Is rap considered music?
 

Rap is not in my Ipod. When I was in elementary school and high school, rap was popular. Back when I was a teenager, I listened to rap out of peer pressure, my observation is that it is just a person yapping, with a lousy voice projection, on a background track. The background track is considered music, but the person yapping is not. I don't know how Eminem became so popular, he is just yapping about his mom, trapped in a closet or something, with swear words added. I remember in high school, I would be listening to my favourite rock bands ex. Led Zeppelin, Jeff Beck in secret, as long as I don't get busted with the cool kids, because they are considered old fashioned, but those were the days.

Now in University I am listening to more fruitful music: Death Metal, Progressive Rock, Nu-Metal, Classic Rock, Jazz, Classical, Blues, 60's 70's 80's Pop, Film Music.

He he I am enjoying my Chrismas Break. It's snowy in Toronto right now.

So... rap vocals aren't music, but death metal vocals, which are no more singing than rapping is, and which are often based on rhythm as opposed to melody... they're music?

I'm confused as to how rappers are yapping and somehow death metal singers fit in your list. I would say neither of them are technically good singers, but it isn't easy to flow over a beat and sound good just like it isn't easy to have a good scream/roar for metal.

Rapping is like chanting. I consider it music.

Asks the age old "is rap music?" question on a forum where some members consider 4'33 music.

Is paying the price.

Meme that, bro.

I was gonna say he was among friends since some members don't consider it music :finger:.

In my opinion, I don't consider rap music, but I want to know your opinion.

Death Metal vocalists can also sing, at least the bands I listen to do.

Nu-metal is just one of the genres I listen to, I don't consider it the best, but try listening to Evanescence. That's what I meant by fruitful.

Silence is used a lot in music. the 4'33 is silence in music used to the extreme.

That's not actually what the piece is about, really. And yes rap is music, it's just a different type of vocals. All good and fine if you don't like it, but it is still music.

classic rock isn't music imo

Rap focuses on rhythm rather than melody. A rapper can whip his rhymes around in structural patterns or more progressive riffs just like a guitar solo. Like scatting with words. If death metal growling is considered music rap has to be.

Why? Classic rock obviously has melody, harmony and rhythm.

I would rather listen to preaching in church, than pointless yapping. I consider the lyrics of rapping to be dumb literature. I would rather listen to Shakespeare, than rap.

Rhyming in structural patterns? I would rather listen to a melody made by a genius, who studied and analyzed composition and went to school, than some thug, who dropped out of fifth grade. Don't start mentioning Tupac or Jay-Z or something, I personally don't consider them heroes or poets.

Yes. Rap is music. Thanks for asking. I'm glad I could clear it up for you.

Obviously your mind is already closed shut in regard to rap but you're making ridiculous statements. Compare some of the inane metal lyrics with this.

In 1995, you'll twist to this
As you raise your fist to the music
United we stand, yes divided we fall
Together we can stand tall
Brothers that try to work it out
They get mad, revolt, revise, realize
They're super bad
Small chance a smart brother's
Gonna be a victim of his own circumstance
Sabotaged, Shellshocked, rocked and ruled
Day in the life of a fool
Like I said before to live it low
Life take you time, time yo go slow
Look here, not a thing to fear
Brother to brother not another as sincere
Teach a man how to be father
To never tell a woman he can't bother
You can't say you don't know
What I'm talkin' 'bout
But one day ... brothers gonna work it out

First of all, you're obviously not actually listening to death metal.

Secondly, whether or not a vocalist sings, if he's growling or screaming, then by your standards, he shouldn't be making music.

classic rock isn't music. pointless guitars and pointless machismo lyrics made by drug addicts that probably didn't even go to college! all dumb literature if you ask me.

Like I said, liking it and considering it music are two very different things. You're also leaving out a wealth of emcees who put a lot of thought into their lyrics, not every hip hop artist spends every track talking about money and hoes. You're not going to listen because you have your mind made up, but here's a verse from "Soft Places" by Armand Hammer. Doesn't sound like dumb literature to me.

Sold it
Rash moment
Those beans better've been magic homie
"Gotta have hope jack!"
Go ahead and quote it
Smile broken when they broke in
Blind how they stole him
Rip un-woken
Fog rolling off the ocean
Wandering rōnin lay down prepared to meet that fine little pony
Looping Saharan cellphone music
Greets the retreating Romans
Rope and limb, woods dark
Trees groaning
Then he rose and wept without knowing

So part of your main argument let me get this straight you don't believe the beats are music? Before I go on I need to ask why?

Before you get too high and mighty, please remember that Shakespeare wrote plays for Londoners on half-holiday. Which means he was common entertainment for the common man.

When you see a movie that you dislike, would you say "this isn't a movie"?
When you don't like a novel, do you say "this isn't a book"?

No, you don't, because that would be insane.
So, then, why is it okay to say that X isn't music?

You clearly dislike hip hop, which is fine, but that doesn't make it not music. That's delusional.

Also, you can get a lot more removed from what is traditionally considered music than hip hop.

That's a really good point you bring up. On the subject of what isn't or is music, would YOU consider this music?



People (frownland) consider it to be, but I will never understand why. I consider it art, but not music. But I'm curious as to what you have to say, since your a fairly new member, and you bring up some good points.

How's this? White dude, non-thug, intelligent lyrics, and a solid flow. This is the song my signature quotes. You may not like it as music but you can't deny the intelligence behind the writing.

How about this one?

I'm not sure, but I'll have to give it some thought. It was created with musical intent, which is usually enough for me, but this is a bit different.

I suppose that this is about the variations on how a given listener perceives it, which is interesting.

If I had a book filled with blank pages, I would still call it a book, but I would be referring to the object. I'm not sure if I would consider it literature. However, a book can't really ever be blank, can it? It will always have small imperfections in the paper. That's similar to the "silence" in 4'33

I'll try another example. Suppose I make a film of solid black for a given amount of time. There are little scratches and imperfections in the print of the film. This is the same as well, is it not?

So, that was a long winded way of saying that I don't really know. I'm not closed to the idea of it being music, though.

Are you not closed to the idea because you're honestly open to it? Or do you just not want people artier than you to think you're a Philistine? Come on. You know it isn't music. Admit it. Come oooooon.

No, it's considered basket weaving.

Maybe I actually need to give it more thought. I hope you can see the value in that.

What Batlord said. Fuck the debates. Just say it isn't music so we can all go home.

To be fair, you were the one who asked me what I thought. If your view is "Fuck the debates. Just say it isn't music so we can all go home", then what the hell did you bring it up for?

Did I come off rude? Sorry, I didn't mean it in a harsh tone. I was joking. We have had this debate in the "what is music, what is not" thread.

The real question is if it's not to your tastes then why would you care if it is or not in the first place.

Amusement. Besides. It's not to anyone's taste. Either you find it interesting or you don't, but it's not something to enjoy listening to.

I was referring to the OP.

Ah, okay, cool. No hard feelings.

To stir up sh*t on a music forum?

Just admit that it's music so we can go home DeadChannel.

I'm kinda surprised I got under more people's skin for defending a piece than I would for attacking an artist they like.