What/who do you think killed rap and hip-hop?

[5speed]

Since it seems like there are a few of us on here who are very opinionated on rap and hip-hop, I figured everyone should express their opinions on why rap and hip-hop is dead.

I grew up on rap and hip-hop of the early 90's. I know I am not that old, but that is what I mainly listened to. I personally think the Death was knocking on their door when Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy, or what ever the fuck he wants to call himself these days plays, a major role in it. I think we can all agree he was so over-hyped. He is a great business man, I will give him that. The only reason he was ever given respect in my humble opinion was bc he rolled with BIG. After he died Sean Combs ran with the shit. Anybody in the game ever associated with him somehow got big, yet they sucked too. Damn, just thinking of Mase right now makes me sick. When was it cool to sound like a fucking retard in rap. It seems after him, tons of them came out of the woodwork. Lil' Wayne represents that to the fullest today. There are so many to list, but I am sure you all remember, or maybe not since they were shit and weren't worth remembering.

[quickdodge®]

I'm not surprised this topic came up.

As long as people are out there making the stuff, rap isn't dead. Just been dying for about a decade and a half. I think the mid 90's started it with it's initial heart attack. I'll admit, I listened intently to the No Limit camp. And I had every single No Limit tape made. All 132 (at the time) put out I had and I listened to them back to back, non-stop. But the 2000's have really spread the congenital heart disease like a wild fire in Southern California. Even my favorite coast puts out shit for rap.

Of course, any answers will be opinion based. You really only identify with the music you grew used to. The music you grew up on. I go back to the day that rap began as my time. I can say that I'm the only one on here that has literally watched rap music evolve and (my opinion) de-evolve. I have listened to it from day one til the present. It's a helluva sight/sound, too. Later, QD.

[Demsum]

I don't think hip hop as a whole has ever declined, but what people have been exposed to has. When rapping was first recognized as an art or form of expression, mimicking or biting another artist at all was considered treason. It seems like to get spins on the radio copying what works for the most successful artist out is influenced now. Since rap is a full time job for most artist, I can't blame them for doing what works to get money. My favorite songs never get airplay, but I understand that the general public doesn't understand rap when it isn't presented with an ultra catchy hook and infectious beat. I'm just happy that the artist I like didn't give up making music because they aren't getting the attention that the lil' wayne's, jay-z's, and jeezy's of the rap world are getting. I say those names plural because so much of what gets played is either them or artist that sound like or imitate their subject matter.

On another note Eminem is one of my favorite rappers, but I don't think he would have sold as many albums or gotten away with some of the things he says if he wasn't white. Sorry, just something I was thinking about while typing the rest of it.

[quickdodge®]

When rapping was first recognized as an art or form of expression, mimicking or biting another artist at all was considered treason.

And this is where my age has it's advantages. Rap was all about mimicking and biting another music artist's stuff. They were taking 60's and early 70's tracks and putting a hip hop touch to them. Grandmaster Flash and many others were taking records from back in the day (to them then) and putting lyrics and an 808 to them.



On another note Eminem is one of my favorite rappers, but I don't think he would have sold as many albums or gotten away with some of the things he says if he wasn't white.

I agree. If it weren't for whites catching on to Femenim, she would never have gotten as big as she did. Later, QD.

[StreetHazard]

Femenim...in Europe they call her Lady Sovereign

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OMTB8YwILY

But hip hop is not dead, hip hop never died and it will always be a mainstay of our american "culture" if it could ever be defined as such....it will always be here like reggae music in Jamaica. its sound has been spread internationally to europe, to russia and all the way to Japan. along with it's other representative forms like "free-syling", "beat-boxing", turn-tablism and scratching, graffiti-art and breakdancing. it even influences us through low-riders, graffiti-art style fonts on vinyl stickers and graffiti-art painted bays.

there is a difference between Rap and Hip-hop, they are NOT synonymous with each other and and are not the same thing. KRS-ONE defined it the best "Rap is something you do, hip hop is something you live". And people live it through those expressions I described above mixed in with alot of "street-knowledge" and hustling.

I think the recording industry is becoming a victim of itself, hip hop is going strong, it's just not on the radios. And big recording studios are not willing to take the risk of experimenting. that's why we have the lil Johns and lil waynes and Mase.....there shit is just candy, all glitter and so real stories, feel or substance....it's fucking flithy pop music is all it is. Hip hop is being produced independently, it's being performed at non-mainsteam clubs. Its everywhere if you know where to look and if you are in it.

Just like us and our custom cars....the average Joe wouldn't know where to look or even know how to begin even if they wanted too, we do this shit and see it every damn day and act like its nothing.


this is what I am listening too right now.


ill heads ft. telep & ono
http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_2107263

[Cgrande]

I think hip hop and rap died out because of talentless assholes (such as lil wayne) making their whack shit and because the new generations who don't know shit about what real music is; those who listen to whatever is on the radio or whatever is "out right now", support them.