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Does Today’s Music Suck? (Just Hearing vs. Really Listening)

Posted by NWSO • October 22, 2010 • Printer-friendly

Last week the good folks over at The Table of Truth invited me down to their mobile studio (aka a bar) to be a guest on their podcast show. The topic was the (sad) state of hip-hop. If you have some time (and headphones) feel free to CLICK HERE to listen to the discussion as myself, fellow guest The MarXman, and hosts Cam, Pope and Duane shared our brutally honest thoughts on what passes for music these days.

After listening to the broadcast earlier this week I wanted to bring the main topic to the NWSO family for an extended discussion. Basically, what happened to our music?

Like many of you, I grew up listening to hip-hop, even if I got into it later than most of my peers. The artists I grew up on not only spoke to me but for me. There was a message in the music and more to making a hit than a bangin’ beat and catchy hook. Yeah, we still had our ignorant and wack stuff back then too, but at least it was balanced out. And I’m not just talking about the rappers (I’m looking at you, WTFlocka) but the R&B artists, too.

There used to be beautiful crafted songs about making and being in love (i.e. Az Yet’s “Last Night,” Shai’s “If I Ever Fall In Love”) that were clever or at least thinly veiled innuendo (i.e. SWV’s “Downtown,” H-Town’s “Knockin’ the Boots”). Today, we got horny sangas that want to “beat it up.” (What kinda song is that, Trey?)

Clearly, something’s changed.

As I said during the podcast, I find myself hearing a lot of music but I don’t actually listen to a lot these days. Songs come out at such a frantic pace that it’s hard to keep up and they’ve just become so disposal. Aside from Kanye West, there aren’t many artists that actually move me anymore.

I’ve actually come to realize that the only thing I feel musically now is the music I grew up on. That’s not to sound like an angry old man but the music from my younger years marks certain moments in my life. I remember the song I almost lost my virginity to (Mad Cobra’s “Flex”), I remember doing the pepper seed at my prom to “Murder She Wrote,” I remember standing on line at the Wiz to buy Biggie’s Life After Death, I remember sitting on the back of the Q5 bus when I heard Funk Master Flex play Ghostface Killah’s “All That I Got is You” and almost shedding a tear.

Songs today? Not so much.

If you ask me what I was doing when any new song or album from the past few years came out I wouldn’t have a clue. If I had to guess, I was probably sitting at my desk, riding the train, writing or doing something more important than wasting brain cells on a song with half-ass lyrics, repetitive concepts and a so-so beat.

#KanyeShrug

Maybe it’s because I started working in the music industry and what I used to do for fun eventually became just part of the job. Maybe it’s because the music really just sucks. Or, maybe it’s because I got older and grew in a different direction than the culture.

Chances are, I’m not alone.

What do you think of the quality of today’s music? Was their more substance back in the days compared to now? Or, is that what the “old folks” always say about the music of the youth? Did you appreciate the subtly of sexual innuendo in “love songs” back in the day? Are you surprised by the graphic nature and crassness of today’s music? Was there just as much ignorance in the past as there is now? What current artists actually excite you now? What has changed for you and how you digest music? What do you think of the state of hip-hop and music in general?

Speak your piece…

Tagged as: Ghostface Killah, Kanye West, Mad Cobra, Music, Waka Flocka Flame

da ThRONe

Yes music sucks. Like most artforms when business because the driving force the art part takes a back seat and it becomes just a form.
http://t1anddrebone.blogspot.com T1theinfamous

I think that as a lot of us get older we become resistant to change. We're extremely resistant to change when it comes to music and because of this you wont hear my grandma bumping a Gucci Mane cd. For most people the best music in their life is basically from when they were 10 until about the age of 19 or 20. And before anyone tries to say I'm wrong about that just ask your parents what their favorite music is and I bet its all a bunch of stuff from when they were teens. With that said a lot of the music today is garbage. I can get past dudes rapping about the same thing over and over again and I can get past people wanting to make songs with dances attached to them but what I cant get past is rappers that don't even rhyme. That shit annoys me to no end because rhyming is kinda the whole point of rapping.
LilMissStrange

Its not just you, almost all music these days has gone to hades in a basket with gasoline draws.

