When will people get sick of gangster rap?

People get sick of things and move on. Folk music and Rock and Roll in the 60s, pysch rock and disco in the 70s, new wave/synthpop and hair metal in the 80s, grunge rock and alternative rock in the 90s, bubble gum pop and boy bands in the late 90's. These things have all spent maybe 6 or 7 years in their prime.

So what gives with gangster rap? It has not changed one iota since 1995ish, 10 long years, and it doesn't look like its budging any time soon. Its all one black guy and his posse talking (not singing) into a mic with a beat - about crack, police, jail, bitches, and how much money and cars they have. All of it is the same. So the begging question is, when will people get sick of this?

[pokerdirty]

http://homepage.mac.com/nealemvf/iblog/C821734565/E722039236/Media/kanye.jpg

[ucfryan]

You really aren't listening to all of it if this is your assumption.

[samjjones]

The look of horror on Mike Myers' face is priceless.

[xadrez]

why do you hate freedom?

[MonkeeMan]

Sorry, but your example of bubble gum pop from the late 90's sucks. It's been around forever. Now go do your homework.

[Clarkmeister]

Hey #67, it's been closer to 20 years than 10.

[steelcmg]

Ive always been sick of it.

[TheBlueMonster]

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Folk music and Rock and Roll in the 60s, pysch rock and disco in the 70s, new wave/synthpop and hair metal in the 80s, grunge rock and alternative rock in the 90s,

[/ QUOTE ]
another graduate of the VH1 Special school.

[Sightless]

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You really aren't listening to all of it if this is your assumption.

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You don't have to listen to all of it to make that assumption, just the 99% of it...

[ononimo]

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So what gives with gangster rap?

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I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt that no one else seems to be giving you and assume that you purposefully included the "gangster" qualification in order to focus on that particular sub-genre of rap.

i think a good argument CAN be made that the vast majority of gangster rap deals with the same narrow subject matter ... hence it's classification. that said, i think gangster rap's appeal is greatest among adolescents and young adults due to its rebellious ethos. given that rebelliousness is often inextricably linked to that particular phase of one's life, i think gangster rap will always have a hold on that demographic.

[jojobinks]

i agree. now i want to know: when will people get sick of songs about being in love?

[JihadOnTheRiver]

If you listen to rap, popular and underground, you will find that there is a general trend away from "gangster" as you say, towards a more grown-up approach. If you need further elaboration, just listen to all of Outkast's CD's in chronological order. "Gangster rap" will not die anytime soon, but it will never be as popular as it once was. You're not gonna hear anything like NWA ever again.

[Blarg]

Good answer, along with Jihad's.

[Superfluous Man]

When will people get sick of country? All they sing about is drinking and why their women leave them and how their pickup trucks are great.

Also, look up what "begging the question" means. You may be surprised at what you find!

[Jules22]

drinking on the block til im staggerin
let the coke dry, then im baggin it
serving it, got the fiends shaking like turbulence
money coming in, drugs coming out
and if anybody fronts, we got the nines for the murdering

[BCPVP]

Not soon enough...

[tdarko]

i haven't bothered with any of the replies but i just want you to know redlight that you are in fact an idiot.

"gangster rap" has been around a lot longer than what you mentioned and bubble gum pop has been around for decades (i.e early beatles). the other genres you mention such as pysch rock and synth pop and alt rock etc. well you don't listen to music today do you?

music evolves it doesn't go away. this doesn't mean it has to be your taste.

Im not claiming to be a music expert but basically its this: I can listen to a Def Leppard song from 1981, a Van Halen song from 1984 and a Poison song from 1986 and, though I'm not too "into" any of those bands or know much about them, I can say "OK they all are sort of the same style, its 80's hair metal", and of course that style came and went like all music trends do.

Basically I can do the same thing with a B.I.G song or a Tupac song from 1995, and then listen to a Jay Z song from 2000, and then a 50 Cent song from 2005, and as an outsider I can say "OK, that all sounds pretty much the same, its gangster rap". Thats 10 years of roughly the same style.

I dont think you can say "white suburban kids want money, bitches, and cars so gangster rap will always have a grip on them", because popular music has always reflected what kids want and its just a matter of time until a "cooler" way of expressing it comes along.

What I'm wondering is, when will something cooler come along, and when will this style die out and become "that old [censored] our parents listened to". Because to me it doesnt even seem like the end is on the horizon.

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why do you hate freedom?

[/ QUOTE ]

My guess is you're black.

I agree, it doesnt seem like country has evolved much in 50 years or so.

[tdarko]

so your saying N.W.A-Tupac-Ludacris all sound the same? i think rap has evolved, maybe not to what they have said but that is based on what they go through and doesn't have anything to do with what has been done before but the beats and sound is way different.

