What is happening to hip hop/rap? Is it becomming so bubble-gum, so commercial....?

How can songs like "Shoulder Lean" and "Ridin' Dirty" be grouped in the same category as real hip-hop/rap like Nas, Mos Def, Wu-Tang, Tribe Called Quest, Common, TuPac, Gang Starr, Beanie Sigel? Or is there a new category for the new "hip-hop/rap"? What happened to lyrical content? These new artists just repeat the same phrase over and over! Anyone else feel this way?

What is happening to hip hop/rap? Is it becomming so bubble-gum, so commercial....?celeb myspace

I agree. I think it's a real shame a lot of people don't know that there are still some hip hop artists out there who don't fit the "cookie-cutter" mold and have something positive to say. Unfortunately we rarely (if ever) see them in the mainstream media. A lot of the real emcees have been put on the backburner or are stuck in the underground circuit because for the most part, good ol' Corporate America has flooded the market with whatever makes them the most money as opposed to actual talent, variety and substance.

Good thing I was introduced to underground hip hop a few years ago. Otherwise, I'd still be sittin' here with Midnight Marauders on repeat, reminiscing about the good ol' days - lol.

p.s. - Don't let those narrow-minded people bother you. The color of your skin does not dictate what kind of music you listen to.

What is happening to hip hop/rap? Is it becomming so bubble-gum, so commercial....?myspace quiz myspace.comLOL - you're welcome. ^_^ Report It


Rap isn't the same anymore. It's all pop, club hits, and everyone talking about the same thing. Before songs made sense and told a story, now every song has to talk about money, cash, hoes, jewelry, cars, Report It


Most people do not consider rap as music
Yeah, they're very repetitive, and degrading to women. They honestly are. I don't want to listen to supposed p.i.m.p.s gettin asz and hoes and b*tches. It makes it seem like that's all they want women for, like that's all they /are/ for, because 95% of the time it's all they rap about.
ridin dirty is a good song, but ur white so i wouldnt expect u to know that. in that song, he talking about 5-O always trying to arrest black folk for no reason. or always thinking that black folk in possession of some drug. and shoulder lean has a nice beat to it...LET ME SEE U BOUNCE RIGHT TO LEFT N LET UR SHOULDERS LEAN... stop hatin, peace
I gotta agree with you. There are some artists that are talented today, but most of the ones coming out today are not. Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Yung Joc, Rick Ross, to me just to name a few, are not lyrically talented. Back in the day, rap was bout mainly gettin the females or about how hard it was growing up being poor in the ghetto, 5-0, etc. Now, the artists of today mainly do nothing but rap about their fortune, fame, and disrespect women, in which i can agree with you when you say that hip/hop/rap is becoming too commercial. Those artists you named are good examples of rappers with lyrics, especially 2pac. But far as the song "Ridin Dirty" i thought that was a good song. Chamillionaire happens to be one new artist with great lyrical talents. If you don't believe me, listen to his cd, The Sound of Revenge