This is one that I have argued on both sides on.
I used to think it was lame if someone rapped hardcore gangsta lyrics and had never remotely lived a street life...but then again, what is that promoting really? "Oh, the dude is a criminal without morals, but at least he's HONEST!"
That's not really the reason, though. The more I thought about it, the more I thought myself a hypocrite when I looked at the rest of my collection. I'm a metalhead and I've loved Slayer for years and their lyrics morphed over the years from Satanism into first person Serial Killer narratives, sometimes from the perspective of a famous serial killer. And yet they're regular individuals that you drink a beer with. Nevermind all of the gore acts I listen to, or the concept albums I listened to by Savatage!
so I say, if someone can depict a 'gangsta' lifestyle in great detail, and create an atmosphere, more power to them, as long as they aren't going out of their way to claim street cred.
thoughts?
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 20:17 (eighteen years ago)
http://www.kkbox.com.tw/funky/album/71714.jpg
― Noodle Vague, Sunday, 13 January 2008 20:20 (eighteen years ago)
who gives a shit if the records are good.
― titchyschneiderMk2, Sunday, 13 January 2008 20:24 (eighteen years ago)
just cos rappers make a big deal about such and such never did the things they said they did or rap about, doesnt mean the listeners have to. apparently kool g rap has done quite a few 'bad things' in his lifetime, i dont know either way, but who cares if road to riches or the train robbery track is all true or not, theyre great songs.
― titchyschneiderMk2, Sunday, 13 January 2008 20:25 (eighteen years ago)
^^^^^ agreed
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 20:26 (eighteen years ago)
Agreed. So what if there's not *actually* a hellhound on my trail?
― Billy Pilgrim, Sunday, 13 January 2008 20:32 (eighteen years ago)
if I find out that Carcass never actually descanted the insalubrious it's over between me & Jeff Walker
― J0hn D., Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:20 (eighteen years ago)
ROFL
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:21 (eighteen years ago)
I do think that the only people who have a legitimate gripe about this kinda thing are dudes who've actually done time - it seems like if you spent time locked up & you have to see some guy who you know hasn't as he gets rich talking about it, that'd rankle you a little y'know
otherwise it's weird tourism - "yes, I prefer to listen to real criminals," like whatever Mr. Genet
― J0hn D., Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:22 (eighteen years ago)
I NEED THREE AFFIDAVITS SAYING U BEEN IN JAIL BE4 I LSN TO UR CD K THX
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:25 (eighteen years ago)
i dont give a fuck about rappers killing a dude or serving time or whatever my only issue is when you learn dudes are mad pussy in real life but talk shit on record
― and what, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:27 (eighteen years ago)
that said i think the word 'studio gangsta' lost all meaning when insane clown posse starting using it on other rappers
― and what, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:28 (eighteen years ago)
I may hate Suge Knight, but nothing was funnier than the advert they put up on their website after the source Awards that one year...
the pic of Doctor Dre from one of his first recordings when he wore a stethoscope and mascara, and insinuated he and his posse left the awards early because they were chicken....
forgot what year that was
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:29 (eighteen years ago)
its more like i prefer people who arent being honest to not make caricaturish, cartoonish and offensively one-dimensional bullshit
its not a musical objection, like "this music is bad because its UNTRUE," its objectionable from an ethical standpoint. 'this dude is an asshole'
― deej, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:32 (eighteen years ago)
I've always preferred the rap that portrayed the streets as grim and punishing over the rap that glamorized it anyway.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:35 (eighteen years ago)
it is kinda funny with you get nerd-ass punchline mcs making trap puns and shit just cuz thats what poppin now....
― and what, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:37 (eighteen years ago)
yea well I've always hated that I've felt some artists have gone the gangsta route not because it's artistically what they desired but because they felt they 'had' to.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:40 (eighteen years ago)
anybody who doesn't go where the money is hasn't got his head screwed on right - if you can front real gangsta & it sounds believable to people, you should do that & get paid
― J0hn D., Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:41 (eighteen years ago)
Yea but what if it's music they don't enjoy making?
I'm sympathetic to money chasing since I know how bad most musicians struggle thanks to the way the music industry works, but ya know....
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:45 (eighteen years ago)
I sold crack, muhfuckaz.
― The Reverend, Sunday, 13 January 2008 22:00 (eighteen years ago)
hey, even Hammer was signed to Death Row records for all of 5 minutes
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, 13 January 2008 22:01 (eighteen years ago)
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=56255
― Noodle Vague, Sunday, 13 January 2008 22:03 (eighteen years ago)
UMCs Fruits of Nature vs. UMCs Unleashed
(not sure that's a proper comparison, really - the sound changed a lot, but I think the lyrics were pretty similar. Anyway, I'm not going to listen to Unleashed again to check. What a shitty second record!)
― Oilyrags, Sunday, 13 January 2008 23:56 (eighteen years ago)