[nothumb]

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Basically I can do the same thing with a B.I.G song or a Tupac song from 1995, and then listen to a Jay Z song from 2000, and then a 50 Cent song from 2005, and as an outsider I can say "OK, that all sounds pretty much the same, its gangster rap". Thats 10 years of roughly the same style.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is kind of like saying that The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin were all the same style. I mean, they were all rock bands, but there are pretty important differences. If you can't see how rap has changed (I won't say evolved because I hate almost everything made after 2000 or so) then you really don't know anything about it, and shouldn't bother discussing it.

NT

I didnt bring NWA into this, I definitely think NWA to tupac was an evolution in sound

[xadrez]

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why do you hate freedom?

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My guess is you're black.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. I'm honky.

[tdarko]

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I didnt bring NWA into this, I definitely think NWA to tupac was an evolution in sound

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if you are going to talk about this then you are probably going to have to go back further than N.W.A.

point being is that music is cyclical in what becomes the forefront of what our audience deems #1 on the charts or radio but it doesn't mean that it goes away. we still have boy bands and girl groups etc right now, but they aren't at the top of the charts b/c they are in the background to other genres right now.

If Jimi Hendrix had never existed and then all of sudden you released Are You Experienced in 2005, it wouldnt make any money, period.

If B.I.G. had never existed and then all of sudden in 2005 you release the single "Juicy", it would hit #1 on the charts and stay for weeks.

That is what Im getting at.

Right, and my guess is that the Folk Singers and Jazz Musicians out there will never be going on $10+ million a year tours ever, like a gangster rapper can right now, or like Boy George could have done 20 years ago, or like Joni Mitchell could have done 40 years ago.

[bwana devil]

your rock music youre referencing to is from 25 years ago. hardly seems like a fair comparison.

furthermore you picked, tupac, who is deceased so that's probably not a fair comparison.

you want to look at nirvana and think about all the bands who sound like them who are playing today and wonder why rock music hasnt changed over 10 years?

people that dont know about a subject stereotype it. it's easier to do than to know its subtlties.

bwana

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
If Jimi Hendrix had never existed and then all of sudden you released Are You Experienced in 2005, it wouldnt make any money, period.

If B.I.G. had never existed and then all of sudden in 2005 you release the single "Juicy", it would hit #1 on the charts and stay for weeks.

That is what Im getting at.

[/ QUOTE ]
you also have to think about how much longer rock has been around than "gangster rap."

give rap another 20 years and see if you can make that comment.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]

If B.I.G. had never existed and then all of sudden in 2005 you release the single "Juicy", it would hit #1 on the charts and stay for weeks.

That is what Im getting at.

[/ QUOTE ]What is your point? To me that means that song is timeless and hasn't aged one bit.

[bwana devil]

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If Jimi Hendrix had never existed and then all of sudden you released Are You Experienced in 2005, it wouldnt make any money, period.

If B.I.G. had never existed and then all of sudden in 2005 you release the single "Juicy", it would hit #1 on the charts and stay for weeks.

That is what Im getting at.

[/ QUOTE ]

dude, jimi's music is 35 years old. biggie is 10 years old. there's a passage of time.

EDIT: how about Biggie and a huge nirvana hit?

bwana

No its better to stereotype it because it makes general trend comparisons easier, so that is precisely what Im doing.

Virtually no kids these days pick up a guitar and be like "I wanna be like Jimi Hendrix one day!" because that style of music has come and gone, so the whole premise of my question can be stated as - when are kids going to stop watching MTV and saying "One day foo, I want to spit fiya like mad yo dawgizzle G!"

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dude, jimi's music is 35 years old. biggie is 10 years old. there's a passage of time.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly my point, Jimi is 35 years old, it has come and gone.

When will gangsta rap go?

[ThaSaltCracka]

god you are stupid

RedLightCruiser doesn't care about black people

[MonkeeMan]

[ QUOTE ]
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dude, jimi's music is 35 years old. biggie is 10 years old. there's a passage of time.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly my point, Jimi is 35 years old, it has come and gone.

When will gangsta rap go?

[/ QUOTE ]

Funny most any rock station plays Jimi in a 24 hr. period.

You have over 16,000 posts on a friggin internet forum.

Id rather be stupid than have no friends.

[tdarko]

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Virtually no kids these days pick up a guitar and be like "I wanna be like Jimi Hendrix one day!"

[/ QUOTE ]
this stereotype is just that a stereotype.

true guitar players that study their craft and emmulate and want to truly be great guitar players not only know who the greats are but know their songs and styles inside out. they are heroes to them whether or not they put their cd in their car when they drive to school.

your comment is like saying a baseball pitcher not knowing who bob gibson.

[B Dids]

I put this dude on ignore on the merit of his first post, why are you people continuing to try and argue with such an obvious troll/idiot?

[MonkeeMan]

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You have over 16,000 posts on a friggin internet forum.

Id rather be stupid than have no friends.

