where is hiphop/rap going? what are you listening to?

[contramark]

sorry for posting such a cliche question but once i saw this new forum up, part of me was asking why? i feel like hiphop/rap of the past few years is on the decline, at least rap for that matter. I just cant see how many more videos/songs they will release that all sound the same. Im not saying this music will stop altogether because it defidently has revolutionlized the production and editing of pop music but where do you see this genre of music going from here?
-as far as hiphop is concerned Edan's new album is pretty amazing.

[j-uk]

scary looks like we posted almost the exact same Q at the same time...
I'll check out edan thanks for the tip
/j

[Stoneface]

Rap music is the largest selling form of music in the industry. From Cd's to clothing, to movies to just about everything. You may think rap is on the decline because you don't personally like what's out there right now but maybe you should take a look at the charts and realize that just because you don't like what's going on, dosen't mean it's not selling.

Where do I think rap is going? I think rap is going to continue to dominate the music industry as it has since the 90's. We are the trendsetters. The rest just try to keep up. I think what really upsets people, especially on this site, is that you don't need some fancy engineer with a million dollars in outboard gear to make a platinum record. Maybe it's the majority of top studios run by arrogant rock engineers that will die. Ok with me...we don't need you and you hate it. Or, maybe you hate it because it sounds so simple yet with all your expertise, you can't do it. "But they arn't micing the drums, it can't be good music!"

But hey, let me not be a party pooper. I can say ignorant things too. Come to think of it, i think Rock-N-Roll is going to die....and country for that matter because I can't name one act or artist that's any good in either catagory.

Sounds silly dosen't it? Wake up people...seriously....or get left behind. Some of this may have leaked over from the other silly thread....but oh well. You get my drift.

[Teacher]

LP's That I'm enjoying that Came out this year are

Common's "BE"

Beanie Siegel's "B-Coming"

Sean Price "Monkey Barz"

Buckshot & 9th Wonder " Chemistry"

The Notorious BIG Vs. Frank Sinatra old Biggie songs remixed using Sinatra samples.

Games joint was aight to no replay value IMO though

[Micgiver]

Originally Posted by Stoneface

Rap music is the largest selling form of music in the industry. From Cd's to clothing, to movies to just about everything. You may think rap is on the decline because you don't personally like what's out there right now but maybe you should take a look at the charts and realize

I think your silly and totaly delusional
Mac

[Stoneface]

Originally Posted by Micgiver

I think your silly and totaly delusional
Mac

[paultools]

Originally Posted by Stoneface

Rap music is the largest selling form of music in the industry. From Cd's to clothing, to movies to just about everything. You may think rap is on the decline because you don't personally like what's out there right now but maybe you should take a look at the charts and realize that just because you don't like what's going on, dosen't mean it's not selling.

The charts are not always indicitive of what is really going on in the industry. They are a good barometer of what the industry wants the public to buy into.
The industry is always going to be interested in the bottom line, and one of the reasons that the majors started signing a lot of rap acts back in the day was that it was quick and cheap to put out a rap album. For instance, a label cound literally spend millions on the production, marketing, and promotion of a big-name act, only to have someone like Eazy or Hammer come along and blow away the numbers on 1/100th of the budget.

If you do however believe the charts, I'd put my money on country. Less trendy, more staying power, more multi-platinum acts.

[Fredrik]

To answer the question in this thread,,


I hope for a lot of underground records to break bigtime, with messages that touch people, important social stuff.

(not so much bling bling thank you)

Personally I prefer: Peterock, premo, molemen some DITC, guru is fantastic
also group home and madlib..

