Back in the day - rap groups had a front man, a DJ with one or two Hype-men.
Chuck D delivered the relevant lines in any Public Enemy song.
Flava Flav was a hype-man - coming up with memorable lyrics like, "Yeeeeah Boy!!!"
Even though I currently live in the South - I hate Southern Rap.
There is no poetry, no melody, no story... no point - only simple sing-song couplets
Southern rap features the followers in the roll of the leaders.
In the Hot Boyz - Weezy was the hype man.
Juvenile delivered the story Weezy delivered the highlights.
Weezy is credited with lyrics such as, "Bling Bling" and "Wobbledy Wobbledy.."
Uncle John is TRUTH!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAccept no substitutes....,
Well to each his own. You sound like a old man about rap now comparing it to Chuck D. To me all these kids look like Tupac and Treach but without real street experience.
ReplyDeleteHey at the same time Chuck D was out so was Kwame, Kid & Play and Slick rick. All of these guys looked like idiots too but we took them as different rap music. I myself don't like the daisy age of De La Soul,Jungle Brothers and Tribe Called quest as it was out the same time as NWA.
So are we comparing Apples to Oranges here?
Chuck D?
ReplyDeleteJay Z?
anything
But Weezy
It's not so much that I don't like today's rap.
I liked Juvee from the same era and group (he was a front man).
I just think that Weezy is only a hype man.
Kind of like Lil Jon making songs with only "Yeah!" or "Okay!!" or "What?!!!" as the lyrics.
Too many songs are all hype with no content.
"There is no poetry, no melody, no story..."
ReplyDeleteWow, that is so true. Especially the no melody part. That's why I can't stand rap, not just that Southern crap. The music is just ugly now.
I can listen to classic rap but that's about it.
But I do like Nicki Minaj. ;-)
No melody in southern rap!?!?!
ReplyDeleteyou are narrow in your scope. I had no, I repeat NO appreciatin for hip-hop at all till I heard Goodie M.O.B.
The whole album of SOuld Food had melody.
Outkast? go back and listen to Southernplayalisticcadilacmusik.
To use the hot boyz as your defanition of southern rap just plain hurts my feelings.
@ brohammas - "...go back and listen to..."
ReplyDelete"Go back".
Listen to what's most popular now.
Most of it sucks.
You are just a getting-old hater. I agree that rap/hip-hop has had better days, that it seems to be southern dominated, and lyrics are devoid of any substance; however, I think there is still some decent music being made. I think Rick Ross has put out some good stuff e.g. "Every day I'm Hustlin". I think I'm Big Meech Nicca. Ludacris has consistently put out good music. Drake and Nikki Minaj are interesting, notwithstanding any credibility they may or may not have. Of course T.I. All their music does seem to be less substantive than past hip-hop and rap, but it's still good. I just figured Niccas in the South like to have fun more than speaking on more serious ish.
ReplyDeleteWeezy, in particular, imho, is one of the few that's doing anything halfway interesting and innovative. "A Milli" and Lollipop" were hot, overplayed, yes! but pretty good when you first heard them. And these are good examples of pretty unconventional hip-hop songs. Also, Weezy has done some interesting collabo's outside of the genre, etc. Also, I think he had some solid stuff that he did with Birdman as well, like Stuntin w my Daddy. I really don't get why you would go in on, perhaps one of the more talented of the southern artists, Weezy.
Definitely I think the game has fallen off, but I think a lot of it has to do with radio. They play a very narrow selection of pop oriented stuff over and over again. I really don't even know what's going on in hip-hop any more cause LA radio, especially sucks. For example, this most recent BET or VH1 hip-hop awards show, I didn't know a lot of the artists or music cause only the most pop/cross-overs get played on LA radio. I believe there's good music still being made, but now you have to search for it instead of just turning on the radio, and only the kids have time for that, or be up in the clubs all the time. I use to keep up by listening to Sway and Tech on "The Wake Up Show", but I guess that went away. Also B-Real used to have a show. Both these shows played stuff not in normal rotation, that underground shish.
Face it man, you are old, outside the demo. The music just isn't relevant to you and your life anymore. That's why they created VH1.
Weezy was doing some interesting stuff for about a year and a half (2007 to mid 2008 I guess) but I suppose a hype man can front (pun intended) for only so long.
ReplyDeleteThe south is currently suffering from what every geographical area of American hip hop is suffering from, lack of innovation, lack of art, lack originality for fear of not selling a million in the first week.
@Brohamas Goodie Mobb and Outkast will always be example of great hip hop (southern or otherwise) in my book, but they aren't the current voices of the south (wacka flocka flame, soljah boy tell'em, gucci mane, and others who are too bubble gum gangster to mention).