Respecting mainstream hip hop artist?

C

CG Kid

New member
I don't know, I been maturing or something lately. I use to rag on mainstream so bad, it was actually a resentment I struggled dealing with. Resentful at the artist for "sucking so bad", resentful at people for liking trash, feeling like the genre was being misrepresented and felt embarrassed, blah blah blah.

I was really intense about this subject and convinced I'm right and everyone else is wrong.

Lately though, I been respecting the artist and respecting the fans. I just realize that rap doesn't have to always be so meaningful and technically skilled, that sometimes people just like dumbed down music. Like it serves a purpose. Also recognizing that the artist are very good at providing this style of music. Like, I'm a rapper, I've tried dumbing down my shit as a experiment and it was difficult. Sometimes simple is more challenging then complicated.

I don't like mainstream rap, but now it's not unpleasant either. I don't get these stupid 16-year old girl like whiney emotions. They're doing their hustle and I respect that.

I'm a rapper and choose to not make that kind of music, but I still can learn from them. What I'm learning is how to simplify a song and still make it sound good. I just keep doing my thing, focusing on my hustle, and respecting theirs. Having an admiration how people have their own way of doing it which makes the genre more broad and interesting. It feels good, and gives me a greater feeling of having a chance for success...

What triggered this? Hell if I know. It just sort of happened. Maybe it's the fact that some talented artist have got on lately (J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar) that makes me feel more at ease. I'm not sure, but I'm done shit talking people for being more successful then I'll likely ever be. I'm done with the stupid envy, and I'm done with complaining rather then taking action and learning...

Just thought I'd share this with y'all ^_^
 
I used to be one of those holier-than-thou hiphop conspiracy theorists making up all these convoluted scenarios to explain why artists I disliked were so successful at making music I disliked-then I grew up. I just get more satisfaction these days seeking out and talking about the art that brings me joy than whining about why people like shitty music.
 
It comes with getting more mature. I used to be the same way too. Too stuck in the past to listen to any new music. So super judgmental. Then I just stopped trying to compare and realized modern mainstream music isn't the same as old Music. It has it's own flair and style. I started to listen to the music itself without trying to compare. It helped immensely.
 
But modern music does lack value, stop forcing yourself to like it. There's absolutely no need for new hip hop. Companies need it, you don't.

People don't know who Debussy is but know every single Young Thug song. Think about that for a second. :4theloveofgod:
 
I don't care about any of that tbh. Not too fond of most mainstream songs bur there are a few that stand out like maria carey ft. justin bieber or fetty wap that isn't trap queen.
 
I've always been a fan of mainstream music. Though I tend to like the earlier work of those artists, that's not always the case though.
I think T.I has gotten significantly better over the years while Trae The Truth has gotten severely worse.
I think Justin Beiber has gotten better over the years while Mariah Carey has gotten worse.
The whole mainstream vs underground fight is ridiculous, listen to what you enjoy.

It's all just a sweet sweet fantasy baby.

 
I don't think it deserves the shit it gets. I think no matter what, people put time and creative effort into it, whether a little or a lot, and while the amount of which you appreciate this song or that can be determined heavily by the amount of time and creative effort put into it, I don't think a lack of effort or writing for money deserves to get a shit storm, because consumer sovereignty is what generates that lack of initiative in terms of creativity, always has always will.

Some people just look at music as more of a job than others, and it doesn't effect the amount of people that still write music just for the passion of it, so basically you'll always have music that you can appreciate to listen to and find catchy. Chances are a lot of people out there will like the music that people write for money too, which is why it's generating profit after all . . . Back to consumer sovereignty. So just leave it be, can't be treated as the same league. Pointless to ***** about, just don't listen to what you don't find valuable

That being said, there is some more mainstream artists out there that manage to make a living off of shit that's pretty creative, and that's like the jackpot to me haha.
 
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Some people like big girls that eat nothing but junk food, complain all day, are entitled and listen to the radio rap.

I personally prefer confident women that are intelligent, active and build...oddly enough, they tend to like hip hop.

To each their own.
 
Before I got into hip-hop I more so struggled with opening my mind up to genres other than hardcore and metal, but as I've listened to more and more I started to tolerate others more. This was especially apparent when I started producing hip-hop myself, where now I can comfortably listen to almost any genre or artist while enjoying it fully.
 
It all deserves to be appreciated, respected, but not for the same reasons. Not on the same level, maybe.

Its art v. product.
Appreciating creative expression, and rate it however you rate that, vs. appreciating a well crafted product, made for mass popularity and consumption.

A good painting v. a good chair.

Its two totally different things.
 
We're really in the middle of the Silver Age of Hip Hop. When you look back at like 05 to 08, there was some terrifyingly bad music.

I was just like you. Soulja boy was absolutely on fire and he literally went from an absolute joke to bein taken seriously overnight.

But now even the bad music isn't that bad. What really helped was being able to go into strip clubs and understanding the vibe of music in there compared to your headphones or car.

Complex and intricate isn't always better. I respect and appreciate the mood that Future creates with his music. There's nothing like it. It's almost like certain classical music making lullabies but it's for adults and even though I don't drink lean it still puts me in that same kind of zone.

Also I listen to people like Young Dro and and 2 Chainz. The way they can make hooks is genius.

Listen to "We Be In The City". It's borderline unlistenable at first glance. But the genius part of it is the fact

HE MADE THE HOOK SOUND LIKE IT WENT FOR 32 STRAIGHT BARS WITHOUT SOUNDING REPETITIVE OR ANNOYING.


Fetty Wap can do that too. That's something as a rapper and songwriter I need to learn from. If you can make the hook THAT seamless it's the perfect club and radio record.
 
