im sorry but enough is enough

 Whoa there. Relax.. It’s all what you believe in so you should respect there opinion and freedom.  It just shows respect towards them.

 Whoa there. Relax.. It’s all what you believe in so you should respect there opinion and freedom.  It just shows respect towards them.

Yeah, I feel you, it’s sort of like the jocks at school, and it is sort of annoying, but to honest, I really don’t care, and It’s fine with me.

Yeah, I feel you, it’s sort of like the jocks at school, and it is sort of annoying, but to honest, I really don’t care, and It’s fine with me.

internets is serious bizness

internets is serious bizness

I don’t know what "based god" even means.

I don’t know what "based god" even means.

Lil B has to be the smartest rapper in the game right now. Wait until you finally realize that the reason he makes those stupid songs like "Wonton Soup", "Look Like Jesus", "Suck My Dck", etc, is to make fun of the mainstream hip hop industry. He knows that those type of songs are gonna get more views than his real songs that have meaning and substance. He proved a point that nowadays most ppl only care about the stupid club songs, instead of real hip hop. You are wrong about Lil B.

Lil B has to be the smartest rapper in the game right now. Wait until you finally realize that the reason he makes those stupid songs like "Wonton Soup", "Look Like Jesus", "Suck My Dck", etc, is to make fun of the mainstream hip hop industry. He knows that those type of songs are gonna get more views than his real songs that have meaning and substance. He proved a point that nowadays most ppl only care about the stupid club songs, instead of real hip hop. You are wrong about Lil B.

Kendrick Lamar = Smart Rapper

Kendrick Lamar = Smart Rapper

Lil B = Albert Einstein  rapper

Lil B = Albert Einstein  rapper

@M-DYMES agreed

@M-DYMES agreed

@Taylor Condrin, It also annoys me, but just let it go. I wikipedia everything, but not once have I even bothered to Wikipeia Lil B. Why? Cause I don’t Care. But you are not the only one that gets irritated by seeing a thread flooded with Based God posts. I like Mc Dunkin’s basketball posts, but I disregard all of his Based God threads cause it is just stupid to me to make anyone your idol to that extent.

@Taylor Condrin, It also annoys me, but just let it go. I wikipedia everything, but not once have I even bothered to Wikipeia Lil B. Why? Cause I don’t Care. But you are not the only one that gets irritated by seeing a thread flooded with Based God posts. I like Mc Dunkin’s basketball posts, but I disregard all of his Based God threads cause it is just stupid to me to make anyone your idol to that extent.

personally i think McBasketballGuru is the next big rapper. "bobbing for this c0ck, call me c0ck in a box", thats the next club banger right there..

personally i think McBasketballGuru is the next big rapper. "bobbing for this c0ck, call me c0ck in a box", thats the next club banger right there..

Ok fine, if you want to know… I changed it to Based for the points

No seriously, relax it’s just a funny little joke. We ALL know he’s horrible. And what makes him even more humorous is that HE thinks he is good. McDunkin’s 1st Based God Thread even said "PS, I hate this guy!" 

I only changed my name due to bordem from the lockout and once the lockout is lifted, I will go back to my wrong ways again buddy 🙂 

Ok fine, if you want to know… I changed it to Based for the points

No seriously, relax it’s just a funny little joke. We ALL know he’s horrible. And what makes him even more humorous is that HE thinks he is good. McDunkin’s 1st Based God Thread even said "PS, I hate this guy!" 

I only changed my name due to bordem from the lockout and once the lockout is lifted, I will go back to my wrong ways again buddy 🙂 

I May Be BASED you are the very first person to ever notice that I put that in the first thread I ever made about him.

I May Be BASED you are the very first person to ever notice that I put that in the first thread I ever made about him.

Of course I know how you felt about him, hence why I find all your Lil B threads funny. If you were dead serious about him, I probably would have said something a long time ago 

Of course I know how you felt about him, hence why I find all your Lil B threads funny. If you were dead serious about him, I probably would have said something a long time ago 

We should all change our name to support J. Cole instead 🙂

🙂

McColeWorld

Cole-World-Like-23

I-May-Be-Cole

ColeCookies

We should all change our name to support J. Cole instead 🙂

🙂

McColeWorld

Cole-World-Like-23

I-May-Be-Cole

ColeCookies

It is all in good fun, just kind of joking around. Lil’ B is a rapper who has made some songs that have fairly controversial lyrics, in that they use a lot of slang, make little sense and sometimes make him sound incredibly effeminate. He even once stated he would make an album entitled "I’m Gay".