I actually just finished talking to some folks about some old OLD Mariah Carey that I found and was jamming to. Granted, or sister soul girl Mariah left the reservation of quality and clothing a long time ago but it seems like everyone out today has gone so formula its nuts.

I find myself trying to listen to the radio and running to my iPod like someone cut off my air supply. Even the Alt. music is pathetic. The few bands/ groups that are decent, I usually wear their tracks out until something else worth its own salt comes out. Something seriously has gone awry in the music industry and Im hoping something will change soon.

But I would say to give a listen outside of the US for something different. Thats what Ive done and so far its not bad. Defamation of Strickland Banks by Plan B technically came out in April so its about time to rotate it out of my playlist but Im enjoying something thats isnt all about tits and ass for the moment.

(Lil Wayne, get right if your life.....)
carmool

Considering I have a birthday coming up on Sunday me and my girls are in my bed playing our "high school playlist" we all have a story for each song that comes on and sings along. If I switched to music of this era it will be background noise..MUSIC SUX NOW
http://mizChartreuse.com mizChartreuse

Lord, does music suck. For the love of all that is holy in this world, sane people should not listen to the radio lest they be driven to institutions. Insane people should avoid the radio as well.

It all really just disgusts and saddens me that *this* is what we've come to.

Maybe it is that we just love the music of our youth. If I could be stuck in a music time warp of solely late 90s R&B/pop music, I'd be in heaven. Brown sugar girl groups, cheesy pop acts, one-hit wonders and classic careers continued from the 80s like Whitney and Madonna.

Le sigh. I long for the days and fear for our kids singing pretty much any line from any Katy Perry song.
http://nwso.net/ NWSO

So, wait, let's go back and focus on the "me and my girls are in my bed playing..." I think myself and the fellas need to hear more about this.

LOL
http://twitter.com/deeny Deeny

Music has definately turned into a profit driven business. Not to say that record companies/artists weren't interested in making profits a few years ago, but I think that the internet and low sales play a major role in the fact the labels ar not willing to take risks on allowing artists to be creative and true to themselves. Just look at the state of R&B, prob the MOST personal and intimate genre of music we have......it's gone to sh*t. Emotion and truth over soul stirring music has become "club bangers" and orgy swinger "get ur f*ck on" music. With the exception of a few (Ne-Yo, Bey, etc.), everyone seems to take the easy way out with shock value and crass song titles which has taken the place of meaningful lyrics and hypnotic melodies. I mean, what happened to groups? There are no groups! Why? Too many ppl to split small royalty checks with.
Preachthecomedian

I concur
let's explore that deeply and with pictures
Preachthecomedian

I rep the queen city Charlotte nc and I gotta say I hate the 3rd generation southern artist out now with a couple of exclusions(wacka flocka flame, Roscoe dash..love or hate the songs do bang hard)... I miss the days of UGK, Outkast , Goodie MOB, 8 ball and MJG... The music that spoke to my hood and was banging out of cutlass and caprices ... The early No Limit and Mystikal...I had ALL the Bone Thug albums..even the demo tape. Lol..hell I miss buying tapes and records
luck we got a store that still sells LP of all the old and news stuff... But look at the bright side soon there will be a hip hop oldies station
Quark

I think there are a few decent artists and tunes being put out- you just have to try alot harder to find them! The problem isn't that some great hip-hop isn't still being created- its just not promoted and picked up at the same rate as all the crap.

For example Dead Prez's latest mixtape has some good beats and an important message. I went to see them in DC last month and they tore the place down. There's also some unique stuff coming out of the black-London music scene too.
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

That pin pretty much says it all for me. I've been open to different hip-hop artists and I can genuinely say that overall, music nowadays is absolute garbage.

I mean really, for the love of god..... Waka Flocka Flame? Really?

*quits Earth*
Rastaman

I have been around long enough to have seen all of hip hop and while it is not my first love as a music genre, I am intimate with it enough to be familiar with most of the trends over the last 4 decades. I cannot really make a judgment as to whether the whole genre "sucks" because I don't listen to music like I used to, I hear some of these artist names but I can't really tell you what they create. With that being said, I am also old enough to have heard the same old tired lament about the demise of popular music. Truth is pop music is made for teenagers, so the further you retreat from your teen years the more likely you gonna enjoy the most popular/played records less.

