After Rap - What's next?

[senorblues]

Can popular music sink even lower? Have all the best songs been written? Are we at the end of a creative explosion in popular music? Are we now just period musicians, pigeonholed in a certain era or style? What do you think?

[Jazz Ad]

Rap has now been around for 30 years.
It might be time to realize that it's a legit style, not a fashion of some kind.
You are only pigeonholed if you choose to be.

[senorblues]

Yes, Rap has been around a long time. So, what's next? I'm trying to imagine something worse and can't.

[MrLenny1]

Disco? Ha Ha! Senorblues, I agree. Will pop music ever evolve from 1 4 5 all night?
I don't think so. The whole scene is boring.

[baalroo]

There will always be people looking for elevator music, and the radio and other mainstream big media sources will continue to provide those people with more and more watered down music. I don't think rap is inherently "worse" than most other pop genres in regards to skill level or musicianship and bubblegum pop/"country" has pretty much replaced rap as the dominant "talentless" radio muzak IMO.

With all the musical content available through the internet at this point, it's a fairly moot point aside from those who actually WANT to listen to the junk.

[jambassist]

Originally Posted by senorblues

Yes, Rap has been around a long time. So, what's next? I'm trying to imagine something worse and can't.

Because you don't like it doesn't make it bad which is what you're implying by trying to imagine something worse. I play in an instrumental hiphop band and what we do is a off da hook. Must be lonely going through life with such a self righteous, intolerant attitude especially since Albuquerque is such a cultural center for music.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by baalroo

There will always be people looking for elevator music, and the radio and other mainstream big media sources will continue to provide those people with more and more watered down music. I don't think rap is inherently "worse" than most other pop genres in regards to skill level or musicianship and bubblegum pop/"country" has pretty much replaced rap as the dominant "talentless" radio muzak IMO.

With all the musical content available through the internet at this point, it's a fairly moot point aside from those who actually WANT to listen to the junk.

Bingo. Especially the last comment.

You want new, inventive, exciting music? Seek it out. It isn't hard.

[baalroo]

Originally Posted by jambassist

Because you don't like it doesn't make it bad which is what you're implying by trying to imagine something worse. I play in an instrumental hiphop band and what we do is a off da hook. Must be lonely going through life with such a self righteous, intolerant attitude especially since Albuquerque is such a cultural center for music.

In his defense, I doubt what you do has much in common with the junk he's heard on commercials during monday night football.

and bigO: how many times do we have to say these things before these people realize that this mainstream junk is irrelevant? fight the power!

[senorblues]

Originally Posted by jambassist

Because you don't like it doesn't make it bad which is what you're implying by trying to imagine something worse. I play in an instrumental hiphop band and what we do is a off da hook. Must be lonely going through life with such a self righteous, intolerant attitude especially since Albuquerque is such a cultural center for music.

Good for you that you're "off da hook".

I really don't get why the attack. I'm originally from Chicago and I will say that Albuquerque has a very intersesting and diverse musical culture. There are people here from all over the country and many are fine musicians. I am not lonely or self righteous. This thread was not meant to bad rap rap, it was meant to ponder the future of music but I guess you rap guys are pretty sensitive.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by senorblues

This thread was not meant to bad rap rap, it was meant to ponder the future of music but I guess you rap guys are pretty sensitive.

Of course it was. You may have had a an actual question but the subtext was clear. "I'm trying to imagine something worse and can't"?

That said, were you playing chicken little when "I Got You Babe" hit the top of the charts? Or "Convoy"? Or "The Macarena"? Or any of countless other awful songs that got massive airplay? Top 40 radio has been awful for at least 30 years.

And guess what? It's going to get worse. Shrinking profits mean major labels will take less and less risks and we are going to be buried in blandness on the radio, whether hip-hop, rock or whatever.

Looking at "popular" music as the barometer for the overall health of the worldwide music scene is like looking at fast food restaurants to see the future of cuisine.

Again, good music is out there. You just have to be willing to look.

baalroo - I'm fightin' it man, I'm fightin' it.

[Sub5ound]

I find most forms of contemporary jazz boring, that does not make it an illegitamate form.
It just means the form needs Hendrix-like intervention. Same goes for Rap. Old school east coast rap was the shizznit before it got molested by the big wig's. These days, it's all a pepsi commercial.

[MNAirHead]

I don't enjoy new stuff.. (I did love LA Dream Team, Grandmaster etc)...

The reality is that this stuff is kind of like the beatles for 60s suburbanites.. everyone bought a guitar and thought they could become a band... just ask any curently 60-65 year old out there.

Guessing there will be some type of revolution with some talented folks pushing the limits (this does not mean sampling Dido)... really talented folks really pushing it... something that will blow beyond Russel Simmons.

T.

[Valerus]

I avoid radio and tv music. Bam, done. I listen to good stuff, not filth.

That didn't really answer your question.

[dancehallclasher]

Ok, I'll play along and help the "rap sucks" guy find something he hates even more.

Ever hear of noise music?

Merzbow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGzrL8J0t-c

[dancehallclasher]

Originally Posted by Sub5ound

I find most forms of contemporary jazz boring, that does not make it an illegitamate form.
It just means the form needs Hendrix-like intervention. Same goes for Rap. Old school east coast rap was the shizznit before it got molested by the big wig's. These days, it's all a pepsi commercial.

Oh c'mon, it is not, you're probably just not looking too hard. How about Lupe Fiasco?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQrg99Ply_o

[Stumbo]

What we're waiting for is a combination of Jazz and Funk, called "Junk".

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

What we're waiting for is a combination of Jazz and Funk, called "Junk".

Hmph, better than Fazz, I suppose.

[hbarcat]

Originally Posted by senorblues

I really don't get why the attack.

This thread was not meant to bad rap rap, it was meant to ponder the future of music but I guess you rap guys are pretty sensitive.

The whole point of you starting this thread is to attack rap.

After Rap - What's next?
Can popular music sink even lower?
I'm trying to imagine something worse and can't. - senorblues


Don't act surprised and pretend to be the victim when those who like the music call you on it.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

The whole point of you starting this thread is to attack rap.

After Rap - What's next?
Can popular music sink even lower?
I'm trying to imagine something worse and can't. - senorblues


Don't act surprised and pretend to be the victim when those who like the music call you on it.

Seriously.

[senorblues]

Bad is Bad. I think the day the music died would probably be back in January 1986 when the Chicago Bears released the Superbowl Shuffle. The gutter nursery rhyme jump rope ratta-tat drum machine Casiotone crap still goes on but it seems like its dying out finally. I'm just wondering whats next. So go ahead and attack me for calling it was it is. Do you really think any real musicians take rap seriously?