[grahluk]

So there's 2 answers to your question. Or two ways to look at it. Many voices can be heard these days about rap in decline. In fact in my neighborhood (Ft Greene, Brooklyn) which has been home or backdrop to many hip hop characters and scenarios recently there have been a bunch of stickers on the street with bold letters that say "Hip Hop is Dead". I think it's a promo for some new label or magazine or something. It's a sign. Not all that complain are disgruntled rockers who feel left out/ passed on. Many top names in the rap game have griped about the stalenes of the status quo and a general lack of enthusiasm for what originally inspired them and gave them their name. So is Hip Hop in decline? Not if you look at national radio formats and ratings as well as the population of the video channels' rotation lists. Add in all the areas hip hop entrepreneurs are making inroads into outside of your standard music related avenues. From that point of view hip hop related culture is far beyond the dreams of anyone involved back when rap got it's first grammy category (boycotted initially by the rap industry except for the unfortunate Kool Moe Dee). So why would anyone ask such a ridiculous question? I don't know. You gotta ask yourself. One answer came at me yesterday where I randomly heard ATCQ's "Can I Kick It?" somewhere. Totally rudimentary and crude by today's flow and production sophistication but it answered the question in one way. It has an unmistakable vibe as did so much up until rap was just the promo for the clothing line, energy drink, shoe endorsements, comercial pitchmanship, and movie cameos. Everybody's hip hop these days. Hell my grandma understands the slang. Much of it operates within well worn cliche's and subject matter. "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothin" The rules have been laid down and everyone's relevance is judged against how well they operate within those boundaries. Veer too far and it's in danger of not being hip hop. Innovation and experimentation is no longer the name of the game. Everyone's trying to get paid along the same lines as the last guy. Chuck D once said "rap is the CNN of the ghetto" Today it's more like the CVN.

That said there still are diamonds out there. For instance Kanye would rate in any era (pun intended). Even some of the obvious throwaway club bangers have some serious kinetic energy.
As far as the claim that it outsells everything else. I'm not so sure. Check the figures on Dave Mathews, or oldies like U2 or Bruce Springsteen. Add the top couple country stars and I think the figures blow away rap sales by a wide margin. Concert figures for Phish whenever they decide they are still together and tour probably blow all rap tours during a given season out of the water combined. Don't get cocky. Hip Hop ain't the new world order. Just another contender.

[dharma one]

recent stuff from..

dipset
beanie sigel
young gunz
task force
little brother
common
mf doom

[dharma one]

production wise recent stuff from

9th wonder
dre
neptunes
scott storch
heatmakerz
just blaze
rich harrison
jazzee pha
kanye west

[XHipHop]

Where is hiphop going?

People are totally short-selling Lil Jon on here...just see Usher and Ciara's radio play in the last year.

Also, nobody is mentioning Reggaeton, which is one of the most ubiquitous sounds right now in NYC. Nore is all over tracks and Fat Joe is on some remixes...radio stations are having tons of Reggaeton only shows now!

The fact that hiphop is hitting the Latin market in an even bigger way is HUGE news and will speak to the longevity of the genre.


Any UK Producers want to comment on the scene over there? I've heard Dizzee Rascal and some So Solid Crew stuff but I don't know what's going on on the underground over there. Anything? Are artists looking for an "american" sound or do they respect the niche that the people I named above are carving out for themselves?

[dharma one]

theres a fair amaount of reggaeton nights in london but its not really caught on in a huge way.. theres not a very big spanish speaking population over here. two of my cuban friends moved over to europe and we ve been making some reggaeton with them

theres uk hiphop which sounds a bit american, production wise anyway and then theres grime.. grime is definitely a distinctive UK sound, but mixes well with dirty south stuff... check out kano

[moeses]

well i'm deep into rap
when most kids were playin video games, i was playin those video games with the TV muted bumpin hip hop
i've been rapping since the age of 5 and seriously since 15 and in all honesty, am one of the hottest there is

that said, i can't stand rap music these days, i feel such a distance between the artist and fan...when i used to buy an album it would put me in another world, i'd feel like my brain left my body...it was a religious experience
these days, i'm pressin the skip button so so so fast

there's a few cats that are impressing me, but not enough

it's cool tho, things always go in cycles

[Jim Brown]

while im not a fan of him at all, i actually hate the style, i still have alot of respect for Lil Jon. his production resume is ridiculously long and well represent from all different genre of MC's

right now, i been basically listening to alot of kanye west and common, partly for the content but mostly to study the production. my guilty pleasure right now is the diplomats. i dont know who produces for them, but whoever they are, they are carrying them on every track. the lyrics are plain horrible.