The pinnacle of hip hop in most of us minds is probably the mid to late 90s: Big, Pac, Dre, Snoop, Fugees, Jigga alway to Eminem. But I was grown enough even then to hear people deride the songs back then has mindless drabble. Dionne Warwick, C Delores Tucker and the anti gangsta rap crowd was telling us it was the end of civilization as we know it. Lots of "experts" proclaimed the music and the culture as banal then.

I like Lupe Fiasco and the Roots and based on some of the stuff I hear from folks like that it leads me to believe that there is still a lot of good music being made out here but it is not being played on the radio or widely marketed or distributed. I think the issue we are responding to is not the music but the music business. One where short term profitability is suppressing good art. Which strikes me as reasonable because our whole culture is now about quantity rather than quality. It is reflected in our music, our movies, our food and our politics. We the audience are no longer given an opportunity to decide if we like a song or an artist we are being told that we should like them and buy their stuff and I think on a another level our distaste is with what we are being offered not necessarily what is being made.
http://www.thetableoftruth.com The Table of Truth

Man, Wocka Fawkin Flocka. That's all i got to say. After watching the BET Top 10 in the 21st Century, I think I have to officially let my hatred of music today and move on. It's been a fun ride! Thanks NWSO for rockin w/ us on the podcast! -cam
superwoman

ha ha ha ha ha, stop yourself!! this is why we love men! the pure hilarious foolishness!!! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
Preachthecomedian

Now some of the problem is the "east coast" elitism...hip hop wasn't dead or wack as long as the NYC was running it ..but everytime hip hop went elsewhere there was a issue...happened with the West coast , mid west, Miami , dirty south or where ever
Southern Poise

I don't think that was the Topic of discussion... Save that for Wet Wednesday's. lol
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

I beg to differ. I'm from New York City, and we bang(ed) everything on our radios - Snoop, Dre, Scarface, Xzibit, Mystikal, OutKast, 8Ball & MJG, etc. The radio stations played it, and me & my siblings happily bought it.

Anyone else from New York City out there who agrees with me?
Shannon

There used to be a time when music was music and something you enjoyed listening to; now it seems like every other song is about fucking, selling dope, smoking, drinking, or crime. Whatever happened to the music that sent a message, a real message? "A Song for Mama," "Dear Mama," "Keep Ya Head Up," hell, even Too Short's "The Ghetto" had something of a message in it, even if all he did was tell the story about life in the ghetto. It wasn't about shooting someone because of where they live or what colors they were wearing, but just...hell in the ghetto. Even Nelly's "Otha Side" had a good message for gangbanging kids.

Music in my day...I grew up in the seventies, probably like most of you and Al Green, Isley Brothers, Teddy Pendergrass and Heatwave played constantly--I firmly believe it was why I ended up with so many siblings--and then in the eighties and nineties, the music got better, but it got even more sexual because it was right there. As time progressed, it got even more right-in-your-face with Az Yet, "Last Night." I remember once when I was at work listening to my MP3 player and this song was playing and my patient picked up the headphones and listened to what I felt was normal music, he threw them down and said, "My God, this is what passes for music these days? In my day, that is something that would never be heard or said even in a doctor's office. Now it's right in the music; no wonder so many young people are sexually active so soon and having babies," and went off to listen to his big band music and his favorite The Ink Spots, "If I Didn't Care." I thought he was kind of blowing things out of proportion, but then I thought, maybe he has a point. There is an awful lot of sex and crime in the media today, but even more so in the music. I think it's like that because crime, sex and thugging sells, I think. Not all music is like that because Eminem doesn't put out a lot about that, I don't think.

