I'm a teacher, c'mere, lemme teach ya.
Nov. 28th, 2001 12:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raybear(For future reference, don't quote Memphis Bleek if you're looking to be taken seriously.)
Hip Hop is an art form that includes deejaying [cuttin' & scartchin'] emceeing/rappin'.
breakdancing (bboying) and grafitti art.
Read more at Davey D's site.
Of course, nowdays most folks don't deal in graf and bombing, or in breaking or bboying. Which is a shame, but just being real. So when someone says "hip hop" they probably mean equal focus on the DJing/producing as well as the rapping/MCing. Versus a straight-up rapper who's talent is words and lyrics and delivery and if their beats sound decent, it's a nice after-thought but not the main focus. Personally, I'm more of a hip-hopper.
Now, let's list some examples of folks who might be categorized as "hip hop" incorrectly.
Mary J. Blige aka the Queen of Hip Hop Soul.
Bless Mary -- I love her. But she's not hip-hop. She's an R&B singer. Some of her singing is done over hip-hop beats, which is why she was fresh and different and innovative.
Pink
NOT hip-hop. A singer. Last album was basically R&B, with some hip hop influence.
Destiny's Child
same as above. While on the subject, using samples does NOT automatically make something hip-hop. Having a rap verse on your song does NOT make you hip hop. That's just plain ole genre-blending.
Craig David
Love him. Not hip hop. R&B, with some great remixes done by hip-hop and 2-step producers.
If the person is just straight-up singing the whole time, they are NOT hip hop.
Limp Bizkit
NOT hip hop. Not even rap.
Many things labelled "rap-rock" are actually people yelling over rock music, versus singing over rock music. Beware of imitators. Rage Against the Machine and Red Hot Chili Peppers could possibly be described as rap-rock, though I would perhaps just call them genre-blending rock bands.
(Side note: NSync's song 'Pop' is also not hip-hop or hip-hop related. It's 2-step garage.)
Now, let's give some examples (these are all statements that people have said to me, except I've made them musically (and culturally) correct):
"Timbaland is currently a hot hip-hop producer who's also bringing that influence to R&B singers such as Aaliyah."
"Method Man is my favorite MC (rapper) in Wu-Tang Clan."
"Britney Spears new pop single is a lame attempt to use hip hop beats and capitalize on the genre-blending phenomenon. Everything since 'Say My Name' and 'There You Go' seems watered down."
"Nikka Costa is a great R&B/soul singer with some funky instrumentations." (Notice the lack of mentioning 'hip hop' or 'sounding black', a phrase which should generally never be used).
Perhaps I shall print this off as a pamphlet and hand it out to inquiring minds. I have conversations related to this subject at least once a month. And in the weirdest of places -- elevators, bookstores, record stores, staff meetings, parties.....
I can also add an insert defining such words and phrases as "bling-bling", "rocking ice", "breaks", "crunk", "playa haters", etc. etc. since I get asked those questions a lot too. Not that I totally mind. I'd rather have white folks coming to me and asking questions -- it's my job, after all. For the most part, as long as people genuinely want to know something, and aren't just asking a question as some way of demanding validation, I have no problem breaking things down. I sort of am still recovering from dating someone who genuinely wanted to know things, but her tone was always uber-defensive seemed to indicate that I had to justify my answer. I think I'm better now.
Hip Hop is an art form that includes deejaying [cuttin' & scartchin'] emceeing/rappin'.
breakdancing (bboying) and grafitti art.
Read more at Davey D's site.
Of course, nowdays most folks don't deal in graf and bombing, or in breaking or bboying. Which is a shame, but just being real. So when someone says "hip hop" they probably mean equal focus on the DJing/producing as well as the rapping/MCing. Versus a straight-up rapper who's talent is words and lyrics and delivery and if their beats sound decent, it's a nice after-thought but not the main focus. Personally, I'm more of a hip-hopper.
Now, let's list some examples of folks who might be categorized as "hip hop" incorrectly.
Mary J. Blige aka the Queen of Hip Hop Soul.
Bless Mary -- I love her. But she's not hip-hop. She's an R&B singer. Some of her singing is done over hip-hop beats, which is why she was fresh and different and innovative.
Pink
NOT hip-hop. A singer. Last album was basically R&B, with some hip hop influence.
Destiny's Child
same as above. While on the subject, using samples does NOT automatically make something hip-hop. Having a rap verse on your song does NOT make you hip hop. That's just plain ole genre-blending.
