Hip-Hop/Rap Music?

infinitely baffled said:

Admittedly music I like under the genre hip hop has a more European flavour,

Click to expand...

JackD201 said:

Complexity simulates the mind, simplicity stimulates the body. Steady rhythms and simple time signatures do exactly that. The predictability allows the listener to anticipate and synch up, something one simply requires to express emotion through movement. Express movement well enough and it is an art form in itself. Dance. It also works in the opposite direction and can be very relaxing in a primal sense.

The dynamic backbone of hip hop is the breakbeat. These were appropriated in the early days from the breaks of Jazz pieces as well as Funk, Soul and even in rare instances Disco. Set on these were the spoken word elements. As popularity grew and hip hop itself became an influence the breakbeats found their way into many other genres. The US3 song Cantaloop is such an example. Sped up it fed House, sped up further Trance and slowed back down again at half speed Drum and Bass, slowed again chill and electronica. Music IB and myself enjoy depending on occasion.

This borrowing has been going on since the beginning of music. One might even argue that it is the spirit of music itself. Just google popular songs based on classical music and you might be surprised at the breadth of this. "All by Myself" is certainly not lonely on that list. LOL

Conversely when speaking with a good friend who is first violin here and a Juilliard alum, I asked why classical music is NOT popular today. One of the reasons he cited was the lack of predictability, specifically the lack of "hooks" outside of the theme/rondo/Sonata which recur by definition but are not pervasive. Much need be experienced and internalized before the composition as a whole makes sense and remains entertaining throughout. In simple terms no instant gratification for first time listeners. You gotta wait for it. Blues and Jazz like Hip Hop and Electronica which it spawned, became popular for the very reasons many here are trashing the younger art forms.

Socially it is a generational issue. The kids don't think their folks are cool. They realize this typically when they grow out of the music of their youth themselves and the cycle continues. The cool parents appreciate their kid's music because they can identify what was borrowed from theirs. There is a CONNECTION. Yes I am a cool Dad. Music is such a big part of our household. Sometimes after dinner we take turns streaming our recent finds to the dining room boombox.

Click to expand...

infinitely baffled said:

What I appreciate about hip hop and it's derivatives is that it is a living genre, accessible to all, with spontaneous outbreaks in every city in the world going on right now, as we speak. It is one of the soundtracks of our times, THIS time we are living in, now;
a living breathing reflection of local contemporary culture, circumstances and attitude.

the US is engaged in culture wars more extreme than most other places in the world and some of the posts in this thread have exhibited that hostility.....which is kind of funny to outsiders since white America, with the exception of the new York post punk scene of the 80's, white America has done little of musical significance or merit since the doors. Everything that America has given the world musically has come from the black community, from gospel to blues and boogie through jazz to hip hop to house music has emerged from and chronicled the struggles of the black community
Admittedly music I like under the genre hip hop has a more European flavour, with reflective poetic lyrics and better all round musical cohesion than the style has been described, maligned and dismissed.. But this is down to US local contemporary experience creating the circumstances where what arises is an aggressive style that makes uncompromising demands for a marginalised section of the community be heard, on their terms.

Click to expand...

JackD201 said:

Complexity simulates the mind, simplicity stimulates the body. Steady rhythms and simple time signatures do exactly that. The predictability allows the listener to anticipate and synch up, something one simply requires to express emotion through movement. Express movement well enough and it is an art form in itself. Dance. It also works in the opposite direction and can be very relaxing in a primal sense.

The dynamic backbone of hip hop is the breakbeat. These were appropriated in the early days from the breaks of Jazz pieces as well as Funk, Soul and even in rare instances Disco. Set on these were the spoken word elements. As popularity grew and hip hop itself became an influence the breakbeats found their way into many other genres. The US3 song Cantaloop is such an example. Sped up it fed House, sped up further Trance and slowed back down again at half speed Drum and Bass, slowed again chill and electronica. Music IB and myself enjoy depending on occasion.

This borrowing has been going on since the beginning of music. One might even argue that it is the spirit of music itself. Just google popular songs based on classical music and you might be surprised at the breadth of this. "All by Myself" is certainly not lonely on that list. LOL

Conversely when speaking with a good friend who is first violin here and a Juilliard alum, I asked why classical music is NOT popular today. One of the reasons he cited was the lack of predictability, specifically the lack of "hooks" outside of the theme/rondo/Sonata which recur by definition but are not pervasive. Much need be experienced and internalized before the composition as a whole makes sense and remains entertaining throughout. In simple terms no instant gratification for first time listeners. You gotta wait for it. Blues and Jazz like Hip Hop and Electronica which it spawned, became popular for the very reasons many here are trashing the younger art forms.

Socially it is a generational issue. The kids don't think their folks are cool. They realize this typically when they grow out of the music of their youth themselves and the cycle continues. The cool parents appreciate their kid's music because they can identify what was borrowed from theirs. There is a CONNECTION. Yes I am a cool Dad. Music is such a big part of our household. Sometimes after dinner we take turns streaming our recent finds to the dining room boombox.

Click to expand...

infinitely baffled said:

What I appreciate about hip hop and it's derivatives is that it is a living genre, accessible to all, with spontaneous outbreaks in every city in the world going on right now, as we speak. It is one of the soundtracks of our times, THIS time we are living in, now;
a living breathing reflection of local contemporary culture, circumstances and attitude.

the US is engaged in culture wars more extreme than most other places in the world and some of the posts in this thread have exhibited that hostility.....which is kind of funny to outsiders since white America, with the exception of the new York post punk scene of the 80's, white America has done little of musical significance or merit since the doors. Everything that America has given the world musically has come from the black community, from gospel to blues and boogie through jazz to hip hop to house music has emerged from and chronicled the struggles of the black community
Admittedly music I like under the genre hip hop has a more European flavour, with reflective poetic lyrics and better all round musical cohesion than the style has been described, maligned and dismissed.. But this is down to US local contempory experience creating the circumstances where what arises is an aggressive style that makes uncompromising demands for a marginalised section of the community be heard, on their terms

Click to expand...

Ron Resnick said:

Do you listen to hip-hop/rap music?

If no, why do you not listen to it?

Click to expand...

infinitely baffled said:

What's apparent from this thread is that hip hop is in the eye of the beholder; it means different things to different people

Click to expand...