My children listen to Hollywood Undead, Papa Roach, Insane Clown Posse and some others singing about killing people in their sleep and torturing them and I just think WTF?! This is music?! But then I remember UGK's "Tell Me Something Good," NWA's well...everything, Easy E and all of those artists and the kind of music that I listened to at there age. Hip hop sells, I guess, because there are so many rappers and wannabe rappers out there. I do think we've gone from one extreme to the other with it, though.
Preachthecomedian

That may be true. But to alot of us outside NYC it seemed like the south was gettin blamed for music being wack or hip hop being dead. Alot the artists and scores of their fans felt or feel that way.. Seen it heard it read it everything a dumb argument but one nonetheless
Cj

I think music today is all the same. Nobody says anything worth hearing or enjoying. I am only 22 and I can see that the state of music is just getting worse by the day. Kanye is fun to hear. I looove Jill Scott. I wish Lauryn Hill would come back.I think John Legends new CD is great. He took a step out of the box. Nobody seems to be having any fun anymore. If you want to seel records you have to come with the same WACK music that the next person is playing. These artist actually have the nerve to get up on stage sounding worse thatn their actual record sounds, and act like they did something. If you want to hear good music then stop listening to the radio. 9 times out of 10 the music is wack.
AD

Hey NWSO Fam...been busy but got time to comment. I was JUST listening to a couple of 90's artist. Ya'll remember Tracy Spencer, Brownstone, Chantay Savage, and Soul 4 Real? Luv the music from 90's.

As a Karate Expert, I feel music has change. I mean over time things change to fit what is popular or in high demand. And right now, Flaka, Rick Ross, Drake, Beyonce, Trey Songz, and Willow Smith are what's hot. Does it suck? I would say the beats and instrumental of some of the songs is on point but the substance of the music does sucks. So for now my routine will stay the same....listening to my 90's music collection and stations with soft rock/80's music (Huge fan of Journey!). But every now and then I will briefly come out from under my 90's music rock and Dougie while I do it wit no hands!!

AD
bogart4017

What i miss most is real musicians playing real instruments. Now we got unemployed stock boys playing with computers and autotunes. On occasion you'll have something good squeak through--like Sharon Jones and the dap kings or even Raphael Saddiq and dthings pick up some. But after following music for almost 50 years i'd have to say this is the most fallow period in music ever.
The Duchess

I agree with Spinster! I am from Manhattan & we bumped EVERYTHING!!!

Preach- I think the reason many people may blame the South(Atlanta) for the current state of hip hop is because it seems as though these WACK ASS rappers are glorified! I have a LONG list wack rappers that get played on the radio stations here & are praised for their wack tracks.. Gucci Mane, Wacka Flocka(From NY), Soulja Boy, Shawty lo, etc.. I have to admit, I LOVE Jeezy & I respect T.I.
NOW, the NYC has some wack ass rappers too BUT their tracks wouldn't get as much air play as a Jay-Z, Nas track etc. They would be one hit wonders & keep it moving to next hot song..
Wack NY rappers.. Lil Mama(lol), Dipset (Juelz Santana, Jim Jones), Mimz, & the list goes on..
Lyndon

Music is fine.

R&B is just fine, just under another title- NEO SOUL. Will Downing for the lovers. Rhianna/ Pink for the psycho-chicks. Nikki Minaj for the lost and confused. Bun B for the laid back southerners. Drake for the "good guys" with an Alpha complex. ET...

And as I get older I'm expanding. I really think the best writers are in genres that I didn't listen to coming up. Been listening to Coldplay, Radiohead, John Mayer etc. They actually write some of the best shit.

Music is fine though, there's something for everybody. Now what's on the radio is a different story.
Distinguished Gentlewoman

Let's be honest folks, music today SUCKS so badly, I've now resorted to listening to the oldies station CBS-FM. Music back in the day had a style and substance that is missing from every genre of music nowadays. I remember back in the day when I used to have my notebook of lyrics where me and my friends would write down the words to our favorite rap songs and compare notes during lunch period. Dang, I knew the words to "The Message"—that was my song. I just downloaded it onto my iPod and am amazed that I still remember the words— and "White Lines" like I knew the back of my hands. LL's "I Need Love" and "Monie in the Middle." Biggie, Snoop. KC and Jojo. Mary circa What's the 411 and My Life. Gosh, I could go on for days. Even rock music is not the same as it used to be. U2 was the ish back in the days. You couldn't tell me anything negative about Bono and the Edge. Now? I couldn't tell you the last time I really listened to the crap that U2 is putting out these days.

