I'm not too fond of rap, although a few people do it well, like Kid Rock ("Cowboy," "Rock and Roll Jesus"). But I'm a big metalhead. From the first Black Sabbath albums up through--well there's not a lot of decent metal anymore, but some of the grunge bands come passably close (e.g. Audioslave), and Dream Theater often veers off into that territory. I saw Guns'n'Roses co-headline with Metallica at the Rose Bowl 20 years ago. Also saw Queensryche do the entire "Operation Mindcrime" LP, warming up for Metallica, who did the entire "And Justice for All" LP.
Ahhh, Kid Rock would not be my first choice of who was a good rapper(Eminem, Tupac and even Busta Rhymes) would be my subjective choices. For me rap should at least be good poetry because IMO it has no real musical value. In regards to Heavy Metal, I really did not start appreciating this genre until I was in my forties, while all my family and friends that did appreciate it when they were younger have now turned to Country. Go figure!
According to academic definitions, rap actually is not music. Music must have: Rhythm Harmony Melody (these are usually listed in the opposite sequence but this sequence serves this discussion better) Rap certainly has rhythm. Much contemporary rap has harmony, since there is almost always a band playing along to the rhythm, changing chords to phrase the lyrics. But much early rap was street-corner performance with no instruments except (often primitive) percussion. But true rap has no melody, since it is spoken rhythmically: a chant rather than a song. For this reason, it is fair to say that rap is not music. Obviously many contemporary productions include both rapping and singing, but this falls into the hybrid realm of hip-hop.
You may not like rap, but it is poetry of sorts and it is lyrical, sort of. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
If i look at rap as poetry or storytelling, I like it just fine. The anger and angst poetry of Eminem, to be able to tell a vivid story like Tupac and finally Busta Rhymes, what a sense of humor, some of his raps just cracks me up.
Tell us a few please. I've always loved the classic Run D.M.C: One day when I was chillin' in Kentucky Fried Chicken Just mindin' my business, eatin' food and finger lickin' This dude walked in lookin' strange and kind of funny Went up to the front with a menu and his money He didn't walk straight, kind of side to side He asked this old lady, "Yo, yo, um is this Kentucky Fried?" The lady said, "Yes man", smiled and he smiled back He gave a quarter and his order, small fries, Big Mac! You be illin', illin' You be illin', illin' You be illin', illin' You be illin'
Sure! As a musician, I may not enjoy rap, but I can certainly appreciate it. The poetry is certainly there, if only in the rhyming. It's often sophomoric, but the rhymes in most rock'n'roll songs aren't exactly Wordsworth either. Although a few bands manage to get into an Ogden Nash/Lewis Carroll groove. I'm susprised no one has ever set "The Jabberwocky" to music.
Tupac's Unconditional Love(My youngest son loved this one) (What y'all want?) Unconditional Love (no doubt) Talking bout the stuff that don't wear off It don't fade It'll last for all these crazy days These crazy nights Whether you wrong or you right I'm a still love you Still feel you Still there for you No matter what (hehe) You will always be in my heart With unconditional love [Verse 1] Come listen to my truest thoughts, my truest feelings All my peers doing years beyond drug dealing How many caskets can we witness Before we see it's hard to live this life without God, so we must ask forgiveness Ask mama why I got this urge to die Witness the tears falling free from my eyes, before she could reply Though we were born without a silver spoon My broken down TV, show cartoons in my living room (hey) One day I hope to make it, a player in this game Mama don't cry, long as we try, maybe things change Perhaps it's just a fantasy A life where we don't need no welfare Shit with our whole family Maybe it's me that caused it, the fighting and the hurting In my room crying cause I didn't want to be a burden Watch mama open up her arms to hug me And I ain't worried bout a damn thang, with unconditional love [Hook: repeat 2X] In this game the lesson's in your eyes to see Though things change, the future's still inside of me We must remember that tomorrow comes after the dark So you will always be in my heart, with unconditional love [Verse 2] Just got the message you've been calling all week Been out here hustling on these streets, ain't had a chance to speak But you know, with you and me it's on G We could never be enemies, cause you been such a good friend to me Where would I be without my dogs No wonder why when times get hard Cause it ain't easy being who we are Driven by my ambitions, desire higher positions So I proceed to make Gs, eternally in my mission Is to be more than just a rap musician The elevation of today's generation If could make 'em listen Prison ain't what we need, no longer stuck in greed Time to plan, strategize, my family's gotta eat When we make somethin out of nothing No pleasure in the suffering, neighborhood would be good If they could cut out all the busting The liquor and the weed the cussing Sending love out to my block The struggle never stops (unconditional love) [Hook] [Verse 3] I'll probably never understand ya ways With everyday I swear I hear ya Trying to change your ways while gettin paid at the same time Just had a baby with the same eyes Something inside, please let me die these are strange times How come I never made it Maybe it's the way the played it in my heart I knew one day I gotta be a star My hopes and all my wishes So many vivid pictures, and all the currency I'll never even get to see This fast life soon shatters Cause after all the lights and screams Nothing but my dreams matter Hoping for better days Maybe a peaceful night, baby don't cry Cause everythang gonna be alright Just lay your head on my shoulder Don't worry bout a thang baby Girl I'm a soldier (huh) Never treated me bad, no matter who I was You still came with that, unconditional love
