Rap/Hip-hop?

[lonewolf]

I just noticed in the RP want-ads that somebody wants to start a rap/hip-hop band.

I thought they were mostly DJ's with samplers copying everybody else's tracks and re-mixing them. It never dawned on me that actual musicians with real drums and other instruments were a part of the deal.

Discuss

[Banned]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4CoXRPK ... ure=fvwrel

[RobTheDrummer]

What Hip Hop taught me....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UC0JC45XUQ

[kayla]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4CoXRPK ... ure=fvwrel

he should not be playing guitar. end of story. lol

as far as rap goes, i'm with lonewolf. i never really thought of it as a musical instrument oriented type of deal. i mostly think of computer generated stuff.

- kayla.

[lonewolf]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4CoXRPK ... ure=fvwrel

he should not be playing guitar. end of story. lol

as far as rap goes, i'm with lonewolf. i never really thought of it as a musical instrument oriented type of deal. i mostly think of computer generated stuff.

- kayla.

He shouldn't be allowed near a microphone either.

[kayla]

He shouldn't be allowed near a microphone either.

good point!

[LHSL]

I just noticed in the RP want-ads that somebody wants to start a rap/hip-hop band.

I thought they were mostly DJ's with samplers copying everybody else's tracks and re-mixing them. It never dawned on me that actual musicians with real drums and other instruments were a part of the deal.

Discuss

I've seen quite a few Rap/hip-hop acts over the years that had backing bands. Drummer, Guitar, Keyboard, Bass are common. Usually they have a "DJ" or turntablist to provide samples.

I consider a turntablist that does backing for vocalists/M.C. to be a musician as well. Scratching takes skill, and it still involves pitch and tempo a great deal.

[songsmith]

Technically, the hip-hop/ rap guys are the real songwriters nowadays.
Technically.
Meaning, I don't necessarily care for what they're saying, but as far as rhyme-scheme, structure & arrangement, syllable-counts, and other technical aspects; as well as novel words/rhymes that have never been used in music until now... that's where the freshest stuff is.
At this point, rap's been around 10 years longer than rock & roll had been when I started playing. It isn't a passing fad.
By the same token, hip-hop is lifting beats from world-music, reggae and dubstep, so everybody's stealing from everybody. I think it's kind of always been that way.

[bassist_25]

I remember in the late 90s and early 2000s when it was cool to have rap lines over pseudo-hardcore riffs *gets bad image of Fred Durst out of his head*. But if you overlook some of the crappy Nu-metal white boy rapping, there's some great stuff out there.

The Roots are some of the most bad ass players around right now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojC0mg2h ... ure=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI4D1QOLGuM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qzacv8d ... ure=relmfu

Arrested Development's Unplugged performance is a classic...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRrm9gbdp70

...and two of my favorite bands from my late teens, Shootyz Groove and Stuck Mojo...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2s4n2W1iMU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oun5lNtvKAo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83C0R99FLlk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb8aNhbGW5A

[lonewolf]

I consider a turntablist that does backing for vocalists/M.C. to be a musician as well. Scratching takes skill, and it still involves pitch and tempo a great deal.

Uh-huh. Sure...OK.

Here's some real talent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfOKmr64k_I

[StumbleFingers]

A turntable is a sort of percussion instrument so I'd certainly consider them musicians. Not as cool as a bongo player, but still a musician.

[MistValkyrie]

What Hip Hop taught me....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UC0JC45XUQ

ha ha ha, Jenna Marbles, I love that girl! good call, Rob!

[Gallowglass]

...Here's some real talent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfOKmr64k_I

Thanks, Jeff. I've been really sick lately and that really brightened my day.

[kayla]

Here's some real talent:

baahahaha i've never seen that before!! nice!!

[lonewolf]

A turntable is a sort of percussion instrument so I'd certainly consider them musicians.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5j8Jioan1w

[Dragan Kalasa]

I just noticed in the RP want-ads that somebody wants to start a rap/hip-hop band.

I thought they were mostly DJ's with samplers copying everybody else's tracks and re-mixing them. It never dawned on me that actual musicians with real drums and other instruments were a part of the deal.