I can't honestly say that I really—I mean REALLY—listen to today's music. Yes, there are a few exceptions (Ne-Yo, Keyshia Cole, the Roots...), but for the most part it goes in one ear and out the other. I mean, how many times can you say, "One nation under God," in a song before people start tuning you out?
TeeMa

Music does suck, big time, i grow up listening to Biggie, Tupac, Wu-Tang clan, Method Man, Mary J and now i like kanye, jay, wale, common, lupe fiasco and the list goes on but you get where i'm going. I'm tired of listen to songs like soulja boy and waka flocka flame and all those other wanna be rappers, I don't even consider them rappers or there music to be hip hop, they are pop artist, they don't say shit and when they do they sound stupid as hell. I like all different types of music but hip hop is and always well be my favorite, like i don't listen to the radio any more cause all they do is play that wack shit and i dont watch videos anymore unless its Kanye LoL because all the rest of them are boring or i've seen it a million times.
Jaclyn

I know we got spoiled and didnt even know it. Such artis like Ghostface, Raphadel Saadic, MosDef, Floetry, Lauran Hill and on an on. I find myself telling my daughter all the time "man radio sucks now!" So i'm constantly on heavy rotation w/my ipod. My daughter is 12 and even she tells me how much she enjoys the music i have from the late 80s, 90s and even some from the early 00s It just seems to get worse and worse and all that matters is the hook. I'm a big beats person so some of the beats are ok but man listen to the lyrics and it just kills the whole vibe. The writer is def right what happen to the mix in music. So i agree that UM yes we're not old and YES your music really does SUCK! Lol

I will say this though; the biggest problem is that the underground hiphop scene isnt being focused on and there’re some great artists. Such as Jean Grae a great lyricist w/a beautiful voice to match. Reminds me of Lauran Hill and Jean’s beats really take you back.
Southern Poise

I can't even turn the radio on in my car with my kids in it. Every song has sexually explicit lyrics, even the milder, tone down ones, ultimately spell out sex. And then they add these catchy tunes to it, sometimes sound kid-friendly, but then once you hear the lyrics, you're like WTH??? (SAY AHHHHH) **EVEN THOUGH THAT DOES BANG IN THE CLUB LOL ( Where it should remain, not the radio) in ear shot of young impressionable minds, even though half the time they(the kids) don't even know what they're are singing. But it's always disturbing when you hear them sing. I try to shelter my kids from music today as much as possible, but it's hard when they have friends, computer, Ipod/mp3 players. And then trying to explain to your 9 year old daughter, what's wrong with

'Come here Rude boy, boy
Can you get it up
Come here
Rude boy, boy
Is you big enough' (again, ANOTHER BANGER IN THE CLUB)

is not an easy task. And try explain (gimme that Becky, and who the hell is Becky?? lol)

Bottom line, Hip-hop and RB has no real content today. It doesn't make you feel. It's only focus is to make a hit banger in the club.
The Duchess

I must admit.. NO ONE can do "booty popping" music like the south! Get your cardio ON gurl
Preachthecomedian

Uncle Luke is one of the greatest.... His songs can turn a funeral into A strip club... Lil jon is that get hype and UGK will have u ready to do work in the streets..I don't care how Many degrees u got pump that UGK Murder ..u fifer who u are for a second....lol
Candace

I agree with you! I think it's because those songs have sentimental memories attached to them that the become our favorites.

But classic are classics for a reason. I was 5 when Marvin Gaye died but I am sorry I haven't found a song that can beat Let's get it on in its category.

But also I find that music nowadays is less and less about content. The lyrics are mostly empty, no message, inspiration, the lyrics is not well written....as well we hear too much insanities and foul langage in music nowadays.

Rapping was kind of the child of poetry, music and social revendication...it's seems more a mix of foul langage, social degradation and depravation now...still some beats are good..it's rather sad
The Duchess

UGK... Boy o Boy! They are the TRUE Underground Kings!!!!
http://www.jobsfornaija.com jumoke

i love the classics! todays music really does suck. Everything is all about nudity now
Distinguished Gentlewoman

You, said it best, Jaclyn. We did get spoiled and didn't even know it. Oh, so true. But at least we have stories to tell. Wonderful stories.
http://mixgrind.com black

Guess I'm different. I actually like todays music. I from ny but I don't listen to typical ny music I listen to southern artist mostly I'm not into all that lyrical crap. I wanna hear something to get me hype, or make me laugh. I can't listen to the whackness that everyone seems to love Drake is horrible people.
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