[dharma one]

Originally Posted by Jim Brown

my guilty pleasure right now is the diplomats. i dont know who produces for them, but whoever they are, they are carrying them on every track. the lyrics are plain horrible.

think its mainly heatmakerz

[contramark]

ok another cliche comment but i just think the rap of today is a totally new type of music, im saying like MTV hiphop countdown stuff. it is not hiphop at all, they might as well call it something else. hiphop started as urban poetry put over top drum machines and samples, but now it is just evolved electronic pop music. you can barely even feel an MC's flow anymore. its all just edits and gimmicks. the genre is no longer valid, the only thing that is still going is the production techniques that started it. its almost like saying jungle is hiphop just because it shares a similar style. i just think hiphop is almost like calling something rock, its so open and vague and should not be applied to lil john etc....that is just ghetto electronic pop music.

[paultools]

Originally Posted by contramark

i just think hiphop is almost like calling something rock, its so open and vague and should not be applied to lil john etc....that is just ghetto electronic pop music.

all I can do is shake my head.
I LOVE Lil Jon and have never lived in the ghetto. Neither have 95% of the people that buy his records.

[XHipHop]

Originally Posted by contramark

ok another cliche comment but i just think the rap of today is a totally new type of music, im saying like MTV hiphop countdown stuff. it is not hiphop at all, they might as well call it something else. hiphop started as urban poetry put over top drum machines and samples, but now it is just evolved electronic pop music. you can barely even feel an MC's flow anymore. its all just edits and gimmicks. the genre is no longer valid, the only thing that is still going is the production techniques that started it. its almost like saying jungle is hiphop just because it shares a similar style. i just think hiphop is almost like calling something rock, its so open and vague and should not be applied to lil john etc....that is just ghetto electronic pop music.

If you want to get technical, hiphop started out as dance music..."planet rock", kurtus blow, sugarhill gang, etc...

An MC was just out front controlling the party/crowd for the DJ.

And back when I really got into hiphop, the songs on popular radio were:

Naughty by Nature, Queen Latifa, LL CooL J (momma said knock you out), Dax Efx, Pharcyde, etc.

I don't think the stuff on the radio now is SO far from what was on the radio 15 years ago.

[jlotto]

Originally Posted by Jim Brown

my guilty pleasure right now is the diplomats. i dont know who produces for them, but whoever they are, they are carrying them on every track. the lyrics are plain horrible.

U either luv em or hate em. There is something to be said about a movement surrounding a crew. people luv their style even though, other than juelz, their lyrics are almost nursery rhyme like. New Jim Jones album is great. we share managers. He's coming w/ 3 videos at one time summr wit miami, song w/ paul wall/puffy, and baby girl. Jim did 250k on koch w/ a 70% (for him) 30% split last album

[grahluk]

Originally Posted by paultools

all I can do is shake my head.
I LOVE Lil Jon and have never lived in the ghetto. Neither have 95% of the people that buy his records.

Neither has Lil Jon ever lived in the ghetto.

[mcvay]

The Game = "Dreams" is probably the best new rap song i have heard in a very long time. the beat is simply amazing. i am not sure but i think it was a kanye beat and i would have to say i wasnt a big kanye fan before this song but this beat totally blew me away.

[mcvay]

o and about Lil Jon. u might not like him cuz he doesnt really bring much artistic value to his music, but he can definatly produce hits. i dunno i kinda like him i guess cuz i feel like he is scamming people. i mean his songs are so completely ridiculous ("stop f**king with me", or "weedman") yet people eat them up. i almost listen to his music for laughs because its so ridiculous, but in the end thats exactly why i like it. i dunno i think lil jon has way more talent than people give him credit for.

[mcvay]

also just out of curiosity what does everybody think about mos def's album The New Danger. it is very out there and i think it has some great sounds/ideas/songs. just wondering what other people think.

