Rap basslines

ras1983 · #1 03-28-2005, 06:04 AM

A post by a tber on the 'you know you're a bassist if...' thread mentioned that rap music basslines were infact not basslines. I disagree with this statement 100%. Rarely do rap bassists or rap music get mentioned on TB, so i want to know why. Do you think that rap basslines are the real deal?

Mon Rominee · #2 03-28-2005, 06:09 AM

A bassline don't need to be played on a bass.

Bass is bass. Besides the fact that so many rap tracks include sampled basslines from old records...

Pad key bass is still bass. I'm not the biggest rap fan, but have come to respect it. And I give props when rappers bring live band with them.

JimK · #3 03-28-2005, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ras1983

Do you think that rap basslines are the real deal?

Some are...Mike Elizonda(Dr. Dre) is a an example.

Some, IMO, are not. "Low End" for the sake of "Low End" doesn't always = "the real deal".

Nickthebassist · #4 03-28-2005, 07:36 AM

Some rap is good, and has some good basslines goin on. Other stuff like 50Cent, however, is sh1t of the highest order.

Against Will · #5 03-28-2005, 08:32 AM

Black-Eyed Peas, Blackilicious, Outkast and a few others, have had live bassists record their tracks and use them on albums. There's also been a rise in hip-hop 'bands' a la The Roots. (Unfortunately, most of them are pretty bad).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

I'm not the biggest rap fan, but have come to respect it. And I give props when rappers bring live band with them.

Unless it's Ja Rule or Nelly.

Puarija · #6 03-28-2005, 09:21 AM

El Pus!!!

hehe, plug for Woodchuck

I've always been a fan of good music, no matter the genre. I've heard some outstanding basslines in rap songs. Some of which helped to inspire me to play. In addition to hip-hop bands as already mentioned, here's a real shortened list of songs I can think of with basslines I've always really liked (some of these might be samples, or at least borrowed hooks). And they're not necessarily anything special... some of them are just in the pocket and hold down a good groove, while others are busier and more prominent. I've also listed a few that are synth bass, but are at least different than the normal bass drum sounding basslines:

Coolio - I'm In Love With Mary Jane
Dead Prez - Hip Hop
Dilated Peoples - Worst Comes to Worst
House of Pain - I'm a Swing It
House of Pain - Where I'm From (one of my all-time faves)
House of Pain - Runnin' Up On Ya
House of Pain - Keep it Comin'
Ice Cube & Dr. Dre - Natural Born Killa (something's just entirely bad-ass about this groove)
Passion feat. Too Short - Where I'm From
Snoop Dogg - Ain't No Fun (crude song, but great groove)
Snoop Dogg - Lodi Dodi
Dogg Pound - Bomb-Ass Pussy (crude again, but nice line)
Dogg Pound - Let's Play House
Too Short - Can't Stay Away (this song always sounded awesome with the subwave on my Mo'Bass)
Too Short - I'm A Player
Too Short - Flat Booty Bitches (he uses live bass for almost everything as far as I know)
Tupac - Everywhere I Go
Digital Underground - The Humpty Dance
Young MC - Bust A Move
Warren G - the entire Regulate album... it's awesome

There's a million more, but I'm too tired to think. haha
Jake

**Vorago** · #7 03-28-2005, 12:41 PM

W00t, a thread about rap basslines and no one mentioned Rappers Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang??? Damn, I love that line

ras1983 · #8 03-28-2005, 04:23 PM

thanks for the feedback guys.

Joshua, you are probably right man.

Wrong Robot · #9 03-28-2005, 04:32 PM

Rap is one of the only forms of music today that is still heavily bass centric and puts strong emphasis on deep pocket groove as it relates to the bass and the drums.

Of course, most people's bias and preconception against 'rap' is really against a pop product, which isn't really music now is it?

Minger · #10 03-28-2005, 04:58 PM

but IMO the bass lines are nothing special if anything (or at least the stuff thats on the radio when I'm in the weight room in gym class)

So I'm kinda meh torewards it - on the other hand, some rapcore stuff is pretty good (Thousand Foot Krutch...)

LiquidMidnight · #11 03-28-2005, 06:31 PM

All I know is that Shooytz Groove has some kickin' bass grooves.

Brandt Scanlan · #12 03-28-2005, 06:35 PM

The bassline to "Rapper's Delight" was taken from a song by Chic ("Good Times"). It is cool, but I wouldn't really give Sugar Hill Gang too much credit for it.

Don't_Fret · #13 03-28-2005, 08:25 PM

You can't have this thread without mention of A Tribe Called Quest's album, "The Lowend Theory," featuring Ron Carter on bass.

Brendan · #14 03-29-2005, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don't_Fret

You can't have this thread without mention of A Tribe Called Quest's album, "The Lowend Theory," featuring Ron Carter on bass.

Blackstar did some stuff with Ron Carter, too. Man, he's got groove a mile deep and two wide.

ebozzz · #15 04-08-2005, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don't_Fret

You can't have this thread without mention of A Tribe Called Quest's album, "The Lowend Theory," featuring Ron Carter on bass.

One of the tracks that Ron did on that LP was a remake of Heatwave's Star Of The Story. Ron certainly added his twist to it.

JimK · #16 04-08-2005, 04:39 AM

Charles-
Didn't the original version have bowed bass?

GSPLBASSDC · #17 04-08-2005, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don't_Fret

You can't have this thread without mention of A Tribe Called Quest's album, "The Lowend Theory," featuring Ron Carter on bass.

"Check tha Rhyme"...nice cut.

I also liked Digable Planets "Cool Like That". They were a "here today, gone later today" kind of group, but the song had a funky, jazzy feel to it.

ebozzz · #18 04-08-2005, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

Charles-
Didn't the original version have bowed bass?

Hi Jim! It may have on some parts but it did have an electric bassline also. I have to pick up that disc again. I lent it out and never got it back. The person that I lent it to is now a ghost.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSPLBASSDC

"Check tha Rhyme"...nice cut.

That's the one that Ron was on. He got funKay on it!

Zirc · #19 04-08-2005, 12:07 PM

I love the basslines on Rapper's Delight and Outkast - Mrs. Jackson. No matter what anyone says, music is music and that includes rap.

jusplayinmybass · #20 04-08-2005, 12:09 PM

I think that it depends on the type of rap/hip hop you are listening to. I wouldn't listen to too much dirty south rap for grooves. but the stuff that comes from the west coast tends to have a huge groove to me. Particularly Dre's Chronic album and DJ Quick's stuff. East Coast stuff tends to groove, but in a more earthy kinda way if that makes sense.

I have a friend of mine listening to hip hop to learn how to groove, he's a drummer. I think that it will benefit him a lot as long as he listens to the right stuff.

IMHO

B Easy
Myron