Does Rap Music Stand a Chance Against Other Styles of Music?
I am not biased when it comes to styles of music but rap is probably my least favorite genre of music. I respect rappers and rap as an art form but most of the songs out there today (at least those I've heard over the years) are distasteful - talking about money, sex, booze, and other such things.
Rap is not just about rhyme and a catchy beat. It's about the message you get across to the listeners and the passion of the words you speak. It can move mountains and affect us in many ways... It can be inspirational and influential too.
Therefore I think rap has to be used for a good reason and not just to talk about money, sex, cars, drugs, etc. as rappers do nowadays. Rapping about that doesn't appeal to me but I guess it does to others. Why else would rappers who talk about these things in their songs make millions, own and live in fancy mansions, own cars that are too expensive, and be swimming in cash while also having millions of followers and fans? People must be attracted to that. Or perhaps there is something else to these rappers and songs that I am just not seeing.
I only dig EMINEM (real name: Marshall Mathers) because he actually has a lot to offer in his lyrics. And he's got passion like no other rapper out there...
In the beginning critics thought he would not succeed or get anywhere with his music but he has proven them wrong. He rose to the top (with many successful and chart topping albums) and he will continue to do so. He is the reason that rap has meaning for me and why I think that rap can indeed be influential.
As of now EMINEM is the one and only rapper I can listen to and do listen to. No one else makes my list. Jay-Z is ok but EMINEM beats him in my book regardless of who has the most fans/followers or the most money.
Does Rap Stand a Chance Against Other Styles of Music?
When asked to compare a rap song against a pop song or a country song for example how do you say which is better? You really can't because comparing a rap song to a "real" song is like comparing apples and oranges. The two are so different that you can't really say one is better than the other.
A rap song can be just as great as an actual song if it is inspirational, if it conveys a message and leaves us thinking, if it affects us in some way. Words don't have to be sung for that to happen.
Having said that, a great rap song can very well beat out a "real" song. While I don't keep track of all the award shows I am sure that there have been instances where a rap song beat out a "real" song in some category where different music genres go head to head and I wouldn't be surprised in the least to learn that one of EMINEM's songs did just that.
