It's already been decades since hip hop became part of mainstream, but nowdays it's become No. 1 genre. And it only grows stronger.
I understand elements of its appeal: rebellion, lyrics, narratives, authentic or "authentic" self expression, its directness, agression, in your face attitudes... that's all fine. And I guess hip hop is more like poetry than music anyway. Perhaps people need some kind of poetry in their lives, so they found it in hip hop.
But musically speaking, I think hip hop is *THE* LEAST musical genre. Most of the lyrics are pretty much spoken instead of sung... most of the music is just combination of samples, effects, etc... very little actual instruments at all. Very little melody, harmony, etc... very little of whatever was typically regarded as music.
So I am wondering do people need music in their life at all? Perhaps social / literary needs that hip hop satisfies (attitude, rebellion, narrative, identifying with certain group, poetical elements, etc) are more fundamental human needs than the need for any kind of actual music.
So does it spell end of music per se? Perhaps it's not just classical music that's sort of dead for the mainstream. Perhaps soon any kind of music at all will be considered passe.
Maybe soon anything musical, i.e. anything having melody, harmony, and stuff will be regarded the same way like some people regard operatic singing today: like too artificial, too emotional, too singy-songy... too frivolous, cheesy, or perhaps even gay. I mean most of music IS kind of gay, at least in the old fashioned sense of the word. People sing when they are happy, they cry when they are sad... (of course there are sad songs, I am just making a point)
And they rap when they are angry! So perhaps anger, and "attitude" are nowdays the only socially acceptable ways of self expression. Emotions typically expressed by music, like happyness, sadness or longing, are for the weak...
Perhaps in the same way that melody and tonality became eschewed in modern classical music, they will eventually be eschewed in popular music itself, or the music itself will become eschewed and replaced by "angry rythmical rhymed speech with attitude".
Your thoughts?
I understand elements of its appeal: rebellion, lyrics, narratives, authentic or "authentic" self expression, its directness, agression, in your face attitudes... that's all fine. And I guess hip hop is more like poetry than music anyway. Perhaps people need some kind of poetry in their lives, so they found it in hip hop.
But musically speaking, I think hip hop is *THE* LEAST musical genre. Most of the lyrics are pretty much spoken instead of sung... most of the music is just combination of samples, effects, etc... very little actual instruments at all. Very little melody, harmony, etc... very little of whatever was typically regarded as music.
So I am wondering do people need music in their life at all? Perhaps social / literary needs that hip hop satisfies (attitude, rebellion, narrative, identifying with certain group, poetical elements, etc) are more fundamental human needs than the need for any kind of actual music.
So does it spell end of music per se? Perhaps it's not just classical music that's sort of dead for the mainstream. Perhaps soon any kind of music at all will be considered passe.
Maybe soon anything musical, i.e. anything having melody, harmony, and stuff will be regarded the same way like some people regard operatic singing today: like too artificial, too emotional, too singy-songy... too frivolous, cheesy, or perhaps even gay. I mean most of music IS kind of gay, at least in the old fashioned sense of the word. People sing when they are happy, they cry when they are sad... (of course there are sad songs, I am just making a point)
And they rap when they are angry! So perhaps anger, and "attitude" are nowdays the only socially acceptable ways of self expression. Emotions typically expressed by music, like happyness, sadness or longing, are for the weak...
Perhaps in the same way that melody and tonality became eschewed in modern classical music, they will eventually be eschewed in popular music itself, or the music itself will become eschewed and replaced by "angry rythmical rhymed speech with attitude".
Your thoughts?