Apparently, when Lil’ B was a kid, people used to call him "Based", in that they thought he was slow, or a crack head. Well, Lil’ B turned lemons into beef stew and made the term "Based" mean something positive. He also uses the term "Swag" to the point that it is quickly becoming the most annoying and overused colloquialism since "Jiggy", "Yam" or "Bling".

He has hence become an internet meme with all of these catch phrases and actions. Luckily, he seems to have a sense of humor, and I guess no publicity is bad publicity. But, he is basically like the rap version of Steve Urkel with his "Thank You Based God" being comparable to ‘Did I Do That?" Yes, people are doing that to fit in, but I think people are just having fun, and a lot more annoying things happen on this site beyond Lil’ B jokes.

@MagikKnick: Seeing that J. Cole is actually a good MC, I would stay away from that. Than it becomes less funny and more "you know, homo" rather than "no homo"

It is all in good fun, just kind of joking around. Lil’ B is a rapper who has made some songs that have fairly controversial lyrics, in that they use a lot of slang, make little sense and sometimes make him sound incredibly effeminate. He even once stated he would make an album entitled "I’m Gay".

Apparently, when Lil’ B was a kid, people used to call him "Based", in that they thought he was slow, or a crack head. Well, Lil’ B turned lemons into beef stew and made the term "Based" mean something positive. He also uses the term "Swag" to the point that it is quickly becoming the most annoying and overused colloquialism since "Jiggy", "Yam" or "Bling".

He has hence become an internet meme with all of these catch phrases and actions. Luckily, he seems to have a sense of humor, and I guess no publicity is bad publicity. But, he is basically like the rap version of Steve Urkel with his "Thank You Based God" being comparable to ‘Did I Do That?" Yes, people are doing that to fit in, but I think people are just having fun, and a lot more annoying things happen on this site beyond Lil’ B jokes.

@MagikKnick: Seeing that J. Cole is actually a good MC, I would stay away from that. Than it becomes less funny and more "you know, homo" rather than "no homo"

You’re obviously not Based enough.

You’re obviously not Based enough.

Jealous much?

Jealous much?

 Well stated TaylorCondrin.  This whole Lil B thing is mad gay and honestly, I have never ever met someone who listens to or even knows who Lil B is.  Does he have a strong 5-people-deep cult following on nbadraft or is he just not big in the Northeast?

 Well stated TaylorCondrin.  This whole Lil B thing is mad gay and honestly, I have never ever met someone who listens to or even knows who Lil B is.  Does he have a strong 5-people-deep cult following on nbadraft or is he just not big in the Northeast?

On The Job..NBADRAFT.NET’s Security Guard 1st Officer Taylor Condrin is Keeping this Site Secure….lol

On The Job..NBADRAFT.NET’s Security Guard 1st Officer Taylor Condrin is Keeping this Site Secure….lol

Nah, hes VERY popular over the internet, but similar to our “5-people-deep-cult”, I think people just like it for the point of aggravating others, as you can see by the responses. Not sure how many people actually listen to him, but me, I just do the cooking dance…SWAG!

Nah, hes VERY popular over the internet, but similar to our “5-people-deep-cult”, I think people just like it for the point of aggravating others, as you can see by the responses. Not sure how many people actually listen to him, but me, I just do the cooking dance…SWAG!

I have 12175 points an i will sacrifice each and every one of them for the BASED one.

I have 12175 points an i will sacrifice each and every one of them for the BASED one.

yeah i kind of is stupid but i knew they messing around so i was cool with, plus some of those pics/gifs were funny as hell, anyone who listens to real music knows lil b has to be one of the worst people to ever attempt to rap lmao!

yeah i kind of is stupid but i knew they messing around so i was cool with, plus some of those pics/gifs were funny as hell, anyone who listens to real music knows lil b has to be one of the worst people to ever attempt to rap lmao!

this is some funny ish here, I never knew what any of that BASED ish meant til reading this thread…yeah, I heard of Lil B…but when I did, I knew it was something I had no interest in listening to.   glad you guys cleared this ish up here but those gifs and pics are funny.

this is some funny ish here, I never knew what any of that BASED ish meant til reading this thread…yeah, I heard of Lil B…but when I did, I knew it was something I had no interest in listening to.   glad you guys cleared this ish up here but those gifs and pics are funny.

