Re: I'm waiting
Originally posted by The Dreaming
Please musically back up your argument that rap is indeed music.
Do you really want me to cite the definition of music and then explain why rap fits it? Really? Even though you've probably looked it up yourself in order to "disprove" that it's music, found that it does fit, and discovered you have no real argument? I'm not going to. It's music. I'm sorry you disagree with the rest of the world, but I'm not interesting in proving that gravity works either. It's music because it's music. An art form of sounds, an expression of a person or group of persons through sound is music. Whether you like it or not, it's music. I may not like a painting that's nothing but a single shade of orange on a canvas, but I'm not enough of an elitst snob to claim it's not a painting...
According to this logic, if Hickery Dickery Dock were set to music, this would make for a compelling statement? Please musically back up your opinion that "Eminem is one of the most gifted lyricists alive today". Bob Dylan is still alive, is he not? -And this is just one example. I understand this is built on the foundation of perspective, but please site examples and enlighten the rest of us. You cannot however argue that he is a gifted musician. So musically speaking, his vocal ability is laughable, his plastic-beats are sophomoric, his approach consists of talking/yelling atop prerecorded music, and his songs go absolutely nowhere.
ONE OF THE. Bob Dylan's talent doesn't diminish Eminem's any. You realize that, right? You realize that there can be different types of talent, and that because someone is talented doesn't make someone else less talented, right?
I'm not going to print out Eminem lyrics on a message board and explain why I think they're well written. I don't see a reason to. You're simply going to disagree, and I frankly don't value your opinion that much after reading what you've written here. I will say this: Art is about evoking emotion. Whether it be love, hate, regret, or longing, art is meant to bring it out of us. To deny that Eminem is good at evoking emotion is ridiculous.
Also, are lead singers not musicians, since they only "yell over pre-recorded tracks?" What's the minimum an artist has to do in order to reach
your approval? The world is waiting for your standards!!
Producing a rap song isn't simply singing over a pre-recorded song, and you know that. There's mixing of beats, laying in different instruments, breaks, and plenty else, and at the same time trying to make the beat work with the meter of your rhymes. Eminem's songs go plenty of places for a lot of people (incluind Grammy voters, BTW). A lesser man would cite example of A Beatles song that literally goes nowhere (She loves You, Ya, Ya, Ya, repeat 13X), but I don't feel like it.
Also, you stated that rock n' roll was a rip off of the blues... what do you think hip-hop is a rip off of??? Any clue? I'll give you a hint, old soul music and disco. It will do you well to listen to some old albums. BTW: You made a comparison to the Beatles. Do you honestly think Eminem will be relevant forty years from now? -For sanity's sake, I hope not.
It came from the clubs of the 1970's, and DJ's keeping "breaks" in songs alive so the people could dance longer. Soon, MC's began rapping over them, and the rest is a multi-billion dollar industry. I've listened to plenty of old albums, thanks, but I appreciate the offer. I'm not sure I'd call it a rip-off, more like an outgrowth, but we'll disagree there, too.
Do I think Eminem will be relevant 40 years from now? I have no idea. I'd imagine he will, simply because he's produced a well-received body of work, and has plenty left to put out. I could be wrong, I'll have to wait and see.
I, however, must repeat that I never compared the two, only compared rock and roll and rap...