[/ QUOTE ]

Look in the mirror. 106 posts in 9 days.

[tdarko]

and i hope they never stop.

Yes, dummy, just like any oldies station on AM will play Chuck Berry in a 24 hr period, but thanks for trying.

[tdarko]

sweet! did stuey do that?

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Look in the mirror. 106 posts in 9 days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Whew, thanks to this guy redefining stupid, I now know Im not either of the above.

I completely agree with you but you missed my point, Gibson's hard-nose headhunting style has died out, pitching has evolved, same in Jimi's case.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
I completely agree with you but you missed my point, Gibson's hard-nose headhunting style has died out, pitching has evolved, same in Jimi's case.

[/ QUOTE ]
this is going to turn into a sports debate b/c this is the wrong forum for that but i will say this, "head-hunting" has died out somewhat b/c of rules and the league being tougher on players, not b/c of the players themselves. this was evident with oswalt's two performances against the cards. everytime he got 0-2 on a hitter he went hard in, or up and in.

there are many guys in the league that pitch with gibson's tenacity and aggressiveness but there hands are tied a little bit as far as what they can do as compared to 30 years ago.

[Jules22]

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You have over 16,000 posts on a friggin internet forum.

Id rather be stupid than have no friends.

[/ QUOTE ]

score one for the bad guy lol

[istewart]

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[ QUOTE ]
You have over 16,000 posts on a friggin internet forum.

Id rather be stupid than have no friends.

[/ QUOTE ]

Look in the mirror. 106 posts in 9 days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not your best moment.

[dvo352]

[ QUOTE ]
Basically I can do the same thing with a B.I.G song or a Tupac song from 1995, and then listen to a Jay Z song from 2000, and then a 50 Cent song from 2005, and as an outsider I can say "OK, that all sounds pretty much the same, its gangster rap". Thats 10 years of roughly the same style.


[/ QUOTE ]

Are you really about to compare Notorious B.I.G and Tupac to 50 cent... are you kidding me... 50 cent is pop... Big and Pac are 2 of the greatest of all time...

To say that they all sound the same is ignorant. Have you listened to Nas or The Roots? Do they sound the same as 50 cent?

[RunDownHouse]

[ QUOTE ]
Virtually no kids these days pick up a guitar and be like "I wanna be like Jimi Hendrix one day!" because that style of music has come and gone

[/ QUOTE ]
Either you're woefully out-of-touch, or your bias on this subject is clouding your judgement.

EDIT: What part of the country are you from, New Jersey? Cali? I don't think you have any idea about the popularity of rap v. classic rock v. country in much of the south and midwest.

[MonkeeMan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You have over 16,000 posts on a friggin internet forum.

Id rather be stupid than have no friends.

[/ QUOTE ]

Look in the mirror. 106 posts in 9 days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not your best moment.

[/ QUOTE ]

But far from my worst.

[istewart]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You have over 16,000 posts on a friggin internet forum.

Id rather be stupid than have no friends.

[/ QUOTE ]

Look in the mirror. 106 posts in 9 days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not your best moment.

[/ QUOTE ]

But far from my worst.

[/ QUOTE ]

/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[David04]

With the direction that mainstream rap is headed, I give it another 5-10 years. If some quality rappers can start running the game, it will be around for much longer.

[nothumb]

[ QUOTE ]
If Jimi Hendrix had never existed and then all of sudden you released Are You Experienced in 2005, it wouldnt make any money, period.

If B.I.G. had never existed and then all of sudden in 2005 you release the single "Juicy", it would hit #1 on the charts and stay for weeks.

That is what Im getting at.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're mistaken. I put on a Biggie record for some of the kids I work with and they think it's whack and played out. (Yet they gobble up Diplomats, G Unit, etc.) If Ready to Die was released tomorrow there's no way it would do as well as it did ten years ago.

But in another sense you are also getting at kind of an absurd hypothetical here. For one, you are talking about a difference of 10 years vs. 40 years. For another, these albums changed the face of music for the time period we are describing, therefore imagining them as contemporary releases means rethinking the whole face of music in the interim.

That stuff isn't the point of the discussion. The point is, you said gangster rap hasn't changed in ten or fifteen years. The reality is that, although I think the music has gotten worse, not better, the overall tone is very different now, the music is very different, and the content of the music has changed. Rappers are more cartoonish and hyperbolic than ever - when Nas, Pac, Big, etc were rapping about this stuff ten years ago there was still a storytelling element, at least an attempted realism to it. Now it's a total fairy tale.

NT

[A_PLUS]

I may be the only human being alive who has their Ipod filled exclusively with Hip Hop and Country Music.

I have been a fan of rap for almost 20 years. IMO, it is as good now as it was in the early-mid 90's (the golden years). Pure gangsta rap is pretty much dead now. Even the popular gansgsta rappers nowadays (the game, etc) are a lot more versatile than the days of NWA and such.