It’s actually pretty sad that people hate Lil B so much, and odd how everybody acts like they know exactly what his motivations as a rapper are. I May Be Based, what makes you so sure that "HE thinks he is good"? Looking further into that idea, what is "good"? Lyricism? Message? Impact? It’s hard to respect a lot of rap culture, simply because there is such a narcissistic perception of what exactly is "good". A few years ago, everybody was claiming "hip hop is dying" and the blame lied almost exclusively with the south. Ringtone rap and the "Oh, I Think They Like Me" movement were not deemed "smart enough" for the elitist, lyricism-focused rap fans, who believed that change threatened the entire industry’s integrity. Hip hop is a culture and a deviant one at that. Artists have always known this and exploited it — NWA being a prime example of how violating social norms can lead to big-time sales and respect within the industry. Violence and misogyny became mainstays in rap, partially because it created an apparent distance between black and white people, which is secretly what both races wanted.

Conscientious rap would become more prevalent over the years, which in a very unique way was a counter-culture to shock rap, though it maintained the same core values. Instead of focusing on sales numbers and sheer shock value, conscientious rappers got respect for refusing to sale out and radical — often extremist — political ideals. However, the two seemingly opposite styles both benefitted by continuing to push the African American minority away from the Caucasian majority in the country. This was a way of black people establishing their identity. Below is a pretty humorous example from a movie called “Chasing Amy”.

In more recent years, we’ve seen rap integrated into pop culture. Whatever you what to call it (hip pop, ringtone rap, Southern rap, snap rap, crunk) would explode onto the scene with artists like Lil Jon, Dem Franchise Boyz and Soulja Boy each achieving HUGE commercial success, while often receiving defamation from their peers. The main reason of this disapproval stemmed from the fact that these artists are — believe it or not — actually bringing the races together. Casual rap fans (both white and black) could listen and dance to these club-orientated songs together. Hardcore rap fans hated it as it was destroying the separatist identity that rap has always been supportive of. (On a very ironic note: many of these hardcore rap fans are white, though they also aspire to distance themselves from white culture.)

Now Lil B is not being criticized because of his music. The truth is that he is another step in the ongoing evolution of rap. People don’t hate him because his music "isn’t good". People hate him for the same reason they hated crunk music: it’s threatening the identity of rap culture. Lil B is bringing people together. White people and black people, gay people and straight people; the latter group in particular, as hip hop is and always has been extremely homophobic. Lil B defied that hate and named actually his album "I’m Gay". Lupe Fiasco was quoted saying something that really stuck out to me:

"First let me make something abundantly clear, the title "I’m Gay (I’m Happy)" I think is absolute genius. Those two words together side by side in almost any format in the society we live in can be a cultural and social death sentence. And in many places in the world (even here in the good ole’ US of A) they can mean an ACTUAL death sentence. I’m talking a shanked in the shower, beat with a bat, beheaded on Friday kinda death. The best and rarest of braveries is bravery in the face of death. Let’s be honest Lil B’s album probably won’t even be commercially released in certain countries because of the title alone. I just wish he did a song called "James Baldwin" and I would’ve loved to see you twitter-lectuals and goon rules street professors argue against one of the foremost, prominent black intellectual radicals the world has ever known who just so happened to be an overt homosexual but repped the ghettos of Harlem harder than Nicky Barnes and Rich Porter combined and took the struggles and achievements of the black and impoverished experience and intellectually and dazzlingly rubbed it all in the pasty face of the oppressive power structures of the time and this time as well! I wish a nigga would!!!"

He went on to say:

"The word "gay" referring to homosexuality in the minds of the "guilty", as well call them here, sent shockwaves throughout our hip-hop community. Making Lil B the target of attack and ridicule. But Lil B’s ultimate intention and preference for the word "gay" was its "one who is happy" definition. So basically my lil homey was being attacked for being happy. The poetic justice in that is awe inspiring. If that don’t speak to the conditions that exist in this world and this society I don’t know what does. Hate on somebody simply because they are happy or have found happiness."

When people say things like, "anyone who listens to real music knows lil b has to be one of the worst people to ever attempt to rap" or "We ALL know he’s horrible. And what makes him even more humorous is that HE thinks he is good." it makes me kind of angry. "Real music" and "good music" are completely subjective terms. You cannot define what good music is and the fact that you consider any kind of artistic expression "not real" is flat-out ignorant. Expecting every artist out there to conform to a specific or "real" genre or style would do the world a great injustice. Conscientious rapper KRS-One released an album called “Hip Hop Lives” in which he explains that hip hop is supposed to be continuously expanding. Interesting song below if you want to hear him out.

Lil B is breaking barriers, regardless of whether he takes himself seriously or not. The underlying themes of his music are both thought-provoking and challenging while the impact is undeniable. I may be the only person on this board who genuinely respects him for that, probably because I have very few rap biases to begin with. I suppose that just makes me more #based than all of you.

