Music Banter - Wat's betta rock or rap?

I writ this a while back and saved it from a similar thread, so I'll just cut and paste it here. Kinda long, but it's my opinion.

First off, I know this has been overdone. Jes bored and would like comments. If you just hate all rap period and don't care, don't bother to read. But, if you are like me and LIKE some rap, but are just annoyed with many of the widely popular attitudes of the mainstream trendy "rap" culture, please read this. And I'm gonna say now, beforehand, I AM NOT GENERALIZING ALL OF ANY GROUP. Just those members that fit the mentioned generalizations (even if I say it's a lot), so don't be so ready to jump on the generalization/bandwagon as a reflex.

I try to sample various types of music (and food, entertainment, etc) now and then. Diversity is the key to open-mindedness and higher understanding (bhlah blah), in my opinion. As far as my own first musical tastes, I was influenced by hard rock/metal/punk/goth first, then started looking at rap more and branching out in 50 different directions looking for **** I liked from different genres. I wrote a rant/article a while ago about some problems I had with popular rap culture at first that made me wanna disassociate myself with all rap, but I kept hearing that the article was too long and many didn't feel like reading it. So, I tried to shorten it to my main points only.

It seems that a popular attitude in many circles of mainstream rapfans is to mock any outsiders or anything too different or treat people such as women, ***s, foreigners, pagans, visible rockfans/punks/goths, and whites as either "weird" or somehow lesser beings, all while wearing a bunch of trendy clothing made by rich white guys and and being only or mainly concerned with material things, showing little to no need for intellect, morality, or even a half or partially open mind. Think about it. How long did it take Eminem as a white rapper to gain the respect that he has received?

Basically I was just stating why I used to HATE all rap. And why I wanted to start giving more alt-rap a chance. I am of the belief that if a change in direction of which rappers got play or promotion by the mainstream were to be implemented, it would gradually either help bury or change some of the more negative popular trends and views in popular hip-hop culture or it would at least, heavily influence them. These are top reasons that originally turned me against rap music. What's your opinion on these things? And if you agree, do you know any artists that attempt to help challenge or change these things and underlying perceptions? btw, I still have the original article, if anyone really gives a rat's ass.

1. Double standard for white racism. Let me quote someone on a forum I read recently about why they didn't like rap music:

"The reason I don't like rap is because the majority of rappers complain about racism but don't do anything about it, and are just as racist to white people."

True or not, as far as generalizations go, (and it IS at least partially true), that's the vibe a lot of white rap-haters get. btw, the double standard issue irritates the **** out of me, because last year my bro was robbed by 2 racist black pieces of trash who were heard calling him "white boy" and had no real reason to do so, other than racial discrimination. No other comment there.

2. "Gangsta" rap and bling-bling **** has had too much impact on hip-hop culture and is now the primary identity of the genre. Not enough variety of **** has been pushed, as far as what gets play on mainstream outlets. This helps promote a negative stereotype of black youths that was already prevalent beforehand. Hell, I even like some "thug ****". I just think that even though positive/alt rap is rising now, it still is nowhere near an equal balance. Trends need to change just like they do with rock every once in a while, if hip-hop wants to truly prosper, in my opinion.

3. Too many who obnoxiously spout "God" on violent, hateful debaucherous albums that "God" would not even want his name to be associated with, given they are correct on their faith (ie: fine, you have faith: ACT LIKE A CHRISTIAN or leave it out of the music). Little or no worldly, universal, or intelligent opinions on faith whatsoever. The kind of casual faith and geographic religious segregation that it's helping to promote is the kind oft misused as a tool for hate. If you look at punk/goth/alt culture in comparison to rap on the average, it is much harder to guess someone's faith, since alternative culture is much more diverse and worldly on issues of faith. To say where I'm coming from personally, I'm agnostic, but I respect ANY beliefs from an intelligent adult as their business.

(PS, did anyone see that sketch from MAD TV where this "gangsta" rapper was accepting an award at a music show, and he thanked God, but God told him to keep that on the dl (quiet) and not mention his name. LMFAO!!)

4. I think the difference in how rock & rap treat homophobia is obvious. Rock and rap both joke about the issue a lot. Just in different ways. Different vibes. Hip-hop's is more nihilistic. Rap's is "**** ***gots". Rock's seems to be "who gives a flying ****". The double standard where two women are accepted if they're hot (cuz it gets these morons off), but men are lambasted, is another retarded attitude reflected often in the culture. Where I'm coming from personally here briefly, is that I'm half/semibisexual, but only in fantasies (ie: I'll only marry a woman or have a gf, but no bf) and none of the few who know said they'd have ever guessed (despite what you see from Hollywood, not all ***/bi guys are hairdressers or "queer eyes for straight guys". Like, ya know?). Even if I were totally 100% straight, I'd probably **** with homophobes, and be likely to lie and tell them I'm *** just to annoy them. Just me, though.

5. Rock is usually associated with tattoos, piercings, extreme sports, freaks, eroticism, art/artsy themes, science fiction, fetish clubs, revolutionary ideas/thoughts, protests/freedom of expression/progressivism and all sorts of wild things. And new ideas & experiences and doing all types of new **** is seen as a cool thing, more often. In rap, on the other hand, you have a lot of guys that act like going down on a woman or really touching a woman's body is the most degrading thing in the world. Too stubborn & unwilling to let in outside or alternative influences or do or think anything extreme or challenge/shock people.

6. The hypocritical attitude of certain fans. A lot of people pick on goth/punks, but hip-hop fans get a lot of crap themselves about the way they dress from older and more conservative crowds. They SHOULD be the last to turn around and be idiots towards someone else for the same reason, which often happens.