BuzzJack

Welcome, guest! Log in or register. (click here for help)

Latest Site News
 
Post reply to this threadCreate a new thread
> Is Hip Hop Music?
Track this thread | Email this thread | Print this thread | Download this thread | Subscribe to this forum
ChristopherNatha
post 17th December 2019, 08:22 AM
Post #1
Group icon
New Entry
Joined: 17 December 2019
Posts: 1
User: 98,659

My college roommate thinks that hip hop and rap are not music because they do not follow the patterns of western music theory, and thus cannot be plotted out on a music chart. Because the music is repetitive and generally lacks melody, it is defined as "boring" which is a music theory term. Instead of being music, he defines it as "urban poetry". Certainly rap can be poetry, but its poetry over music. I don't agree with any of his theories, and I think it is an extremely limiting definition of music that discounts not only hip hop, but many other genres of music. I may not know much about music theory, but as an avid listener I have a hard time accepting these dated rules and notions, and I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
Bjork
post 17th December 2019, 11:15 AM
Post #2
Group icon
BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 13 November 2015
Posts: 33,330
User: 22,665

but thats not true, for instance all Frank Ocean songs have melody, chords, everything
and I can play them all on piano or guitar, so it must be music if it can be played on an instrument smile.gif
Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
Dircadirca
post 17th December 2019, 11:22 AM
Post #3
Group icon
BuzzJack Platinum Member
Pronouns: He/Him
Joined: 28 July 2013
Posts: 5,079
User: 19,614

I would argue that these categorisations can't really apply to hip hop as a whole and thus your roommate's assertion is flawed from the start. Music can and will be repetitive in any genre, and hip hop can be sprawling in dense instrumentation ("To Pimp A Butterfly" is an obvious example) as well. As for melody, the same thing applies (listen to "Deltron 3030" and examine all the melodic progressions in the music, as well as the melodic cadence of Del's rapping). I think a lot of people have a knee-jerk reaction to a lot of hip hop that stops them seeing catchy melodies. But even with this in mind, I don't think it's fair to rule these as necessary components of music. Jazz has thrived for decades never playing by any sort of rules, and while I've heard plenty of people say it's unpleasant, I never see its status as music disputed. That's usually the sort of thing someone says when they want to try and get intellectual high ground. Music is too subjective to get away with 'x is good, x is bad', so instead people need to be lawyered into accepting a truth formed to serve the person who made the dispute.

In short, hip hop is music, yes.
Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
All★bySmashMouth
post 17th December 2019, 12:08 PM
Post #4
Group icon
former insolent era FM11
Pronouns: he
Joined: 25 November 2008
Posts: 15,719
User: 7,795

What an age-old question. Seriously, I'm not wasting my breath to answer that elaborately.
Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
HausofKubrick
post 17th December 2019, 05:08 PM
Post #5
Group icon
Joined: 17 February 2011
Posts: 56,241
User: 13,007

The sound that my laptop makes as I type is music. Sound is music. Music is everywhere.

+ most western music has been borne out of hip-hop/urban/music of black origin anyway hasn't it?

Hip-hop is most definitely music and I am aghast that people think it is something else?
Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
WhoOdyssey
post 17th December 2019, 05:13 PM
Post #6
Group icon
A dead mouse (from my cat)
Joined: 2 March 2018
Posts: 28,587
User: 67,771

https://www.reddit.com/r/LetsTalkMusic/comm..._hip_hop_music/

Hmm
Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
danG
post 17th December 2019, 05:14 PM
Post #7
Group icon
🔥🚀🔥
Joined: 30 August 2010
Posts: 74,630
User: 11,746

I think OP is a spammer as upon a google search this exact question was asked on reddit a year ago.

but yes, and I’ve never heard of “boring” being a proper music theory term. laugh.gif
Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
HausofKubrick
post 17th December 2019, 05:15 PM
Post #8
Group icon
Joined: 17 February 2011
Posts: 56,241
User: 13,007

QUOTE(dancember @ Dec 17 2019, 05:14 PM) *
but yes, and I’ve never heard of “boring” being a proper music theory term. laugh.gif

You've obviously never listened to Ed Sheeran then basil.gif
Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
Liam.k.
post 17th December 2019, 05:28 PM
Post #9
Group icon
BuzzJack Idol
Joined: 8 December 2010
Posts: 50,989
User: 12,472

QUOTE(HauntedHaus @ Dec 17 2019, 05:08 PM) *
The sound that my laptop makes as I type is music. Sound is music. Music is everywhere.

Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post
Brer
post 17th December 2019, 06:02 PM
Post #10
Group icon
is my brain across your walls?
Joined: 14 February 2009
Posts: 115,136
User: 8,300

The vidcapper energy of this thread is strong.

(or it would be if it was a real person who posted it and not just a copy and paste bot)
Go to the top of this page
 
+Quote this post


Post reply to this threadCreate a new thread

1 user(s) reading this thread
+ 1 guest(s) and 0 anonymous user(s)


 

Time is now: 3rd May 2024, 06:43 AM