It’s actually pretty sad that people hate Lil B so much, and odd how everybody acts like they know exactly what his motivations as a rapper are. I May Be Based, what makes you so sure that "HE thinks he is good"? Looking further into that idea, what is "good"? Lyricism? Message? Impact? It’s hard to respect a lot of rap culture, simply because there is such a narcissistic perception of what exactly is "good". A few years ago, everybody was claiming "hip hop is dying" and the blame lied almost exclusively with the south. Ringtone rap and the "Oh, I Think They Like Me" movement were not deemed "smart enough" for the elitist, lyricism-focused rap fans, who believed that change threatened the entire industry’s integrity. Hip hop is a culture and a deviant one at that. Artists have always known this and exploited it — NWA being a prime example of how violating social norms can lead to big-time sales and respect within the industry. Violence and misogyny became mainstays in rap, partially because it created an apparent distance between black and white people, which is secretly what both races wanted.

Conscientious rap would become more prevalent over the years, which in a very unique way was a counter-culture to shock rap, though it maintained the same core values. Instead of focusing on sales numbers and sheer shock value, conscientious rappers got respect for refusing to sale out and radical — often extremist — political ideals. However, the two seemingly opposite styles both benefitted by continuing to push the African American minority away from the Caucasian majority in the country. This was a way of black people establishing their identity. Below is a pretty humorous example from a movie called “Chasing Amy”.

In more recent years, we’ve seen rap integrated into pop culture. Whatever you what to call it (hip pop, ringtone rap, Southern rap, snap rap, crunk) would explode onto the scene with artists like Lil Jon, Dem Franchise Boyz and Soulja Boy each achieving HUGE commercial success, while often receiving defamation from their peers. The main reason of this disapproval stemmed from the fact that these artists are — believe it or not — actually bringing the races together. Casual rap fans (both white and black) could listen and dance to these club-orientated songs together. Hardcore rap fans hated it as it was destroying the separatist identity that rap has always been supportive of. (On a very ironic note: many of these hardcore rap fans are white, though they also aspire to distance themselves from white culture.)

Now Lil B is not being criticized because of his music. The truth is that he is another step in the ongoing evolution of rap. People don’t hate him because his music "isn’t good". People hate him for the same reason they hated crunk music: it’s threatening the identity of rap culture. Lil B is bringing people together. White people and black people, gay people and straight people; the latter group in particular, as hip hop is and always has been extremely homophobic. Lil B defied that hate and named actually his album "I’m Gay". Lupe Fiasco was quoted saying something that really stuck out to me:

"First let me make something abundantly clear, the title "I’m Gay (I’m Happy)" I think is absolute genius. Those two words together side by side in almost any format in the society we live in can be a cultural and social death sentence. And in many places in the world (even here in the good ole’ US of A) they can mean an ACTUAL death sentence. I’m talking a shanked in the shower, beat with a bat, beheaded on Friday kinda death. The best and rarest of braveries is bravery in the face of death. Let’s be honest Lil B’s album probably won’t even be commercially released in certain countries because of the title alone. I just wish he did a song called "James Baldwin" and I would’ve loved to see you twitter-lectuals and goon rules street professors argue against one of the foremost, prominent black intellectual radicals the world has ever known who just so happened to be an overt homosexual but repped the ghettos of Harlem harder than Nicky Barnes and Rich Porter combined and took the struggles and achievements of the black and impoverished experience and intellectually and dazzlingly rubbed it all in the pasty face of the oppressive power structures of the time and this time as well! I wish a nigga would!!!"

He went on to say:

"The word "gay" referring to homosexuality in the minds of the "guilty", as well call them here, sent shockwaves throughout our hip-hop community. Making Lil B the target of attack and ridicule. But Lil B’s ultimate intention and preference for the word "gay" was its "one who is happy" definition. So basically my lil homey was being attacked for being happy. The poetic justice in that is awe inspiring. If that don’t speak to the conditions that exist in this world and this society I don’t know what does. Hate on somebody simply because they are happy or have found happiness."

When people say things like, "anyone who listens to real music knows lil b has to be one of the worst people to ever attempt to rap" or "We ALL know he’s horrible. And what makes him even more humorous is that HE thinks he is good." it makes me kind of angry. "Real music" and "good music" are completely subjective terms. You cannot define what good music is and the fact that you consider any kind of artistic expression "not real" is flat-out ignorant. Expecting every artist out there to conform to a specific or "real" genre or style would do the world a great injustice. Conscientious rapper KRS-One released an album called “Hip Hop Lives” in which he explains that hip hop is supposed to be continuously expanding. Interesting song below if you want to hear him out.