Discuss

Wyclef and some old Beastie Boys too. I think Mos Def, or whatever he's called now, used real instruments.

[Dragan Kalasa]

I consider a turntablist that does backing for vocalists/M.C. to be a musician as well. Scratching takes skill, and it still involves pitch and tempo a great deal.

+1000000000! I loved watching those Red Bull competitions. Those were insane. At least I think it was Red Bull who hosted those competitions.

[Jasaoke]

The Roots are amazing.

To those who dismiss hip-hop (or anything) out of hand, I would put forth two questions:

1) What makes a 'real' instrument?

2) What makes a 'real' musician?

I would argue that performing with a turntable or MPC takes as much musicianship as anything else. Is it somehow less musical because it uses electronics? So does an electric guitar. Or microphone. Anyone who claims to be a musical purist is a liar.

I'm sure most Rockpagers don't like it, but that doesn't mean that it's not music.

Many of the bands that we all know and love play mostly power 'chords'. They're not chords (no 3rd). So is it not music?

96% of the blues is ONE CHORD PROGRESSION! (and 3 chords at that) Isn't that just

copying everybody else's tracks and re-mixing them

So is it not musical or expressive? No one would make that claim, but because people don't relate to hip-hop, it gets bashed.

I would also caution against relying on TV or radio to give an accurate profile of the genre.

[tonefight]

Some ole school, Run DMC or Toneloc would definatly work well with a backing band, I haven't listened to the newer stuff enough to comment on how that would go but I applaud the guy for getting something unique (at least to our area) going.

[StumbleFingers]

Speaking of Run DMC, there's a ton of great guitar on this one:

Run DMC - Rock Box

Check out the massive Gorillaz live band, including members of The Clash in sailor hats:

Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc Live on Letterman

[lonewolf]

I would argue that performing with a turntable or MPC takes as much musicianship as anything else. Is it somehow less musical because it uses electronics?

I got my 1st MPC (60) in the late 80s and have been using sampling instruments of some kind before that (Mirage) and ever since. MPC derives its acronym from "Midi Production Center" and is simply a midi sequencer/sampler that just happens to have pads.

I have been running a midi show for the past 25 years using these devices and programmed them to run FX, harmonies, sound control and even a full lighting system. Back then, there was no commercial internet to download midifiles...I had to record them myself and I still use many of those files today.

Having been there, still there, done that, got the T-shirt and the business, I can tell you that it can take a lot of technical knowledge to operate them, but musicianship? Only if you also consider the drunk beating on the bar to his favorite song or somebody tapping their fingers on the table as musicians.

I don't consider my rather extensive operating experience with them to be "musicianship."

I draw the line where recording equipment begins. MPC devices are just recording equipment.

The Korg Kaos line and similar products look like they have evolved into the primordial modern electronic instrument. Perhaps someday they will evolve further into the instrument that kills rock and starts a new era.

But not today.

[Dragan Kalasa]

The Roots are amazing.

To those who dismiss hip-hop (or anything) out of hand, I would put forth two questions:

1) What makes a 'real' instrument?

2) What makes a 'real' musician?

I would argue that performing with a turntable or MPC takes as much musicianship as anything else. Is it somehow less musical because it uses electronics? So does an electric guitar. Or microphone. Anyone who claims to be a musical purist is a liar.

I'm sure most Rockpagers don't like it, but that doesn't mean that it's not music.

Many of the bands that we all know and love play mostly power 'chords'. They're not chords (no 3rd). So is it not music?

96% of the blues is ONE CHORD PROGRESSION! (and 3 chords at that) Isn't that just

copying everybody else's tracks and re-mixing them

So is it not musical or expressive? No one would make that claim, but because people don't relate to hip-hop, it gets bashed.

I would also caution against relying on TV or radio to give an accurate profile of the genre.

Preach on!!!! But you know...haters are still gonna hate, as they already have.

[KeithReynolds]

Paul, rap lines over hardcore riffs were NEVER cool.
People were just mistaken.

[rockstar]

THE HIGHER THE FEWER!!!!!!!!!

[Chuxema]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBA-xi8WuCU