People complain about pretty dumb stuff all the time, but hey.
Sound design, beatmaking, sampling etc it matters to people like us who actually care about that but most of the general public couldn't care less about the intricate stuff.


If it bangs, really doesn't matter to them lol. They aren't concerned with all that other stuff involved in beatmaking they just care whether or not it knocks, that's preference as well.
Which makes perfect sense. Stop worrying about it, because the people it caters to are 9/10, not you.


There was a time where I couldn't listen to classical. But it got interesting when I learned like the bare minimum sea level of piano.
.
 
This whole "its an art" talk has always been corny to me. Music is no different than anything else that requires a human to create it.

Its about what the consumer wants. The music thats being called trash is being played by consumers in their cars, phones and being shared with friend. Why? Because they like it. They don't care about how well you sampled this & that or how many years it took you to make a project because you were respecting the art. They don't give a DAMN about that. NONE. All they care about is if they can enjoy the music while bored at work, pulling up to the club, smashing someones girl, etc.

Mainstream music tends to be what the people want the most. The music is simple and people can understand it. Do people have normal conversations with intricate lyricism, complex wordplay and words so big you need a dictionary? I didn't think so. Mainstream music also tends to be sonically better than the music coming from the ones "respecting the art".

People can talk about how much they love music all they want but truth is music will never love you back. People are what make music great or wack. Make music that people would want to hear.
 
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Do you think that people are just lazy? Mainstream music is everywhere, and in American society we're kind of conditioned to "fast and easy." I don't know - I'm just wondering why, for instance, SO MANY more people listen to Nicki Minaj then Snow Tha Product. I mean, Snow's better in every aspect. Her music just sounds better, not only that her lyrics and delivery are on another level. The only reasoning I can come up with is she doesn't have the exposure Nicki Minaj does. That if more people heard both, there'd be a lot more Snow fans. This is just an example, but I wonder, if some of these talented underground artist that sound awesome had the same exposure - if mainstream would look the way it does. Artist like these wouldn't need that kind of exposure if people would look for music instead of letting music find them, but I believe that's how we're conditioned.

I respect mainstream at the same time I know it's not for me. I can appreciate the aesthetic value of the songs and learn from them, but it's not the music I would choose to listen to or produce. That's purely personal preference. I doubt there will be a day I put on Drake :p I will listen to the radio on occasion to take notes.

The main reason, aesthetics - sounding good - is one layer to the onion. There's so many things that make a artist great, delivery, the instrumental, rhyme schemes, imagery, concept, originality etc. Building myself in all aspects is addictive. To just focus on one thing - what other people like - what sounds good - so I could sell songs to make money would be like selling the biggest passion in my life. Having a passion is priceless, but that's just my perception of it. I respect other peoples perceptions and the music they make, it's just not my thing. Before I was resentful and I've since matured out of it which has been beneficial to me in more ways then just the music I produce. I've learned it's ok for me to say "I don't like this" but to resent other people for liking it is bitchey and aint healthy.
 
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Da Youngsta said:
This whole "its an art" talk has always been corny to me. Music is no different than anything else that requires a human to create it.
Its about what the consumer wants. The music thats being called trash is being played by consumers in their cars, phones and being shared with friend. Why? Because they like it.
Click to expand...

Consumers have no idea what they want.

It's the producer who translates and articulates it for the consumer - whether it be for the radio, your girlfriend or your homeboys (check Skyzoo's latest album Music For My Friends).

Unfortuntately, the taste makers (label execs with agendas) have DECIDED what it is the consumer wants which is why you only hear the same songs over and over again and, unless you make similar sounding songs, you will not get played on mainstream radio...that's fine with me. But don't come at me with the "This is what sells" argument cuz music doesn't sell and, for some odd reason, the artists who are best at translating and articulating (acts you generally don't hear on the radio) are selling more shows and making more money than the people all over the radio.

Things that make you go hmmmm...
 
The biggest problem I have with mainstream music is that it's a business. Money is the driving force, not artistic expression and creating quality music.
So it's not the great music that rises to the top and spreads out but rather the labels which got the most money behind them and can promote the hell out of it.
Aside of that I gotta say I love what TDE is doing. Schoolboy, Kendrick, Isaiah Rashad, AB Soul, they got dope, deep music and it's got it's place in pop culture.
French Montana on other hand is an example of what I hate about mainstream.
 
DjPolair said:
So it's not the great music that rises to the top and spreads out but rather the labels which got the most money behind them and can promote the hell out of it.
Click to expand...

If you put enough money behind a chihuahua whining and yipping over DJ Mustard beats, got Future and Drake to feature while bumpin it all over Love and Hip Hop Atlanta and Hot 97 kids would be talkin about it's hot, the future of music, people who don't like it are haters and old timers and don't appreciate "what sells".

Please tell me you understand why women's purses and shoes sell...then try to tell me it's any different than why they listen to certain music...
 
^^
I feel like purses n shoes are not a good comparison as they are both functional and a fashion accessory and furthermore I don't see how women's clothing is any different than men's clothing in terms of the topic of capitalism we're dealing with. But your other point it's an example of what I said, therefore it's valuable to the discussion at hand.

The issue is more complex than it appears to be at first, we can give all fault to the suits for using music purely as business but on other hand, they couldn't do that If the average consumer insisted on certain standards being met. It's laziness on both sides, at the consumption and production. Overall mainstream hip-hop is in a good place. It could be a lot worse.

I just listen to my music, some of it is mainstream, some of it is underground but overall I'm content with the music that's out there.

One thing in favor of mainstream is that it's easy to discover music. There is a ton of good underground music that is very difficult to discover on your own. But Apple Music is making that easier as well which is why I can't wait to pay 10 bucks a month (after my 3 month test trial is up) for that genius service. Spotify is too cluttered.
 
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