Hip-Hop Discussion Thread

I haven't really seen one so this is a thread to discuss Hip-Hop music as a whole.
Here are some questions to start some conversation

What's your opinion on the current state of Hip-Hop music?

Do you believe that the genre is dying as a whole?

Who are your favorite Rappers of all time?

What's your opinion on the current state of Hip-Hop music?

A majority of the mainstream/radio rappers is destroying society, and it's completely degrading Hip-Hop as a culture. But again, a majority. There are a few good radio rappers out there but as a whole it's filled with garbage. All they rap about is their hoes, cash, fashion (guccis), condo's, maserati's, pouring thou' campaign in the club, promoting drugs, and their rolls of money. That's it!

I feel and believe real hop-hop artists especially Independent underground artists that's well known should be heard on the radio. Why? They talk about real life, and go deep into their lyrics and meaning more, and some explain what the crap on the radio actually is and how it's effecting society as a bad influence. But sadly, for good hip-hop... You gotta look for it.

Do you believe that the genre is dying as a whole?

No. Hip-Hop is not dead, nor is it dying, yet. But most hip-hop artists in the 90's lost hope and threw in the towel after around 06'. While real rappers like Freddie Gibbs (owning the gangsta rap game, and keeping gangsta rap alive), Dizzy Wright who raps about positive stuff in life (not going into detail), Ces Cru (group Strange Music signed), Elzhi (midwest's Nas), (and a lot more), AOTP, Hopsin (ONLY ILL MIND 5) and they talk about real life problems , what actually goes on in the world, and just WHAT Hip-Hop really is, and it's culture. In other words, they have **** to rap about.

You really need to know Hip-Hop to know what I'm getting at. So yeah, the 90's is over. It's been over (always tired of hearing 90's was the best).

Who are your favorite Rappers of all time?

This is a really hard one, there's so many good rappers from all kinds of era's. 2Pac get's GOAT for biggest impact in hip-hop if not music history. Revolutionizing and tried to change the world for the better (RIP Pac). Nas GOAT in lyrical message sending. He explained the ghetto down to everything, that was going on in Brooklyn, NY at the time, everything. Then The Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie Smalls) hands down was GOAT when it comes to flow and also quite the lyrical genius himself and rapped about his hood (RIP B.I.G.).

****But favorites would have to be; definitely 2Pac (not all his songs, just a handfull), Dizzy Wright, Tech N9ne (especially his older stuff and Chopper tracks), JL of B.Hood (only a few songs, but their fire), Twisted Insane (he's indeed twisted insane but I love it, and he's retarded fast.), Kid Cudi (I love to smoke weed and he's, imo the best rapper to listen to when high. Straight trips me out.), and N.W.A. Which I forgot to mention in GOAT as Hop-Hop group (takes #2 for biggest impact in Hip-Hop history. ****

Tl;dr. The radio is a bad influence to society if over loaded with bs (which is it). But it's perfectly fine in moderation.

No

Read ****

I like them all or most musical styles. This is very good, although it is not the most practiced, just do not think it will never end.

I'm not that invested on hip-hop nor it's culture to really comment well on any of the questions in OP, but I do listen to some rap, mostly alternative. Not really a fan of gangster rap really. Never really appealed to me.

Saying that though, I do like Jay-Z and Eminem, and the Marshall Mathers LP is probably my second favourite album of all time. It's a masterpiece, really. A horrific, disgusting masterpiece. Kendrick Lamar isn't too bad either.

Alternative rap wise I mainly listen to Dumbfoundead and Intuition. Used to listen to a lot more rappers in the past but my music taste has changed dramatically in the past year so my list of rappers who I still listen to has gone down significantly.

There's a South Korean rap act which I really like - Epik High. I don't like the label of "alternative hip-hop", it's implying if you don't rap about violence and hoes and killing things it's not real hip-hop, which is both stupid and limiting. Epik High has sick beats, sick themes, and sick rhymes, so I don't see why anybody wouldn't like them :P

I don't have an opinion on hip hop.

My favorite rappers are Chris Webby, Logic, Hi-Rez, Kid Cudi and OnCue. I like Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, Cam Meekins, Childish Gambino, Hoodie Allen, Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, T.I., Wiz Khalifa, and a duo called Aer. I used to really like Kanye as well, but Yeezus gives me a headache and he called MBDTF a people pleaser album after he released Yeezus.

Aka I'm a big listener of white rap.

I've been listening to a lot of music recently. I've been pretty into to Killer Mike, Chance the Rapper, Vince Staples, and King Louie lately.

In between that Blood on the Leaves is on repeat.

@Sour D: Asap Rocky Live Long Asap is my go to for the stoner stuff
@Apollo: Who do you like?

I'm a big fan of hip-hop/rap, but a lot of the rap people consider crap today isn't even true rap. Yes they are rappers and they are rapping, but rap and dance music have become mixed and generally those types of songs aren't about anything important and they can be very offensive. True rap can be offensive too, but usually it tends to be more about real life experiences. I still listen to it though. I'll listen to some serious Eminem song, but then turn around and blast some silly catchy hip-hop song that focuses on the chorus more than the main lyrics. I don't necessarily agree with the lyrics or relate to them, but it's fun to listen to nonetheless. I don't feel the genre is dying, just that there isn't a lot of quality rap being produced. The artists that do make quality hip-hop music do it well though. My top 3 favorite rappers would be Macklemore, Eminem, and B.o.B.

What's your opinion on the current state of Hip-Hop music?

I'm gonna agree with Sour-D said for the most part. Most of current rap music is killing society and has turned Hip-Hop into the stereotypical ****** music that many people consider it to be right now. While i'll admit a lot of old school hip-hop negatively affected youth with violent lyrics and so on, at least back then to counter that, those same rappers did that with great lyricism and flow (Ether-Nas, Hit 'em Up-2pac) and those same rappers rapping about shooting people up would also come back with emotionally packed and uplifting songs such as Brenda's Got A Baby - 2pac, Juicy - Biggie, etc.

Now a days hip-hop negatively affects youth by filling their minds with drugs, sex, and money. While that's always been in hip-hop there was more than just that back in the day. For the most part right now that's all there is. Lil B, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, they're all a joke and a big portion of all the "rappers" out there today are trash. However in light of this there are a lot of bright spots in the industry. Kendrick Lamar is one of my favorite rappers and probably the best one that's rose to mainstream success in the last 5 years. Eminem and Kanye are still going even though the quality of their tracks have gone down a bit they're still probably the best mainstream hip-hop has to offer today. There's lots of underground and lesser known artists out there that are great too.

Gonna Skip the Second Question for sake of time

Who are your favorite Rappers of all time?
Oh god i have so many...
2pac(GOAT), Nas, Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast, DMX, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye, NWA, Snoop, Rakim, Kid Cudi and Mos Def i'm probably forgetting some but yeah those are some

Btw I do have newer rappers that I do enjoy listening to but yeah

I've been into hip hop for a long time, I don't rap but I like writing some lyrics when I'm bored. I mean real hip hop, not garbage Drake, Rif Raf, Wocka Flocka Flame or Lil Wayne.

Rap doesn't define one exact genre. The most kids get to see on MTV is garbage and is worse. Most of those artist don't even write their own songs and their voices get auto-tuned. They're nothing more but products with a lack of talent. Companies rather gain tons of money instead of using the power to actually educate their fanbase. The songs are meaningless and the lyrics are not creative at all.

I like lots of kinds of rap, from Underground Rap (Lowkey, Immortal Technique,Vinnie Paz, Ill Bill, Tech N9ne,..) to Old Skool (2Pac, Nas, The Game, Xzibit, Wu-Tang, Biggie, Eminem, Method Man, DMX..) to Female Rap (Vel The Wonder, Gavlyin) to Grime (Devlin, Split Prophets, Professor Green, Kano..) to New Skool (Hopsin, Dizzy Wright, Jarren Benton, Schoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore, Snak The Ripper, MGK, Tyler The Creator, Alexander Spit, Jon Connor, Godemis, Mac Miller, Childish Gambino..)

I can't decide my top 3 but if I had to pick some.. (non-chronological order)

Nas
Kendrick Lamar
Vinnie Paz
Biggie
Eminem
Hopsin
Dizzy Wright
Ces Cru (Godemis & Ubiquitous )
Schoolboy Q
Gavlyn

I started looking more into the hip hop genre recently actually, for some reason it takes a while for me to like a hip hop or rap song, but sometimes I will like a song right off the bat.

What's your opinion on the current state of Hip-Hop music?
I honestly don't like a lot of the rap you hear on the radio. Too much name dropping, vulgar stuff, etc. for my taste. I feel like a lot of underground rappers need to make it big and try to make the whole genre look better, lol.

Do you believe that the genre is dying as a whole?
I don't know, I think it might still be going pretty strong but it may be branching into new genres and experimenting with new styles from what I've heard. I find it interesting when artists try out different things with their music. As opposed to someone like Drake, whom I got bored with a long time ago because of his songs sounding the same all the time. That's not to say his lyrics aren't good, it's just that maybe he's a bit too comfortable in his zone in my opinion, and should probably try something new with his music. I didn't really like his new album much.

Who are your favorite Rappers of all time?
Kid Cudi, Logic, Childish Gambino, Earl Sweatshirt, Tupac, Mac Miller. I'll mention Hopsin and Eminem since I like some of their songs, but not all.

Hip-hop isn't dying out. I think hip-hop influences and urban music are growing in popularity very fast actually. Even a lot of the pop acts are going from the EDM phase to urban music and hip-hop influences and frequent rap collabs (Miley, Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber). Urban is "in"

My favorite rappers are Childish Gambino, Big Sean, Kanye and Macklemore even though Macklemore isn't really Hip-hop.

Hip-hop in general has to have a message. Thats what makes or breaks it honestly. A beat fused together with lyrical greatness will always out-do rap's jabarishjaba-poo-poo.

Prime example:

Army of The Pharaohs.

They destroy anything that Wayne or Yeezus puts out. Uhh huh, honey.

What's your opinion on the current state of Hip-Hop music?
Depends on what you mean. Artificial artists give it the bad name but you got people from Australia and Caneda who produce some of the best hip-hop that you can listen to who are in the spotlight but they don't get enough coverage because of the stigma associated with Hip-Hop and Rap.

Do you believe that the genre is dying as a whole?
Yes and know, I still support Bliss'N'Eso, Pez, 360, Vents, Drapht, Seth Sentry, Funkoar, Briggs, Hilltop Hood etc. They are popular but Justin Beibers done his damage.

Who are your favorite Rappers of all time?
Wu-Tang Clan, Xzibit, Eminem, Bliss'N'Eso, Pez, 360, Vents, Drapht, Seth Sentry, Funkoar, Briggs and the Hilltop Hoods. #aussiemuch

What's your opinion on the current state of Hip-Hop music?
The hiphop culture is and will always remain beautiful as a whole, no matter what people may say. Hiphop isn't all about rap, after all. Surely MCs have been part of the culture since the early beginning, but simply because they're not doing too good definitely doesn't mean that the hiphop culture is "dying". There are still DJs, B-boys and b-girls, and graph artists spreading the love. When I go to battles and I see a few hundred bboys and bgirls all having fun, doing what they love and jammin' to some old tunes, it definitely warms my heart. Belgium is such a small country, and hiphop is definitely still present today, more than ever. So I can imagine the place of hiphop's birth and many other countries still reach out to the old days and rep the culture for the sake of being part of it.
Hiphop today definitely isn't dead, and it's not going to die in a long, long time. :)

