Why being “lyrical” matters, even if you’re only in it for the money. (Held this back a couple of days to stay focused on Guru pulling through. My thoughts are with him and the Elam fam.)
Lyricism and Capitalism
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{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Truth.
Really? Kanye is a lyrical MC? lol
I feel ya. But the only problem I have with the whole thing is that the hip-hop community in general blames the south for the lack of lyricism in commercial music…matter of fact the southern mc has been turned into a poster child for mediocrity. I coulda sworn wack, 3rd grade emcees saying ignorant shit are born everywhere. Since I’m here, I may as well suggest some southern hip-hop for yall to find if you don’t have
UGK-Ridin Dirty, UGK 4 Life, Underground Kingz
OutKast- Any one from their catalogue…
Little Brother – The Listening, GetBack, The Chittlin Circuit 1.5 Mixtape (best ever)
Da Backwudz- Wood Work
Field Mob- Ashy To Classy, Roota to Tha Toota, Light Pole & Pine Trees….
So many more…but the point is, I wish hip-hop would quit hatin the south…we’re all country cuzzins.
I’m thinking of Cam’Ron… right… NOW.
I agree with J…
but I definitely blame the south for spearheading the ignorance in the artform (even though there are the few exceptions-who are mainly ‘underground’ now). Although lack of lyricism persist everywhere, the south glorifies it more than any part of the country. Im not blaming the rappers…I am pointing a finger at the the historic structural racism that is perpetuated by the politicians and business execs, and the blatant disparities in the education system.
I’d first like to acknowledge that I see nothing wrong with someone creating music for money. But, someone who writes music (or lyrics) to specifically make money (although, as said earlier, I don’t believe this is WRONG) should not be designated as an artist. This is a person who makes music/money … but not art.
Music hasn’t always been art, but when it has, its usually been in spite of money.
Once you again you draw relevance out of someone that I would have been perfectly fine with continuing to never know anything about.
So I had to go and watch Meth (and Rae and Ghost’s) response to Flacka, which reminded me of myself, and how I think and sound like an angry old fogie. Then Flacka’s response to Meth, which was surprisingly mature.
Doesn’t make his music any less terrible, but you’re too magnanimous to call it that and it would take away from the point you’re making.
All I can add is that rappers like Flacka who are in it strictly for the money should not be taken seriously at all if they don’t have airtight accounting and business management. If you’re not really an artist, you should be investing every single 5-figure wad of cash from each show into something that will last well beyond the couple of years you may have as a hot property. If Soulja Boy, Flacka and the rest were setting themselves and their families up to be chillin’ 20 years from now when instructional dance/trap-rap is no longer hot, I couldn’t be mad at all. Then all that “but we make money so our music is beyond critique so stop being a hater” stuff would actually hold weight.
spread the hate nil doctrine. ya gotta fight to wake these kids up.
i want to hear your thoughts on the rise of the beat generation hip hoppers growing out of underground independent markets like the internet. if we could all just focus our attention to advancing our beloved boom bap into the next generation of production and lyricism then we won’t have to worry bout no wakka flakka.
all praises to baldhead slick. it was mostly his voice that lifted me up.
pps andrew c, music is art. bach, handel, coltrane, sa-ra, gang starr and dilla all created art.
directed toward zefrank/bobbito love child 89: i don’t think Bach or Handel would have ever considered himself an artist. The idea of music being a form of artistic expression is a late-18th century idea perpetuated by the likes of Beethoven and his crowd.
I wasn’t trying to be disparaging to music at all. I’m a full time musician with a masters in music history. i think nowadays especially, music can be very artful. but, i think its important to notice that throughout history, music wasn’t always seen as art and I think that can often be the case today.
for interesting takes on what people thought about music in earlier understandings of music and what it was I suggest Richard Taruskin and Piero Weiss’ book “Music in the Western World.”
Cheers.
Not to be all stalker or late to the party, but those look like certified records on the wall behind you. What records are they?
PREACH!! LET THESE IDIOTS KNOW!!!
I don’t think the lack of lyrics is a “southern” thing, it’s a young thing. SOME young cats have never even really took the time to see what “hip hop” is for themselves. Listening to the radio all day with lil payne, lil whoever, and you so and so will lead you to believe that ish is hot.
Take a minute and listen to our show… I think you’ll be come fans… http://www.egreen.podOmatic.com Hip Hop Digest Show
One.
I meant to say young so and so… check the show anyway! LOL
Sam: that is a platinum plaque for Naughty by Nature’s first album and the OPP single, which I was among the first to play
The way I see it, once it becomes about money, it stops being Hip Hop.
I have been lyrical for all my “nobody cares” career length…and I cannot lie. I see more rappers with absolutely no care for the craft of lyricsism make waves than I ever have for MC’s who work on creating good lyrical works.
Look at me….for cripes sake….i’m your prime example of why you may want to follow the horrible trend of being non-lyrical….
…cause if your anything like me….you’ll end up rapping really good for nobody.
just my 2 cents.
IT’S CULTURE CRAZY,
NOVA
http://www.novatribe.com
Ice boxes and mothers basements…
Dam-am-am-m-m-m-m–m–m–m!!!
Yo Nova, I guess its just what Rass Kass said “radio hit, heads criticize it/underground classic, nobody buys it”
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…..you ain’t neva’ lied Lavar!
Wait. Are you trying to say that “Gucci bandana Gucci bandana whee!” isn’t lyrical?
p.s. Like the new style of the freeze frame thumbnail whatever you call it thing. Definite improvement-way smoother looking.
This album made it to the billboard top albums of 2009, definitely worth mentioning.
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I think the statistic that Jay Smooth present about how for the last 10 years the top selling rapper has been lyrical is a little misleading. 1. I don’t know how his list works, but I’m surprised that 50 Cent, Ja Rule and Nelly weren’t on it. 2. A more relevant stat would have been who has sold the most albums over the last ten years, or better yet who made the most money (Flame’s point in the first place). The richest rappers by far are Master P, Jay Z, 50, and Diddy–only one is lyrical. If you looked at all of the top earners of the decade I think you’d find some lyrical titans (Jay Z, Eminem, Kanye, Outcast), some so so lyricists who write catchy songs (Luda, 50, Snoop) and some non-lyrical rappers (Nelly, Ja Rule, Diddy, Master P).
Buuut, I think lyrics do extend the longevity of a rapper’s career. Lyrical rappers often stay popular longer (WuTang, Nas, De La), and even after they’re not hot anymore, they can tour forever because they have a loyal fan base (Slick Rick, Rakim, Hieroglyphics). Non-lyrical rappers just disappear (Ja, Master P, Camron).
Manuel
1) I’d disagree about where 50 falls on the skills/no skills playing field. Ja and Nelly were specifically the ones I was referring to when I mentioned people who skate by for a while but don’t sustain it.
2) Master P and P Diddy did not, for the most part, make their money as rappers. The bulk of their fortune is money they made off of business acumen and from .other people’s rapping.