Lil B is breaking barriers, regardless of whether he takes himself seriously or not. The underlying themes of his music are both thought-provoking and challenging while the impact is undeniable. I may be the only person on this board who genuinely respects him for that, probably because I have very few rap biases to begin with. I suppose that just makes me more #based than all of you.

 Thats some real sh*t, NoMoney…., I love how you broke that down

 Thats some real sh*t, NoMoney…., I love how you broke that down

 Hydrogen Iodine Phosphorus Hydrogen Oxygen Phosphorus!

Great read, I am in complete agreement. Even though I am not a major Lil’ B fan, and genuinely have found most of his stuff annoying, I got a kick out of this whole deal, and believe that there is no "real music", it is all based on a persons definition. Really glad you wrote it up the way you did, loved the examples, one of the best pieces of writing I have seen in a while. Here was something I came across earlier that surprised the hell out of me. It was Lil’ B with Jean Grae and Phonte on a track produced by 9th Wonder. I love all three of those artists, and quite honestly, even if I am not a huge fan of a particular artist, when they get props from someone I dig, I have to give them props. Jokes on the Flava Flav sample, and people seem to be giving the guy props, and I have to as well. He does indeed have a positive attitude, which is refreshing in many ways.

 Hydrogen Iodine Phosphorus Hydrogen Oxygen Phosphorus!

Great read, I am in complete agreement. Even though I am not a major Lil’ B fan, and genuinely have found most of his stuff annoying, I got a kick out of this whole deal, and believe that there is no "real music", it is all based on a persons definition. Really glad you wrote it up the way you did, loved the examples, one of the best pieces of writing I have seen in a while. Here was something I came across earlier that surprised the hell out of me. It was Lil’ B with Jean Grae and Phonte on a track produced by 9th Wonder. I love all three of those artists, and quite honestly, even if I am not a huge fan of a particular artist, when they get props from someone I dig, I have to give them props. Jokes on the Flava Flav sample, and people seem to be giving the guy props, and I have to as well. He does indeed have a positive attitude, which is refreshing in many ways.

 yeahhhh!!! finally a picture loaded

 yeahhhh!!! finally a picture loaded

J.cole is a boss!! He’s the next big rapper! Here’s some of his best song.(IMO)

http://www.youtube.com/user/TwitterMug#p/u/85/XbxbrSXk7sM i really mean it

http://www.youtube.com/user/TwitterMug#p/u/84/eUHacpMNXq8 show me something

http://www.youtube.com/user/JColeVEVO#p/u/2/MDyffMEFCnE work out

http://www.youtube.com/user/JColeVEVO#p/u/4/6o9dXLNuXic who dat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dyPeGDeS3o lights please

J.cole is a boss!! He’s the next big rapper! Here’s some of his best song.(IMO)

http://www.youtube.com/user/TwitterMug#p/u/85/XbxbrSXk7sM i really mean it

http://www.youtube.com/user/TwitterMug#p/u/84/eUHacpMNXq8 show me something

http://www.youtube.com/user/JColeVEVO#p/u/2/MDyffMEFCnE work out

http://www.youtube.com/user/JColeVEVO#p/u/4/6o9dXLNuXic who dat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dyPeGDeS3o lights please

That was beautiful BASED COOKies

and mikeyv…if Phonte co-signs…you know i have to

That was beautiful BASED COOKies

and mikeyv…if Phonte co-signs…you know i have to

Based Cookie……  :’-) 

Based Cookie……  :’-) 

This is my ish (as far as me listening to new age hip hop)…

This is my ish (as far as me listening to new age hip hop)…

Jimmeredyawabafet, are you Bittchmak’dyomumbro?

Jimmeredyawabafet, are you Bittchmak’dyomumbro?

^^^ yeah he is bittchmak’dyomumbro i remember going back to an old post and noticing his name change plus if you click on his profile biyombo shows up

^^^ yeah he is bittchmak’dyomumbro i remember going back to an old post and noticing his name change plus if you click on his profile biyombo shows up

While I find to my surprise that I find some parts of the rap experience interesting, sometimes fun to listen to, and even thought provoking, rap is not music.

Is it art? An expression of artistic endevour, a societal commentary, soul searching and worthwhile? Yes.

But it is not music.

How can I say that? How can you put limits on what consititutes music?

Music has tonality. It has melody, regardless if that melody is comely, blackboard screetching to a horrific degree, inspiring, thrilling, or displays any of the common traits that make music something more than mere artistic expression. Finger painting is artistic expression.

