorance of people and it makes it worse because most of these "rappers" are black so they just feed into the stereotype i have yet to find 1 "rapper" that finished high school went to college got an education and made it some where else before they became famous. no, becasue everyone's been bleeding the block there whole life, been to prison, and got shot a couple of times.

to change the subject as for r & b singers female and male I's have to give it up for alicia keys, heather headly, jill scott, lyfe jennings, corinne bailey rae, john legend, angie stone, india arie, and cece winans. with out these few all i would have is blues and jazz the last few things that are truly real as far as music goes.[/quote]

You bring another valid point to the forum. And its this. How can you be a great lyricist or writer without having just a lil bit of education to fall on. Education isnt all learning. Most of the time learning history and things of that nature is supposed to teach you how to think. Hip Hop is about perspective and thats what makes every mc unique.Not nessasarily bombard you with useless information you can't use everyday. And thats another problem with hip hop. Back in the day if you sounded like you couldn't speak or your vocabulary was limited you would get killed. hahahaha. Not thats not a concern for rap. Back in the day...even if you tryed to use a big word. If you used it out of context. Somebody was going to dig in your a*s. So not only does having an education teach you the building blocks of being an effective writer. But it also teaches you how to think properly in constructive stages. Now people are comfortable acting like savages. And young people's parents are even less responsible thinkers than their children only because they are old enough to know better. And all of this awol s**t promotes more ignorance. And nobody seems to recognize it for what it is. Fear keeps you safe sometimes. Sometimes its good to be afraid. Because without it there is no embarrassment for the s**t that comes out of your mouth. It sucks for us to come this far when people like nikki giovanni and lanston hughes had to fight to be heard and for their education. But yet its ok for us not to have to work for anything and receive alot. Some cats use the block as an excuse to do something they just like to do. While others actually dont have any other means because of their lack of Education. Which is society's problem as well as the government's. If they dont care what comes out of the radios and from their cities. Babylon part 2 will fall very very soon. And rap music is only a reflection of that fact

I have to admit...it is the beat I like today, not so much the words in a song today. See, I recall when I would hear Anita Baker, Miki Howard, Stephanie Mills, Angela Winbush, Chante Moore, Sade, Tamia, Deborah Cox, Natalie Cole, Whintey Houston (the older stuff), Vanessa Williams, Shanice, Vesta Williams, Areatha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, and Diana Ross and would sing to it and felt like my day would be better. The stuff now...you just need to be pretty and sell your soul to the industry. Songs have no reall message. Take "Love Under New Management" by Miki Howard or "Fairytales" by Anita Baker, clear and relatable messages. I mainly play my cds of these women I listed. I thought about it...it has been months since I listened to the radio. LOL I got a ipod that was preset with songs, it was a gift, I listen to it, if I want my radio fix. I heard one song by Lyfe...S.E.X I think it is, and I LOVE it!!! THAT is the messages that needs to be spread around out young!!! Now, I see little girls dressing like grown a*s women and their parents LETTING them do it! I see guys having no respect for anything but the mighty dollar. I hear girls on the radio and I shake my head. You know it is bad, when I have gotten into Alternative rock, because I'm sick to death about hearing club hopping and f*****g rims! Hell, even country music has changed!!! LOL But I listen to a few select new folks with that too. Pop has mixed all genres and made a nasty mess of everything. Pop is in every song you hear today. I use to like pop, but I have to hear it in phases now. I remember when you knew a white song from a black one...now, hell it all sound alike! Like I said, get a top name on the song and you are rich. I hate to say this, but two white people now are trying to bring soul back, Amy Winehouse and Robin Thicke...that is a damn shame!!! Hip hop is not OURS and that is why it seem dead. It has been masked as pop. I don't think it is dead, just sleeping on the job.

