Why do people adopt Rap/R&B/Hip-Hop Culture?

[Trunks]

I love music.

 

[1487610420]

Bcuz ppl don nou ao 2 apriciate the art of
[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TRmyR115Ps"]xplicit lyriks[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Wolfie]

Does that come from a mindset that the wealth that they come from is illegitimate? Could that be what compels hollow gestures?

I don't really think that is it. I've had a lot of rich white friends who seem to have this complex and I think it's that no one is comfortable feeling like they have less problems than someone else. They absolutely can't stand to have a poorer friend tell them, directly or indirectly, "Well you can't relate. You've never had this experience. You don't understand." I think to them they feel their own problems are being minimized when they are put into contrast with those of people who have had a rougher life. And they sure like to have "problems".

Hmm. Actually you bring up an interesting idea. Maybe some of it does come from feeling like their status has been given to them and they haven't had to work for it.

 

[Little_Sticks]

I never identified with Eminem or the ilk if that's whats being discussed here, I think its ill, celebrates being unable to control your moods or being angry and out of control, there's a vague sense of grievance too. Far too much of it appears to be a rant about his personal relationships or what he thinks people think about him and how they are all wrong and he doesnt care. Music for the maturationally challenged.

He did use it as, I think, a kind of therapy (the grievance and anger), so if you don't identify with it, you're probably going to think it's strange. But when his songs aren't so intensely personal, he kind of tells a story about how he sees people and society as it relates to him. I guess I like that sort of thing, even if I don't relate to what he is saying because it's like hearing how someone honestly feels about their emotions, even though some might find it emo or something like that to do so (I'm not great at that sort of thing so maybe I find he is almost like an outlet for my seemingly diminished emotional capacity). But his choice of instrumentals are usually varied and balanced enough by his voice and lyrics to set a poetic ambience at least, even if it is of an angry nature. Some rappers put way to much focus on setting a simple drum beat and expecting their words to make everything interesting. It's just too boring, imo.

Some gangster rap is cool to listen to, although I bet the ones I do listen too are too mainstream to be described as a cultural statement, like fifty cent's In The Club, I dont really like that guy as an artist, despite the fact people repeatedly say that he's a nice guy and very amenable and approachable he does far too good an impression of a hard case thug during ANY interview I've seen of him. Also, I think that he's a good example of a bad one hit wonder phenomenon. I'd say that I like cypress hill or other examples but I dont know if its gangster rap so much as metal rap, I like RATM too and think that they are different culturally from a lot of the more shameless hip hop or gangster scenes.

It's funny that they say that about 50 Cent because he doesn't live up to the image then. He probably figured out it would sell better or something. I think they did a South Park to this effect. He was golfing at a country club with old rich white guys in the episode when he wasn't performing for people, lol.

I dont like any of those things, maybe there's a class dimension to this, I dont like heavy identification with any social class, there is snobbery and there is inverse or reverse snobbery too, both have their own sorts of calling cards which are bitter, resentful, all of that kind of ill shit.

I'm the same way, mostly because it would be asserting one way of living/being as better than another to heavily identify with anything. But I guess lot of people derive their identity in this way. It's almost like their way of being becomes romanticized and the thought of not having that kind of identity is somehow a horrible/painful thing. But I can understand that I guess, if it's a process of wanting to hold on or preserve the sanctity of an ideal.

If you knew me you'd know that this is far from the case.


As for the first video "HTFU".

You say it sounds cultish and the fact is the creators made it that way to illustrate SATIRE.

Do you know who those people in the video are?

They're game developers, Nerds. They're the game developers for the MMO, Eve Online.

I will let you connect the dots on your own from there.

Oh...lol. I wasn't at all expecting this.

I liked this documentary, it is several years old now, though

Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes (2006)​

[video=google;-2020029531334253002]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2020029531334253002[/video]

Oh, thanks. I'll look at that tomorrow. The beginning looked promising.

 

[Swivelinglight]

Oh...lol. I wasn't at all expecting this.

Hehe, indeed glad you enjoyed it.


If you're interested in the idea of listening to rap I can almost guarantee you that there will be raps out there that will pique your interest. Just gotta spend the time to look for them.

 

[ilikeitlikethat]

Well first you're like
'Here comes the Men In Black...'
Then you're like
'I am, whatever you say I am...'
and then later you're like f**k it
'Next episode...'

And then you're hooked