Music has form, regardless of the perameters imposed on that form. Rap has form as well, but it does not have melody, or tonality, or harmony.

I can listen to some rap, and be impressed with the content, organization, and the overall feel of the expression. But never once have I had that singular tingling rush in the back of my neck while listening to rap. Rap is simply incapable of stirring the human soul like music does, because it operates in two dimensions…..It has content in the spoken word, and sometimes in the higher forms has a pleasant or even disturbing presentation. Disturbing is not necessarily a bad thing.

Music has form, content, melody, harmony, overtones, even text….All in a way that responds instinctively to the human ear. The reason Bach was considered such a genius is that he took what inherently sounds right to the human ear and mind, and set it down in such a way that it left little to be hoped for.

We’ve all heard the the tones of the Beethoven Fifth Symphony, the distinctive ta ta ta tum…..Even by saying that most of you know the cadence I’m talking about, you can hear it in your mind. It’s a simple V-I chord progression, but if you look at almost every single piece of music in western culture, that simple chord progression abounds in almost every piece of music that exists as the final two chords. It just sounds right. It took a towering genius to hear that and codify it into what exists as the definitive start of modern music itself. Bach quantified the very soul of harmonic and musical structure, and did it simply by hearing in his head that it was……Right.

I’m a classically trained singer, it’s what I studied in college and through years of formal lessons and informal practice. I enjoy singing with accompaniment, or without as in acappella, I just enjoy singing. I enjoy all kinds of music, from blues to jazz to classical symphonic or Opera….Reggae or blue grass, Celtic,cowboy or country singing…I enjoy and listen to Indian Sikar, Chinese and Japanese music with their unusual tonalities…Some music stirs my soul while much of it leaves me cold.

Rap does not stir my soul like music can, because it can’t. It’s the difference between a stick figure drawn with pencil and a masterpiece by Vincent Van Gough…The colors, the eye twisting shapes and forms stir something in our hearts that the simple stick figures cannot. It may be madness that lies in the painting, curtesy of Vincent, or it may be an intent to reach to a higher place.

Rap is simply words spoken in a rythmic pattern, though the message may be interesting and worthwhile. Nothing more, nothing less. That someone would actually spend money on it mystifies me. To deify the performers as great artists is mindbending.

There is a place for rap, surely it has been the voice of the Black African nation in our country. It has served to make us hear what these artists are saying, where they’re coming from in the vernacular. In that respect, it is worthwhile.

But it is not music, nor can it ever be unless it’s put to a melody. Then, you might have something.

Here is a short romantic piano transcription, music by Bach, transcription by Busoni. It was originally written for harpsichord, and probably makes the purists cringe.. But the woman playing it is one of the most beautiful women on earth, and an extremely talented pianist. It’s worth watching it just to see her.

Listen at the 2.09 mark and what happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JZzAupJap0

Rap is interesting, but so is reality TV. It’s just that there is so much more in…….Music.

While I find to my surprise that I find some parts of the rap experience interesting, sometimes fun to listen to, and even thought provoking, rap is not music.

Is it art? An expression of artistic endevour, a societal commentary, soul searching and worthwhile? Yes.

But it is not music.

How can I say that? How can you put limits on what consititutes music?

Music has tonality. It has melody, regardless if that melody is comely, blackboard screetching to a horrific degree, inspiring, thrilling, or displays any of the common traits that make music something more than mere artistic expression. Finger painting is artistic expression.

Music has form, regardless of the perameters imposed on that form. Rap has form as well, but it does not have melody, or tonality, or harmony.

I can listen to some rap, and be impressed with the content, organization, and the overall feel of the expression. But never once have I had that singular tingling rush in the back of my neck while listening to rap. Rap is simply incapable of stirring the human soul like music does, because it operates in two dimensions…..It has content in the spoken word, and sometimes in the higher forms has a pleasant or even disturbing presentation. Disturbing is not necessarily a bad thing.

Music has form, content, melody, harmony, overtones, even text….All in a way that responds instinctively to the human ear. The reason Bach was considered such a genius is that he took what inherently sounds right to the human ear and mind, and set it down in such a way that it left little to be hoped for.

We’ve all heard the the tones of the Beethoven Fifth Symphony, the distinctive ta ta ta tum…..Even by saying that most of you know the cadence I’m talking about, you can hear it in your mind. It’s a simple V-I chord progression, but if you look at almost every single piece of music in western culture, that simple chord progression abounds in almost every piece of music that exists as the final two chords. It just sounds right. It took a towering genius to hear that and codify it into what exists as the definitive start of modern music itself. Bach quantified the very soul of harmonic and musical structure, and did it simply by hearing in his head that it was……Right.