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Yeah the beats are ok...I can't say i'm a real fan of the new aged beats. They are real gimmicky...They sound like broke nintendo cartridges. But I'm not gonna hate. Yeah I liked all the women singers you mentioned. But you forgot my girl Lisa Fisher. That song she got "How can I ease the pain" thats the epitome of R and B Soul. You take your heart...Rip it out of your own chest and you put it on Record. Thats that real s**t right there...When you listen to these women sing certain songs. You know its not far from the truth...Song or not. Yeah we all get tired of seeing the same video under a different name. AFter a while you just gotta close it off. Yeah I like Amy and tha bull Robin...they are doing it right. Its good music no matter what. Hip hop is on the stripper poll gettin whored right along with its soulless rappers. In order to be an Artist you have to know who you are. And thats the main reason why it all sucks because nobody has taken to time to know themselves..Yeah pop has become a disease it used to be ok but now its just a dog sniffin another dog's a*s. When I get my fix from the radio its turning that @#$@$ka off. hahahahaha

But thats whats up...Glad to know its people out there that know what good music is and still has connections to it. Good comment baby

Lisa Fisher, I did forget her!!! That is one of my favorite songs of all time. I would play it over and over... Another singer I love, even though she is white was Lisa Standsfield I'm All Woman, that song just brings tears to my eyes when I hear it. I like Mariah Carey older stuff when she actually sung a song. Her new stuff is nice, but is her ballards I love. Toni Braxton, Mary J Blige, Jade, Brownstone, Tracy Chapman, Mahaljia (sp) Jackson, Betty Wright....the list could go on. THAT is the sounds I like. I love the 70's soul hits, big fan of Al Greene. Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, Smokey Robinson, Temptations, Prince (yes even him, but the old stuff), Debrage, S.O.S band, I can shake my groove thang all day long to those peeps. LOL And that to me is what missing!!! Soul in songs, where that sound could NOT be manufactured and easyily forgotten. You guys help me to see...yeah, hip hop is a ugly cousin to pop now and Soul is what is dead now. What happened to groups like Jagged edge, Silk, Portrait, Boyz 2 men and New Edition? I want it back!!! I want SOUL back in our music. THAT is what is missing!!!!

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Yeah you know i'm with the old music all day...New edition ,Silk, Troop, Portrait, Jade, Mary J, Luth and Al...yeah u right we could write a hall of fame list and it would last the entire blog...Guy...man we could go on and on. But yeah I miss the days of R and B when music had a soul. But those days are gone...So now its all about getting your mixtape cd's together and making a collection you can get with on the everyday thing. Yeah lisa standsfield was the s**t...Been around the world and i i i...good s**t. Janet jackson when she was in her prime...Yup its gone now girl. Now u gotta listen to weak a*s songs about a guy going "suicuidal" cause some jawn wont talk to him. Weak a*s s**t. How u gonna have a song about suicide on the damn radio. What da hell is that?! But yeah man lets go on strike fuckem.

hey if any of y'all wanna check out a friend of mine who went to high school with me who spits y'all should go to

bardscience.com

and download his cd for FREE!

it's a white kid (no offense Li Li) that spits a lotta conscience s**t. real good music

Why do I always have to be involved with the "white" statements? ::sleepy::

I have high amounts of melanin for a white person thank you very much! ::tongue::

I'm more of an olivey yellow color...... So, until ya'll refer to a person as "olivey yellow"..... I have no relation. ::biggrin::

LMAO!

olivey yellow...

you do look like Olive Oil...

give Popeye some spinach...

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Yeah you know i'm with the old music all day...New edition ,Silk, Troop, Portrait, Jade, Mary J, Luth and Al...yeah u right we could write a hall of fame list and it would last the entire blog...Guy...man we could go on and on. But yeah I miss the days of R and B when music had a soul. But those days are gone...So now its all about getting your mixtape cd's together and making a collection you can get with on the everyday thing. Yeah lisa standsfield was the s**t...Been around the world and i i i...good s**t. Janet jackson when she was in her prime...Yup its gone now girl. Now u gotta listen to weak a*s songs about a guy going "suicuidal" cause some jawn wont talk to him. Weak a*s s**t. How u gonna have a song about suicide on the damn radio. What da hell is that?! But yeah man lets go on strike fuckem.[/quote]


Sorry i just had to put my 2 cents in. How in the hell are they gonna put a song by a 17yr old (just fyi) about suicide on the radio and just because they figure we haven't heard it enough they play it 15 times in less than an hour....I'm sorry but it they complain so much about censorship why in the hell are they gonna let a little kid like him (did I say he was 17 already??) talk about suicide when he's suppose to be appealing to younger generations?? So it's ok to talk about suide just as long and he doesn't say anything about b*****s, hoes, a*s, p***y, ect....? I just don't get it how is that ok?? When most suicides are committed by teenagers!! What's next family guy's scripts are going to become our bibles...lol sorry i'm just being retarded now.

~~theta