Stan by Eminem My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray But your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray But your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad Dear Slim, I wrote but you still ain't callin' I left my cell, my pager and my home phone at the bottom I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not-a got 'em There probably was a problem at the post office or somethin' Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot 'em But anyways; f**k it, what's been up? Man, how's your daughter? My girlfriend's pregnant too, I'm 'bout to be a father If I have a daughter, guess what imma call her? Imma name her Bonnie. I read about your Uncle Ronnie, too, I'm sorry. I had a friend kill himself over some b***h who didn't want him I know you probably hear this everyday, but I'm your biggest fan I even got the underground s**t that you did with Skam I got a room full of your posters and your pictures man I like the s**t you did with Rawkus too, that s**t was fat Anyways, I hope you get this man, hit me back, just to chat Truly yours, your biggest fan, this is Stan. My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray But your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad Dear Slim, you still ain't called or wrote, I hope you have a chance I ain't mad, I just think it's f**ked up you don't answer fans If you didn't wanna talk to me outside your concert You didn't have to, but you coulda signed an autograph for Matthew That's my little brother man, he's only six years old We waited in the blistering cold for you, four hours and you just said, "No." That's pretty s**tty man, you're like his f**kin' idol He wants to be just like you man, he likes you more than I do I ain't that mad though, I just don't like bein' lied to Remember when we met in Denver, you said if I'd write you You would write back, see I'm just like you in a way I never knew my father neither He used to always cheat on my mom and beat her. I can relate to what you're saying in your songs So when I have a s**tty day, I drift away and put 'em on 'Cause I don't really got s**t else so that s**t helps when I'm depressed I even got a tattoo of your name across the chest Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds It's like adrenaline, the pain is such a sudden rush for me See everything you say is real, and I respect you cause you tell it My girlfriend's jealous 'cause I talk about you 24/7 But she don't know you like I know you Slim, no-one does She don't know what it was like for people like us growin' up You gotta call me man, I'll be the biggest fan you'll ever lose Sincerely yours, Stan P.S. We should be together, too. My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray But your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad Dear Mr. I'm-Too-Good-To-Call-Or-Write-My-Fans This'll be the last package I ever send your a*s It's been six months and still no word, I don't deserve it? I know you got my last two letters; I wrote the addresses on 'em perfect So this is my cassette I'm sending you, I hope you hear it I'm in the car right now, I'm doing 90 on the freeway Hey Slim, I drank a fifth of vodka, you dare me to drive? You know the song by Phil Collins, "In the Air of Tonight" [sic] About that guy who coulda saved that other guy from drowning? But didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a show he found him? That's kinda how this is, you coulda rescued me from drowning Now it's too late, I'm on a thousand downers now, I'm drowsy And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call I hope you know I ripped all of your pictures off the wall I love you Slim, we coulda been together, think about it You ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it And when you dream, I hope you can't sleep and you scream about it I hope your conscience eats at you and you can't breathe without me See Slim; *screaming* Shut up b***h! I'm tryin' to talk! Hey Slim, that's my girlfriend screamin' in the trunk But I didn't slit her throat, I just tied her up, see I ain't like you 'Cause if she suffocates, she'll suffer more and then she'll die too Well, gotta go, I'm almost at the bridge now Oh s**t, I forgot, how am I supposed to send this s**t out? My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray But your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad Dear Stan, I meant to write you sooner but I just been busy You said your girlfriend's pregnant now, how far along is she? Look, I'm really flattered you would call your daughter that And here's an autograph for your brother, I wrote it on the Starter cap I'm sorry I didn't see you at the show, I musta missed you Don't think I did that s**t intentionally just to diss you But what's this s**t you said about you like to cut your wrists too? I say that s**t just clownin' dogg, c'mon, how f**ked up is you? You got some issues Stan, I think you need some counselling To help your a*s from bouncing off the walls when you get down some And what's this s**t about us meant to be together? That type of s**t'll make me not want us to meet each other I really think you and your girlfriend need each other Or maybe you just need to treat her better I hope you get to read this letter, I just hope it reaches you in time Before you hurt yourself, I think that you'll be doin' just fine If you relax a little, I'm glad I inspire you, but Stan Why are you so mad? Try to understand, that I do want you as a fan I just don't want you to do some crazy s**t I seen this one s**t on the news a couple weeks ago that made me sick Some dude was drunk and drove his car over a bridge And had his girlfriend in the trunk and she was pregnant with his kid And in the car they found a tape, but they didn't say who it was to Come to think about, his name was... it was you Damn!