I’m a classically trained singer, it’s what I studied in college and through years of formal lessons and informal practice. I enjoy singing with accompaniment, or without as in acappella, I just enjoy singing. I enjoy all kinds of music, from blues to jazz to classical symphonic or Opera….Reggae or blue grass, Celtic,cowboy or country singing…I enjoy and listen to Indian Sikar, Chinese and Japanese music with their unusual tonalities…Some music stirs my soul while much of it leaves me cold.

Rap does not stir my soul like music can, because it can’t. It’s the difference between a stick figure drawn with pencil and a masterpiece by Vincent Van Gough…The colors, the eye twisting shapes and forms stir something in our hearts that the simple stick figures cannot. It may be madness that lies in the painting, curtesy of Vincent, or it may be an intent to reach to a higher place.

Rap is simply words spoken in a rythmic pattern, though the message may be interesting and worthwhile. Nothing more, nothing less. That someone would actually spend money on it mystifies me. To deify the performers as great artists is mindbending.

There is a place for rap, surely it has been the voice of the Black African nation in our country. It has served to make us hear what these artists are saying, where they’re coming from in the vernacular. In that respect, it is worthwhile.

But it is not music, nor can it ever be unless it’s put to a melody. Then, you might have something.

Here is a short romantic piano transcription, music by Bach, transcription by Busoni. It was originally written for harpsichord, and probably makes the purists cringe.. But the woman playing it is one of the most beautiful women on earth, and an extremely talented pianist. It’s worth watching it just to see her.

Listen at the 2.09 mark and what happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JZzAupJap0

Rap is interesting, but so is reality TV. It’s just that there is so much more in…….Music.

That was one of the most well thought-out posts I have ever seen on here.  Cool as shit.  But I still fucking hate Lil B. 

That was one of the most well thought-out posts I have ever seen on here.  Cool as shit.  But I still fucking hate Lil B. 

First off great write up, it was very informative and mostly true now let me add my opinion on where i stand on rap/hip hop etc

There is so many types of rap now in days that anyone can find atleast one artist that they enjoy listening too(we have gangsta rap,inspirational rap,dirty south rap, hardcore, acid rap,horrorcore, rapcore, etc.)

Music is based on taste and how you can relate to their lyrics  me for example i like eminem- because i can relate to being looked down on by rich people, and how you strive to make better out of situation and improve my life. favorite songs- i still don’t give a F##K, the way i am, til i collapse, if i had a millions dollars, above the law. I also like nas, dmx,method man and redman, tupac,biggie, jcole, royce the 5’9, some tech n9ne and various artist because i can relate to them in some way.

with that being said when i say he’s one of the worst people who attempted rap(a little overboard), i mean his style doesn’t fit me, just like i don’t like drake,lil wayne, 50 cent, because i don’t like their style it doesn;t fit me, now it may fit other people and thats fine, everyones different and entilted to their own opinion. same as basketball i don’t like lebron because of his attitude and sometimes immaturity but i respect his talent and would have no problem saying he’s the best sf of all time or player of all time if he reaches that status, while others will say there is no way he will ever reach that height, which is fine also because again everyone is different and entitled to their own opinion.

@Jazz To make things simple Rap is poetry with a beat… simple as that

First off great write up, it was very informative and mostly true now let me add my opinion on where i stand on rap/hip hop etc

There is so many types of rap now in days that anyone can find atleast one artist that they enjoy listening too(we have gangsta rap,inspirational rap,dirty south rap, hardcore, acid rap,horrorcore, rapcore, etc.)

Music is based on taste and how you can relate to their lyrics  me for example i like eminem- because i can relate to being looked down on by rich people, and how you strive to make better out of situation and improve my life. favorite songs- i still don’t give a F##K, the way i am, til i collapse, if i had a millions dollars, above the law. I also like nas, dmx,method man and redman, tupac,biggie, jcole, royce the 5’9, some tech n9ne and various artist because i can relate to them in some way.

with that being said when i say he’s one of the worst people who attempted rap(a little overboard), i mean his style doesn’t fit me, just like i don’t like drake,lil wayne, 50 cent, because i don’t like their style it doesn;t fit me, now it may fit other people and thats fine, everyones different and entilted to their own opinion. same as basketball i don’t like lebron because of his attitude and sometimes immaturity but i respect his talent and would have no problem saying he’s the best sf of all time or player of all time if he reaches that status, while others will say there is no way he will ever reach that height, which is fine also because again everyone is different and entitled to their own opinion.

