When I knew that I need to watch videos of gangsta rap, I did not really think what I was going to see, so I decided to look for them to have a wide optic and better understanding of the theme. I was trying to discover the message that is displayed on that music style, but to be honest, after watching several videos I did not even know that such music existed. The four videos I chose to watch were of Ice Cube and the first thing I noticed was the preponderance of the lyrics. It was swearing and complaints against the society or somebody. I think the only one who can portray music like this is just to encourage the complaint, insults due to widespread discontent.
The way I see it, I cannot find anything positive in listening to this type of music, and I do not understand the reason for speaking with such rudeness to express a feeling, no matter what it is. In any case, I respect the different manifestations and tastes of the people.
The dress of the singer and dancers in the videos apparently follows the same pattern. Everybody wears oversized clothes and most times of any team in basketball or football. I guess the gestures and movements with the head and hands represent something that I think they want to show or help to express the idea of the song. For me they are clumsy movements and there is no harmony between the hands and feet. Again, I understand that it is a manifestation of art that is why I hope that people, who read these lines, can understand that this kind of music is not part of my generation and that logically I do not like. I think the rhythm is not so bad, actually I liked one of them, but I think the lyrics do not need to be so vulgar. Besides, The sound was for me good in a couple of songs, they have rhythm and invites you to hear the lyrics, however, after having that feeling, what I discovered was a complete disappointment because I think that listeners of any genre music deserve respect, both the singer and the listener and I would not waste my time listening to music which lyrics is full of insults and swearing. I do not simply understand it. I am not from a generation where there were no complaints and sometimes quite radical musical expressions, however, the music that was heard in the period in which I was a teenager or young adult, also had its exponents a bit radical, but I think there have not musicians who had had such kind of songs. There is freedom of expression, so that whoever wants to listen, listen to it, and those who does not want, can abstain. That's the beauty of living in democracy, to make and express how you feel, even though it should have been always consideration for the rest of the people.
I really liked what you had to say in your blog. I too am at a lost when it comes to rap music. I do not understand why rappers have to be so vulgar or sexist. I do not mind them keeping it real but there really is no need to be explicit. Most of them have to be flashy and like you said do weird hand gestures, I guess it makes them look unique or something like that. Another thing that rappers do that is annoying is having the same boring rhyme throughout their songs; they do not even bother to change the beat even slightly. I believe what the real problem is is that the majority of the rappers out there are not educated or come from a family that lacked any form of parental figure. I feel that for this reason, rappers are what they are and their songs are so basic and provocative because of it. In a way their music reflects this type of life that they had and it fills in the gaps. Lastly, because for whatever the reason may be, people like rap and because it is primarily popular amongst the younger crowd, this gives rappers a since of fulfillment. But for whatever the reason I feel that rap music is just a poor excuse for music and I am glade that someone actually feels similarly about it.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with you when it comes to gangsta rap. They have taken a really great art form and used it to just make profits. It is unfortunate because I have heard some really great rappers that rap about real life and the struggles people have in this life. Those are the artists that really tell it like it is and not try to put up some front. Gangsta rap is all about sex and drugs and doesn’t provide any value to the listener, except of course condone others negative actions. It is becoming harder to separate the good rappers from the bad these days. Most are so over-the-top with drugs and violence that they lose touch with the reality facing the young urban population. I think one of the struggles they should be focusing on is the lack of attention low-income families are faced with, such as: poor access to jobs, education, and their shattered home lives. There are enough real challenges facing these people which they need to have positive creative outlets to escape into. Having gangsta rap is only benefitting the rap artist and unfortunately filling their pockets with money and making their style of music acceptable in our society.
ReplyDeleteRap has always had a large presence in the music of my generation, but I myself found it to be a bit too harsh for me, so therefore I really never paid much attention to it. I was pretty much forced to listen to rap on occasions because of my brother or my cousins. Sometimes that would be the only music playing at certain parties. Where I grew up, rap was the “cool” music to listen to. Any time people would have house parties, you would usually here either rap or hip-hop playing in the background. But as I was growing up, I was pretty much doing my own thing, listening to the music I like which was eighties, alternative and some hard rock. I saw this lifestyle that my friends were trying to live as they listened to these rap songs, and I saw how they would hold these artists to such high standards. I just thought it was ridiculous. I am not trying to offend the regular Joe that likes rap music. I just know that rap is not my thing. I might add that I do sometimes hear certain rap or hip hop songs on the radio, and the beat will catch my attention for a minute, but I usually do not like the lyrics and the negativity that they usually portray.
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