TheBig3

Fine...I guess I'll be the jerk.

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I've moved to a new address

Fruitonica

Sigh. This is why we can't have nice things

That's a pretty big call. I would still give it to America simply for the amount of brilliant stuff coming out of the underground.

Astronomer

^ Same. It seems like Australia's hip hop scene is still only emerging and new, it's all very underground and raw still.

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Sparky

Saying Hip Hop isn't a culture in the states is flat out wrong too.

Captain Awesome

No it's not. Sure there are still some great rappers in the states who embrace the culture but most view it as a business.

The underground rap scene in america is decent but the australian underground scene is just as good as the mainstream scene. Until america lets the better rappers step into the limelight of the mainstream they'll always remain a step behind.

And aussie hip hop isn't just emerging and new. It's been around for a long time, it's only new to you.

Like I said, I dislike segregating rap by countries but when push comes to shove I'd rather listen to aussie rap than anything coming out of america.

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"If we're all merely players in a play on this great stage,
the problem is the script writers ain't on the same page,
I echo through the mountain when I'm singing in the air,
from my lab a lad with lavish lyrics living in his lair."


"Wake up and listen, hear what's not for the public's ears
Pinocchio poets played by profiting puppeteers"

Astronomer

Aussie hip hop may have been around for a long time, but the current movement and surge of Australian hip hop artists breaking out and getting promoted is definitely a new thing.

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Captain Awesome

Outside of australia sure.

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"If we're all merely players in a play on this great stage,
the problem is the script writers ain't on the same page,
I echo through the mountain when I'm singing in the air,
from my lab a lad with lavish lyrics living in his lair."


"Wake up and listen, hear what's not for the public's ears
Pinocchio poets played by profiting puppeteers"

Sparky

Are you going to say punk rock wasn't a culture because it wasn't getting airtime on mainstream outlets?

Uh..
I don't really care what they view it as as long as they end result is the same. There hasn't been a negative shift in underground hip hop at all, if anything it's being more embraced by people.

Also, admittedly i haven't listened to enough Aussie hip hop to know, but in the states you have wildly different styles depending on the location. MPLS scene is crazy different then say, Atlanta.

Captain Awesome

I'm not saying it isn't a culture because it's getting airplay. Hilltop Hoods are the most successful mainstream rap group in australia. The culture has nothing to do with mainstream or underground, you can get mainstream airplay without raping the culture.

"Do the business with your head and write rhymes from your heart"

My point is, the majority of american rappers see rap simply as a get-rich-quick scheme. They want the houses they see glorified on cribs, they want the big cars built for offroading with chrome spinning rims and the red carpet parties. They don't give a **** about hip hop as a culture or it's roots. They just want the fame and glory that comes with being a rap superstar. They're willing to sell their creative rights and control over their music just so they can get a slot on mtv. I'm not saying don't become successful, I'm just saying do it without raping the ****ing culture.

Cypress Hill got it right; "I wish it was all fun and games but the price of fame is high."

And yes, like america the aussie rap scene differs depending on what area you're in. They even have some groups/artists that could be considered some weird australian branch of hyphy/crunk (which I struggle to get into). It's like rap everywhere, there's various forms and styles all over the place. One end of london has the grime rappers, the other end has the political rappers and battle rappers.

__________________

"If we're all merely players in a play on this great stage,
the problem is the script writers ain't on the same page,
I echo through the mountain when I'm singing in the air,
from my lab a lad with lavish lyrics living in his lair."


"Wake up and listen, hear what's not for the public's ears
Pinocchio poets played by profiting puppeteers"

Phantom Limb

Quite right. To deny that hip hop is a culture in the US is to be very misinformed. While mainstream hip hop has definitely placed huge emphasis on business, there are plenty of underground rap acts that are influenced by and very much a part of "hip hop" culture. Yes, you can look at the mainstream acts and say "Hip hop is no longer a culture in the US ", but your wrong. You need to look at the whole spectrum.