@Jazz To make things simple Rap is poetry with a beat… simple as that

@Scottoant93

Yeah, I understand that. I even enjoy some of it. Some of it I find disgusting. I think the gansta rap with the implied violence disturbing and unintentionally funny, and the hate directed towards women unexcusable. I can’t listen to the stuff without retching, so I may be prejudiced.

Art doesn’t have to be uplifting, it can be dark and slimy for reasons only known to the performer.

Still, if I want to listen to poetry, I’d rather hear Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, Blake or Emily Dickinson instead of Nestea B ranting about f##king some b@tch and then killing her.Sheesh. Momma is turning over in her grave.

Think about it. If some rapper lays out a line about child molestation, does that make it right because it is artistic expression?  I have problems with the "Man" too, I was a product of the hippie generation and have many of the concerns our generation did about war. More government and more police? Naw.

Some of the rappers like the ‘hard’ image of a real bad man…..Give me a break. They wish.

@Scottoant93

Yeah, I understand that. I even enjoy some of it. Some of it I find disgusting. I think the gansta rap with the implied violence disturbing and unintentionally funny, and the hate directed towards women unexcusable. I can’t listen to the stuff without retching, so I may be prejudiced.

Art doesn’t have to be uplifting, it can be dark and slimy for reasons only known to the performer.

Still, if I want to listen to poetry, I’d rather hear Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, Blake or Emily Dickinson instead of Nestea B ranting about f##king some b@tch and then killing her.Sheesh. Momma is turning over in her grave.

Think about it. If some rapper lays out a line about child molestation, does that make it right because it is artistic expression?  I have problems with the "Man" too, I was a product of the hippie generation and have many of the concerns our generation did about war. More government and more police? Naw.

Some of the rappers like the ‘hard’ image of a real bad man…..Give me a break. They wish.

You can take my points…but you can never ever take my #BASE. I was going to change my name back to McDunkin but after this thread and all of the hate Lil B gets i dont think i ever will.

You can take my points…but you can never ever take my #BASE. I was going to change my name back to McDunkin but after this thread and all of the hate Lil B gets i dont think i ever will.

I understand what your saying Dymes but Im starting to think there is something going on with this Based God shiit. I always sorta thought there was something more to Lil B then just retarded songs, actions, dances, and interviews. How could anyone be that retarded right. Maybe it is true, or at least hopefully it is true. Lil B is playing the mainstream role through the underround and internet to gain fans and then hit them with the truth when the time is right. Even Kendrick lamar himself hinted this fact that Based God "has the same spirit as him, but is just going about it differently". This is also coming from someone who truely hated Lil B’s music, and honestly it is still extremely annoying to me. I never thought I would say this, and even now it hurts a bit…but…SWAG! SWAG! WOOP! WOOP! SWAG!

So basically his plan is to make everyone say #SWAG, #BASED, #WOOP on their twitters, facebooks, BBM’s, dancing in front of media outlets, and spreading the based idea. Then people who see these comments, and dances will look into it. It isnt a conspiracy theory like the Illuminati stuff, it isnt something people will be condemned for looking into, it is completely safe. As a social structure is built behind his ridiculous songs, and antics he slowly releases bits of positive messages, and sways his viewers away from negativity and violence. Then when all his viewers which ingeniously seems to be our youth have created a large enough group he will release his true messages in collaboration with people who supported him throughout his career such as Kendrick Lamar. I can honestly say I am all for it.

LISTEN TO BOTH SONGS THEN RE READ MY COMMENT

DUMBED DOWN LIL B

INTELLIGENT LIL B

Im not saying he is my favourite rapper, to be honest Im not really that attracted by the lyrical content of his "serious" songs. Although I fully support the Based movement and Based message Lil B provides.

Yeah, I agree with OhCanada

As he said, he’s not my favorite rapper and I have the "Based" thing on my name for fun but if you actually listen to his album "I’m Gay (I’m Happy)" you get to listen to an entirely different Lil B and not the "Swag like Wonton Soup!" guy.  Listen to the album and judge it because there is a more serious side of him that is overshadowed by his comical videos.

I agree OhCanada.

Lil B, as I have searched deeper into his craft, actually has talent when he gets down and starts to be a lil more serious.  His deep tracks are dope.  I think the bullsh*t songs he has made may have been a way to enter the stupid pure mainstream listeners.  If so, and i continue to see improvement over time, I will respect as a rapper, and a businessman even more. 

He could be a very wise dude…
Or he could be a complete dumbass, with a few deep songs.  The choice is his.  I guess that is Based.