Jetée

I'd like to start out this message by stating that most of what was already expressed above, I agree to, and ahdere to. I truly need to like the persona behind the artist(s) to even gain a measure of enjoyment from their works. (e.g. This is a good reason why I don't seek out anything by Eminem, seeing as it doesn't help a dystopic cynic listening to what amounts to his mirror opposite.) This means I might have once owned some gangsta rap, but quickly got rid of said works if it was too over the top, too many drug references that pertained not at all to me, or if there was so much unneeded allusions to the beating / degradation of women that I'd be left wondering exactly what's the point of all this. It is finding a happy medium in a sea of grandiose personalities, of which I'm only guessing about 50% are entirely fictious.

I also "hop" around a lot, meaning even if I were to follow the "easy" example of listing just 3-5 artists I admire, it wouldn't be enough. I'd be pigeon-holing my love for the sound by making my listening habits a cliche of just a few recognizable names. I like Rhythm & Poetry more than I can stand rappers. I enjoy listening to Hip-Hop, though not when it can't even take itself seriously. Good Rhythm & Blues, to this slant, is hard to find, but when it comes together and I can discover it, it's a joyous thing to experience.

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Here's a very miniscule playlist sampling of the "type" of Rap I seek and devour wholeheartedly:

Special Ed - I'm the Magnificent (1989)

Outkast (feat. Khujo & T-Mo) - Mainstream (1996)

Deltron 3030 (Del Tha Funkee Homosapien x Dan The Automator x Kid Koala) - Madness (2000)

Substantial & Pase Rock of Five Deez (produced, composed by Nujabes) - Blessing It {remix} (2003)

Chiddy Bang - Opposite of Adults (2010)


-- (to note: goes ahead and contradicts himself no less than five minutes later concerning "names".)

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Moreover, there's another sort of quirk I have when it comes to the genre, and its sub-structures. I'm an odd sort of collector. I usually try to collect only one, great album by one artist / group at a time, so as to acclimate myself to their sound, and then move on from there. I've only ever owned one album by Outkast at any one time. I haven't gotten to Big Daddy Kane yet, despite knowing almost all of his popular works by heart, and by the first seconds of the opening beat. I've owned more Will Smith albums (one, "Willenium"... I'm so ashamed.) than I have ODB records (none, though this is more due to my laziness / disinterest than actually 'hating' on 'Big Baby Jesus'). I have one track by The Game in my library, despite not knowing anything, if at all, about the guy (exceptin' maybe he's black, bald and has a good chance of sporting a few tattoos). I only own Common's Be, despite him being on my listening radar for what I'm estimating is nearer to 20 years now.

I've been hearing that truly great rap (and the artists that produced it) "died" around the mid-90s. I became aware of the slogan that Hip-Hop is dead in the time maybe in-between 2001-'03. I know that this isn't true, but what it is, is a commentary on the shift from one classification of rap, into the next generation of rappers, and the drop-off in quality that was perceived. I noticed it. In fact, I don't recall the real last "rap" album I picked up that any one else even knew about, let alone was being touted by the mainstream media. I turned my back on those sort of recommendations long ago, though I am sort of happy when I favorite artist, album, or song that I discovered for myself tarts to get some play in the "real world" (tho, honestly, it kind of scares me when that does happen, as I race in thinking maybe it corrupts the sound or something).

If I were to come away with a re-defined, over-encompassing, but not nearly specialized, music genre title other than Hip-Hop or Rap, as to the more transient sound I find myself gravitating towards, it'd be an okay day. Right now, though, Rap is the box that everyone else and me, use to pack away the generalization of the grouping.


I'd be happy to add more of my thoughts to the topic, but chances are you've glazed over only half of my words, and I've already dedicated over an hour and a half here, so the equivalence isn't nearly enough to continue. I did come to enjoy, though, adding my pair of pence. Perhaps you will, too, in digesting it.

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As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi