Comments on: In Praise of Hip Hop

By: annoymous

annoymous — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:14:01 +0000

BalladMusician, you’re confused. Hip Hop and rap are Not 2 different styles of music.

And Kevin, no, we young people have not forgotten about the hip hop impact from back then. Even if we weren’t alive back then, it’s been explained to us MANY times. The best artists pay respect to those original hip hop creators in full, but they are also not commercial enough to make their way into your spectrum of listening. Actually it sounds like nothing past 1990 makes it into your spectrum of listening, and that’s a little sad.

By: Kathleen Maher

Kathleen Maher — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 15:49:51 +0000

Ballad Musician, I really do enjoy hip hop music. It’s the modern style and the internet plays a big part in making it available so that even little old white women like me can enjoy it. No way could I play an active part. I’d be way out of place at the clubs, and couldn’t dance or talk about the beats. But I’m a listener, not a musician, and always have been.
If you want to learn about black music, click on the link to the Breath of Life blog.
And you say you love ballads? I can’t imagine the world without them. If no one had composed ballads yet, we’d all hurt so much, missing them so much, someone overflowing with soul would just start singing, low and soft, “Hey baby, what about ballads? The world’s no good without them.” Or something like that.

By: BalladMusician

BalladMusician — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 05:58:19 +0000

I’m wondering how a middle-aged white woman enjoys hiphop also. Young people like me is the one who are active of the hiphop music just simple because it is the modern style. I hate rap yah! they are right rap is not a music. I really love hiphop than rap, but right now my heart is in ballad.

By: BalladMusician

BalladMusician — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 05:50:46 +0000

I like hiphop than rap also. This the first time I’ve read about middle-age white woman who love hip hop. Need more information about black music i dont know about it.

By: Bosco

Bosco — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 20:24:36 +0000

I too am surprised at hip hop’s staying power, but I don’t get the impression that the kids are moving on to something completely different. Seems more like they are taking it in new directions, which, as always, is the right thing to do with popular music. (Like a shark, it’s got to keep moving to stay alive.)
Personally, I like where some jazz musicians are taking hip hop. Roy Hargrove’s RH Factor is incredible–the most vital of any new jazz I am listening to. And I read in the NY Times this morning (maybe yesterday) that Robert Glauber, who is a fine young jazz pianist, was riffing on a Dilla beat at the Bonnaroo Festival.
(But “White Lines” is one of my favorites too.)

By: Kevin Wolf

Kevin Wolf — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:47:59 +0000

I’ve not kept up with hip hop at all. It seemed to me to get old fast, though I’m aware that it has had staying power — nearly 30 years worth, now.

It’s my understanding that “the kids” who make up the bulk of the music’s fanbase are moving on and that hip hop’s place at the top of current music styles is drawing to a close. As you note, however, that does not mean hip hop will disappear, any more than earlier forms of music.

I once had a conversation with a family member who said emphatically, “Rap is not music.” I’m sure I disagreed but I’m also sure I did not say out loud what I thought: “What an ignorant statement.”

When I lived in NYC in the early 80s, I enjoyed the exposure to rap and hip hop and still have some of the old records. Favorites include Grandmaster Flash’s “White Lines” and the incredible first few singles by Afrika Bambaataa.

I also enjoyed the hip hop/pop hybrids, like the Force MDs’ “Let Me Love You” and was very interested to see how the whole 12″ remix format was even picked up by rock music for a time. (I still have my Bruce Springsteen remixes.) People now seem to forget the hip hop impact then.