[Jim Brown]

Originally Posted by mcvay

The Game = "Dreams" is probably the best new rap song i have heard in a very long time. the beat is simply amazing. i am not sure but i think it was a kanye beat and i would have to say i wasnt a big kanye fan before this song but this beat totally blew me away.

yea, that was definetly produced by kanye. without reading the credits or hearing game mention him in the track ("...so i reached out to Kanye and brought you all my dreams) you could just tell 5 seconds into it. if you like that, you have to listen to Diamonds by Kanye West, that beat will have the same effect. hmmm.... all of Commons new LP, BE. alot of Rocafella tracks are produced by Kanye. Goldigger (feat. Rhymefest). Jesus Walks, This Way (Dilated Peoples), Through The Wire, Lucifer (JayZ), Get By (Talib Kweli), Dead or Alive(Camron), Izzo (Jay Z). hes got more production out there than you probably think.

kanye is definetly not the most versatile producer out right now, id give that to the neptunes, but he does what he does better than anyone. the only person that i respect as a producer more is dre. kanyes in it for the long haul now that hes with Rocafella. as time goes on he'll be credited as one of the greatest producers in history.

[elder rookie]

i surprised no one has mentioned RJD2. he's creating some of the best stuff i'm hearing nowadays. most of the stuff of defjux ( http://www.definitivejux.net/ ) is 10 times better than anything out in the mainstream right now.

where is hip-hop/rap going? pretty much nowhere since it's beginning to stagnate. there are literally only a very small handful of producers coming up with anything even remotely interesting. then theres a sea of producers who do the same boring tired old stuff over and over again.

[jlotto]

Originally Posted by elder rookie

i surprised no one has mentioned RJD2. he's creating some of the best stuff i'm hearing nowadays. most of the stuff of defjux ( http://www.definitivejux.net/ ) is 10 times better than anything out in the mainstream right now.

where is hip-hop/rap going? pretty much nowhere since it's beginning to stagnate. there are literally only a very small handful of producers coming up with anything even remotely interesting. then theres a sea of producers who do the same boring tired old stuff over and over again.

The whole NY scene is stagnant. even the underground stuff. The underground years ago would make a push and become the new mainstream and that kept things exciting but they r not doing their job either.

But travel around the country, especially south and midwest (those 2 areas buy 80% of hip hop in usa) and hip hop movement is live because they all selling records indy & major, gettin radio play, doing shows, & making $. it's not the overly complex underground stuff but they are not trying to be that.

[ttauri]

Originally Posted by jlotto

But travel around the country, especially south and midwest (those 2 areas buy 80% of hip hop in usa) and hip hop movement is live because they all selling records indy & major, gettin radio play, doing shows, & making $. it's not the overly complex underground stuff but they are not trying to be that.

I remember the first time I heard Screw (the June 27th tape--sick!), and how it immediately made the Northeast stuff sound sooooo out-of-date. (Well, actually, in some ways, the Southern stuff felt more like what I remembered the old school being than the "four elements" NYC stuff. Different sound, but same spirit.)

Peece,
T. Tauri

[killahertz]

I think hyphy music is the most interesting sound and production wise. Rick Rock is the best kept secret in the industry from from going multi platinum with busta, jay, and mariah carrey hes now created the hottest sound on the streets with hyphy. I think its only a matter of time before its as ubiquitous as crunk.

[mizzle]

What I'm listening to:

Pete Rock (Soul Survivor 2, Petestrumentals etc.)- This guy knows his shit
Madvillian
Talib Kweli (I prefer Reflections Eternal though Quality has some hot tracks)
Jaylib - really gifted beatmakers here
Prefuse 73
Diverse (somebody check this guy out!)
Bilial - First Born Second (this album is a few years old now but still tops my favorites list) The song "Reminice" alone is worth the price of the album. Guest appearance by Dr. Dre as well!

Gang Starr
MF Doom
Jay Dee (aka J-Dilla)


Someone mentioned Mos Def's "The New Danger"

My opinion:
This album is almost ruined by sub-par musicians and incredibly un-imaginative arrangements.

Two tracks seem to stand head and shoulders above the rest for me:
Grown Man's Buisness
The Panties

I have a hard time taking the rest of the album seriously. Even "Modern Marvel" seems ill-advised and contrived to me. I much prefer "Black on Both Sides".






Mizzle