Rap Music at Black Arts Music Festival (Huntsville, Butler: buy, school)

[HSVbulldawg]

I tried to post a response to a different thread but it was closed. This is kind a branch off of that topic though, so I think it's ok to respond with a new thread.

Some people on the Hsv forum have expressed the attitude that the rap music by the artists that usually play at the Black Arts Festival is crap, and therefore it's not valuable for understanding the attitudes of people who listen to / identify with that rap music. (Or alternatively that it's not valid art.)

This reminds me of the comments I read from the 50s about rock'n'roll. (Many people didn't like it and didn't agree with the message and said it was trash.) While I am not going to argue that either all rap music or all rock'n'roll has been a good influence on society, the attitude that it is not valuable in terms of understanding groups of people who identify with that music seems to be a very ignorant attitude. Just look at the 60's documentaries that reference all of the artists that influenced the young people of that decade.

I have heard several people in person say that various musical artists / songs changed their lives or helped them get through various situations (or that the songs really expressed the way they were thinking and feeling.)

So, if you disagree with the dominant messages in music by a group, or by several groups of artists, but know that some people identify with it or that it is influencing a portion of various groups of people, how can you justify saying the music is not valuable or that it does not, at least in part, represent those people who actually do listen to it? Aren't the dominant forms of music in culture at least a partial indication of cultural attitudes?

(Also, please note that I am not saying, and have never said (please reread my posts) that rap music and everything that is rapped about = all black culture. I have also not said that all black people identify with rap. I don't believe either of those statements are true, and if you incorrectly try to infer these ideas I will take offense.)

[mimpdaddy]

Hip Hop is the greatest art in music ever created.You don't have to be black. Eminem has one of the greatest albums out right now. If you don't believe me go buy the album and listen.The Black arts festival is over.That's not a good thing for Huntsville the community needs to still have it, because it's last thing the black community in this city had.

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by mimpdaddy

Hip Hop is the greatest art in music ever created.

I totally disagree. I don't think it's any better than any other type of music. Some of the rhyming is very clever. But there is a LOT that is pure dreck.

[deesonic]

Hmmphhh...The kids with their rap music and their Biz Markees, Slick Rick's, Doug E. Fresh's, Dana Dane's....La Di Da Di...

[financelife]

There is only so much of crunk I can stand, which seems like every other "hip hop" song is in this genre these days. Hip hop is past its prime. Back in the late 90s, omg, it was the bomb. It may be a loooong time before hip hop comes back with some nice flow as well as commercial success.

Some of my favs from back in the day: Busta Rhymes, BIG, 2pac, Bone Thugz, Da Brat's funkdefied album, Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, Nas, No Limit (silk shocker, mystikal, master P, fiend), and of course EMINEM who is def in top 3 rappers of all time. P.S. Puff daddy and mase didn't really count as rappers imo.

[financelife]

And hell, you know we all kicked it with MC Hammer even. LOL! Hip hop fans tell me you don't remember songs like Can't touch this, Too Legit. Hammer even help start and spread the catch phrase "it's all good". And don't forget the infamous "pumps in da bump" video with his thong flopping up and down while standing over a waterfall. HAHAHAHA

[deesonic]

What? No love for Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, or Spoonie G? Seriously, I almost never listen to rap or hip hop. I'm more of a metal and punk fan actually. But going to school at Stone and Butler back in the 80s I couldn't help but be exposed to a lot of hip hop/rap. I dig some of the old school early 80s stuff. Public Enemy and Eric B and Rakim were pretty cool in the late 80s. Oh and I like the Beastie Boys pretty well still.