Do you believe that the genre is dying as a whole?
"The genre"? Well, no.
In case you're actually refering to rap, I'm going to say the following; Many rap artists from way back in the day were so far ahead of their own time with their lyricism and their political views that many of those got passed on to the next generation of rap artists. Surely not to most that appear on the radio nowadays, but actually to our very own children. It's many artists' dream to become famous, but fame isn't what makes you a good singer / dancer / rapper. In Belgium alone there are at least more than a hundred bands, or individual artists in each state that never appear on the radio, but still make extraordinarily great music. With great lyrics, amazingly scratched instrumentals and all the good stuff from way back in the days. Again, I'm using Belgium as an example, but there are so many more countries that are so much bigger and have even more potentially amazing artists. And to be fairly honest, not all rap artists that appear in front of the commercial crowd are crap. Look at Macklemore, Kendrick, Joey,..

Hiphop, in my opinion, is like a Phoenix. When all signs of the end are near, it will burst into flames and it will rise as a young, tiny bird from its own ashes. Hiphop can't die. Every generation will give birth to many more legends in the making. It's up to US however, to teach that generation its values and show them the beauty of what hiphop's all about.

Who are your favorite Rappers of all time?
Nas, Biggie, N.W.A, and Tupac are all very good, and I play their tracks from time to time when I'm in a good mood and just want to kick back and relax.. But my favourite rappers of all time are definitely:

Mos Def, Lowkey, Mic Righteous, the Wu-Tang (every individual), AoTP, the Fu-Schnickens, Bliss n Eso, Eyedea, Slug and Jay-Z (the young Jay, that is. Not the one that collabs with those fake-ass popstars)

What's your opinion on the current state of Hip-Hop music?

I think it's perfectly fine the way it is. A lot of people complain about the mainstream artists who only rap about ignorant topics blah blah blah. Frankly their aim is usually to make music that bangs in the club, as long as they have a good beat behind them and flow reasonably well, I can accept it. There are still more than enough artists with some substance to them out there to balance it out and some of these rappers still gain some form of mainstream success (Kanye being the obvious example here). Sometimes it's actually nice to just relax with some French Montana on even though he's rapping about virtually nothing.

That said a little extra exposure for some underappreciated rappers with some meaning behind their track wouldn't be too bad, Sadistik being a prime example.

Do you believe that the genre is dying as a whole?

Far from it, having a feature from a hip hop artists is almost a requirement for any pop/rnb singer to get a successful song out now. More importantly, the genre keeps diversifying via experimental hip hop artists every year.

Who are your favorite Rappers?

I'm gonna take 'of all time' out there because my opinions changed from time to time and Kanye and Nas are the only two artists in this list that I'm sure I'll be listening to in a few years time.

Kanye, Nas, Jay-Z, Mac Miller, Drake, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, The Game.

I like a whole host more than that such as Eminem, Cudi, Wiz Khalifa, Childish Gambino, Chance The Rapper, OF (mainly Hodgy/Mellowhype and Tyler), French Montana, Ab Soul, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, 2Pac, Jay Rock, J.Cole and many more but I'd stop short of saying that they're some of my favourites.

Just to follow up discussion because I know this thread will die due to the slow start of hip hop releases this year (Mastermind is the only release I can even think of that will come out in the first few months), I've got an extra question for everyone.

What was your favourite hip hop album of last year?

Obviously there was a lot of releases last year, Yeezus, MMLP2, MCHG, Born Sinner, The Gifted etc. so the answers should be fairly interesting.

I definitely agree with "aim is usually to make music that bangs in the club". For example the song When I'm Gone by Eminem is an amazing song. It's very emotional and focuses on his daughter who he wishes he saw more and was there for more. Just a great song, but does it get me pumped up? No. Can you dance to it at a party or club? No. It's not suppose to be that type of song, but certain ones are, and those are generally the ones people think are crap, but they are necessary. There is a place for all music.