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Jack Straw · 08-03-2009, 02:18 AM

Hip hop is the best genre of music. Nothing sounds better than when a producer produces a gem. Either something that just makes me bob my head or a track that moves my feet. Gimme Pete Rock's Petestrumentals, gimme Flying Lotus' EPs, Gimme DJ Premier on anything he's ever touched. Hell, gimme Timbaland's production on Ginuwine's Pony.
The thing about producing a track is that it is limitless. Hip hop production is not held by the same rules as that of say funk, soul, "rock", country, folk, bluegrass, jazz, big band, whatever. Think about what makes all these genres, genres. They have a set of characteristics that the artists of that particular genre abide by. In death metal you have driving double bass, inaudible screaming vocals, shrieking guitars. In bluegrass you have the comfortable twang of a banjo, the basic bump of a standup bass, and the strum of the chords of rhythm guitar. All these genres of music have sets of customs that become sort of the 'laws of classification'.
SO, what are the laws of classification for hip hop? Limitless, the potential for a hip hop song to soar to new altitudes, conquer new territory, and breach new borders for the name of music exceeds the potential for any other song to do that for any other genre of music. (save some obscure subgenre of electronic music)
How? When a producer is producing a track they're improvising. Starting from scratch. They're a someone that knows what the people want to hear and they usually have an extensive collection of vinyl. A collection of vinyl which spans all of your favorite genres of music. So let's say they're working on something and they have the basic 'beat' down.
boom, boom, boom, b-boom, boom, b-boom you get the picture. Then they add a snare (in the 808, Weezy baby on the MIC). Once the snare's in there they add a sample of Bob James' Nautilus and another sample of an obscure soul/jazz album with a hit song from 1977 that they remember from way back. Effectively combining the genres of soul, funk, and jazz into his hip hop song.
Now, combine a well mapped out track with a real MC that can flow effortlessly from the heart and that's as good as it gets. There's nothing better than an intelligent mind speaking in rhymes, in a faster time signature than Kurt Cobain or Bob Dylan. Rappers often say more in one verse than an alt. rock band does in an entire album. And they do it in style. Their similies, allusions, metaphors, social commentary, and straight up imagery are enough to captivate scholars.
In the end it's like this, there's great music in all genres. I love plenty of music besides hip hop/rap. But me, I'll take UGK's Ridin Dirty over Tool's Lateralus any day of the week.

08-03-2009, 02:18 AM	#16 (permalink)
Jack Straw wishful thinker Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Utopia Posts: 982 Thanks: 10 Thanked 18 Times in 15 Posts	Hip hop is the best genre of music. Nothing sounds better than when a producer produces a gem. Either something that just makes me bob my head or a track that moves my feet. Gimme Pete Rock's Petestrumentals, gimme Flying Lotus' EPs, Gimme DJ Premier on anything he's ever touched. Hell, gimme Timbaland's production on Ginuwine's Pony. The thing about producing a track is that it is limitless. Hip hop production is not held by the same rules as that of say funk, soul, "rock", country, folk, bluegrass, jazz, big band, whatever. Think about what makes all these genres, genres. They have a set of characteristics that the artists of that particular genre abide by. In death metal you have driving double bass, inaudible screaming vocals, shrieking guitars. In bluegrass you have the comfortable twang of a banjo, the basic bump of a standup bass, and the strum of the chords of rhythm guitar. All these genres of music have sets of customs that become sort of the 'laws of classification'. SO, what are the laws of classification for hip hop? Limitless, the potential for a hip hop song to soar to new altitudes, conquer new territory, and breach new borders for the name of music exceeds the potential for any other song to do that for any other genre of music. (save some obscure subgenre of electronic music) How? When a producer is producing a track they're improvising. Starting from scratch. They're a someone that knows what the people want to hear and they usually have an extensive collection of vinyl. A collection of vinyl which spans all of your favorite genres of music. So let's say they're working on something and they have the basic 'beat' down. boom, boom, boom, b-boom, boom, b-boom you get the picture. Then they add a snare (in the 808, Weezy baby on the MIC). Once the snare's in there they add a sample of Bob James' Nautilus and another sample of an obscure soul/jazz album with a hit song from 1977 that they remember from way back. Effectively combining the genres of soul, funk, and jazz into his hip hop song. Now, combine a well mapped out track with a real MC that can flow effortlessly from the heart and that's as good as it gets. There's nothing better than an intelligent mind speaking in rhymes, in a faster time signature than Kurt Cobain or Bob Dylan. Rappers often say more in one verse than an alt. rock band does in an entire album. And they do it in style. Their similies, allusions, metaphors, social commentary, and straight up imagery are enough to captivate scholars. In the end it's like this, there's great music in all genres. I love plenty of music besides hip hop/rap. But me, I'll take UGK's Ridin Dirty over Tool's Lateralus any day of the week. __________________ The time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted -John Lennon In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. -John Muir One man gathers what another man spills...