Craig David
Love him. Not hip hop. R&B, with some great remixes done by hip-hop and 2-step producers.
If the person is just straight-up singing the whole time, they are NOT hip hop.
Limp Bizkit
NOT hip hop. Not even rap.
Many things labelled "rap-rock" are actually people yelling over rock music, versus singing over rock music. Beware of imitators. Rage Against the Machine and Red Hot Chili Peppers could possibly be described as rap-rock, though I would perhaps just call them genre-blending rock bands.
(Side note: NSync's song 'Pop' is also not hip-hop or hip-hop related. It's 2-step garage.)
Now, let's give some examples (these are all statements that people have said to me, except I've made them musically (and culturally) correct):
"Timbaland is currently a hot hip-hop producer who's also bringing that influence to R&B singers such as Aaliyah."
"Method Man is my favorite MC (rapper) in Wu-Tang Clan."
"Britney Spears new pop single is a lame attempt to use hip hop beats and capitalize on the genre-blending phenomenon. Everything since 'Say My Name' and 'There You Go' seems watered down."
"Nikka Costa is a great R&B/soul singer with some funky instrumentations." (Notice the lack of mentioning 'hip hop' or 'sounding black', a phrase which should generally never be used).
Perhaps I shall print this off as a pamphlet and hand it out to inquiring minds. I have conversations related to this subject at least once a month. And in the weirdest of places -- elevators, bookstores, record stores, staff meetings, parties.....
I can also add an insert defining such words and phrases as "bling-bling", "rocking ice", "breaks", "crunk", "playa haters", etc. etc. since I get asked those questions a lot too. Not that I totally mind. I'd rather have white folks coming to me and asking questions -- it's my job, after all. For the most part, as long as people genuinely want to know something, and aren't just asking a question as some way of demanding validation, I have no problem breaking things down. I sort of am still recovering from dating someone who genuinely wanted to know things, but her tone was always uber-defensive seemed to indicate that I had to justify my answer. I think I'm better now.
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i only go to nsync concerts for the pussy.
Date: 2001-11-28 11:19 am (UTC)and i love you even if you're laughing at my boys. which is okay, because, truly, they SHOULD be laughed at for taking themselves seriously. they should laugh at themselves -- they're so much cuter when they do. how they can write "pop" and then not realize that their one true gift (other than being cute and somehow making even tim mcgraw look gay when he's onstage with them) is in making deliciously saccharine pop music, not lame attempts at other genres, i don't know. except, well. it's not exactly transcendentalism, now is it. my entire justifcation for this popodyssey i'm on is in liking it for being just what it is. you know? that doesn't mean they can't sing. it just means that i like them precisely because they're so prefab. embrace the artifice or it's all just a fucking joke.
right. off i go. speaking of jokes, i fucked britney. but i'm more proud of the other one.
and will you be here for new year's? and will i ever go back to writing you private e-mails or continue to let half the LJ universe eavesdrop cause i'm lazy and exhibitionist like that?
[n.b.: subject line=joey's favorite t-shirt, which i'm going to track down if it kills me. cause the "i'm not gay but my boyband is" shirt that i'm getting k just doesn't work for me, now does it?]
Re: i only go to nsync concerts for the pussy.
Date: 2001-11-28 12:14 pm (UTC)one order for a mixtape, coming up. I was thinking about making one for you anyway, to be perfectly honest! maybe I'll make two, since the holidays are coming up and all. :)
I was thinking about New Years yesterday. let me confirm with the other half, then research some flights and hoepfully all will be a done deal by this weekend.
Re: i only go to nsync concerts for the pussy.
Date: 2001-11-28 12:26 pm (UTC)LOL. yeah, exactly. it's embarassing for everyone involved. and i'll take this as a sign that you didn't see their BET appearance. which... yeah. was much much worse.
but. challenge time. if you make a list of words that should never come out of timberlake's mouth, i'll fit them into this thing i'm working on.
and, yay. new year's. i need to know when to be back here by, cause maxatrillion and i are roadtripping to vegas, baby, and also reno, i think.
eagerly anticipating my mix tapes now. xoxoxox.
Re: i only go to nsync concerts for the pussy.
Date: 2001-11-28 01:10 pm (UTC)queen (as a verb)
coldcocked
sardonic
male prostitute
ideology
transcendental :)
maybe more later, but for some reason, those are the first ones that came to mind.