For the past few months I’ve been listening fairly constantly to 102.1 The Edge. Then just like that I stopped. It’s reminiscent of the transition I made years ago from 103.5 to 102.1. Admittedly that first transition occured because Hits 103.5 (none of this Zee 103.5 nonsense) started playing absolute trash – i.e. a massive amount of hip-hop.
Oh – I’m sorry – I could have offended someone.
Actually no. I’m not sorry. I think hip-hop and most rap can classify as the worst music to hit the human race.
I’m done venting now.
I’ve shifted into listening to a whole slew of softer, slower, more mellow songs. I’d wondered if that signalled some minute yet discernable shift in my personality – a transition to a more mellow, spaced-out state of being.
Somehow I doubt that. I feel as edgy as usual.
You should try listening to some not-so-mainstream hip-hop before giving up on the whole genre. I used to share your disgust but lately I find I’m listening to more and more of it and it is growing on me.
I recommend WeFunk radio. http://www.wefunkradio.com. I have it playing almost non-stop on my headphones at work.
Or, for at least ONE individual artist, check out K-OS… tis beyond the usually mainstream hip-hop crud.
Well you know me – I’m up for trying just about anything new.
I’ll try out wefunkradio sometime this week. Then – if everything goes well – and I’ve the stomach for more I’ll try K-OS.
If you don’t mind me asking, what about rap and hip-hop do you dislike, and how much have you checked out? There’s lots to take from it…even just from a theoretical perspective. While I’m not a big fan of most mainstream rap, I’ve actually tried lifting Eminem songs onto my saxophone just to learn from his phrasing and articulation. Seriously! The man has rhythmic talent. And if you look at some of the lesser-known rap artists, you’ll find tons of great stuff going on both in the vocals and the backgrounds.
As for hip-hop, that covers such a wide range of music that I don’t really see how you can just dislike ALL of it. That’s like saying you don’t really like popular (‘pop’) music. Even I, who can’t stand most ‘pop’ music, have to admit that popular songs can differ from each other in so many ways that I can’t just declare it as the “worst music to hit the human race”. Just my opinion!
Oh last but not least, what DO you like? What kind of music gets you going?
Cheers,
K
Kristjan – I made the fundamental error of over generalization :-)
Undoubtedly there’s a lot of non-mainstream rap/hip-hop that I just don’t know about… Since I haven’t heard it I shouldn’t comment on it.
However…
Music in these genres that I’ve heard on mainstream radio stations draw my ire and I can firmly say that I dislike > 90% of it.
Are you talking about specific Eminem songs? I have to admit that I like a few Eminem songs – but not a lot (considering his output). [shrugs] Some click. Some don’t.
My tastes are eclectic. Primarily heavy metal, Eurodance (mid-late 90s stuff), a lot of the songs played on 102.1 (new rock? alternative? smorgasbord?) and a few slower pieces. I’m not sure what you can make of that – but I know that I’m not a music connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination.
Yeah I’ll agree that most of the stuff on the radio and especially on TV is just such crap, and particularly in those genres. It’s just too bad the good stuff doesn’t get more recognition. I myself am continually digging and asking people in an effort to find more of the “good stuff”.
I guess my comment was more to point out that it’s a matter of tastes rather than a concrete this-is-good-and-this-is-bad scenario. Many people dislike heavy metal, and probably even more people dislike my personal favourite – jazz! Such is the nature of individual taste. But I don’t think any of those people could declare either of our favourites as downright bad.
By the way I enjoy your site. I think it’s a great read and you’ve got style.
K