Yep, what The Duchess said.
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

Pretty much. One is better off finding good music on the internet, like iTunes or Project Playlist or etc.
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

Fallow indeed.
R.e.D

Perhaps Kanye is just over my head, but for the life of me I cannot figure out why people are so obsessed with that guy. Is he really THAT talented?? Sometimes I feel like he tries to be so 'deep' in his videos etc, but then it just ends up making no sense. Maybe I am shallow.
Not a big hip hop fan. In terms of secular music, R&B singers like Jill Scott, Luther Vandross, Patti Labelle are on my playlist. Reggae definitely. Flex was and still is one of the most sensual reggae songs ever made. Too many memories with that one..
R.e.D

the gravatar worked!!!! wow, look at that... I thought maybe it was TOO sexy, seeing I am not actually like this in reality, but I'm maybe over-reacting..
The Duchess

Nikki Minaj for the lost and confused<-- LMAO.. Her whole rap style gives me a headache
QuoteMan

When we say music sucks, do we mean all genre of music or just hip-hop? B/c if you do have “nigga ears” then to you music is as despicable as it is disgraceful. If that’s the case, then now maybe a good a time as ever to give other genre of music a listen. Honestly, I can’t see my life without music. I love great music and great music has no genre. Indie rock and alternate rock do it for me.

Don't get me wrong, I love hip hop just as much as any kid from Brooklyn, but that wasn’t the only music I knew. Today, whenever I feel nostalgia for some rap, I hit my old collections for stuff like illmatic, reasonable doubt, ready to die etc. Try as you might, but you’d be hard press to find any rapper today who is capable crafting an album of this nature, maybe Jay Electronica. His music is probably the closest thing in capturing the feeling that I once had …………

Biggie is turning in his grave right now. B.I.G forever, pound for pound the best that ever did it, Brooklyn!!!!!!!
QuoteMan

".............Been listening to Coldplay, Radiohead, John Mayer etc. They actually write some of the best shit"

I’ll drink to that; I’ll throw Kings of Leon in the mix as well.
QuoteMan

True indeed, New York, we didn’t gas our wack ass rappers…………
preachthecomedian

But the problem still is when its the Souths turn theres an influx of wack rappers. or when it was the West coast, Houston, Mid west there was an influx of bamma's ... Really NY has had some ridiculous rappers as well. We "gas" ours because you HAVE to respect the grind and the hustle...When the major labels up top didn't wanna sign us we started our own labels , got show money off mixtapes and went ahead.... Take anybody you don't like and its real..Soulja Boy im not a fan off but the kid makes great beats and is really a genuis for getting signed the way he did...Wacka Flocka, OJ the juiceman, Gucci..all these cats saw money.. I mean for some people hip hop and music is a way of life..for others its business.. You can be dope on the corner near the bodega but can you make songs..make a good record.. as the king Bun B said so well " How can you be mad at young kids getting off the street making money with this music?"

P.S. Andre 300 is the greatest rapper of all time... put his best verse up against anybodys and he wins HANDS DOWN
preachthecomedian

thats why i watch her videos with the sound off...
preachthecomedian

but let me ask this When there is someone dope why dont they sell.
Canibus is dope but he can't sell free cocaine right now....
QuoteMan

I contest that, in your opinion gimmie his best verse, I’ll give you any of Biggie’s or Jay’s and let’s see what’s what. Lol
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

I wouldn't say that Andree 3000 is THE best. He is definitely one of the top, though.

And yep, what QuoteMan said too.
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

Been playing The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" and Coldplay's "Clocks" all day. Yes, you can now renew my ghetto pass.
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

What, you mean you don't like Waka's "Oh Let's Do It", otherwise known as OhLEHDoIt?
The Duchess

Preach- I thought we were referring to lyrics... Soulja boy's lyrics are & will always be GARBAGE!! Why promote garbage especially when they are representing your city???

Example of a wack rapper that makes hot beats is the Ron Brownz dude.. He was OK until he wanted to come out spitting his own "hot fire" and it was hardly so & it was on to the next.. Diddy is a HOT producer but is WACK in the lyric dept.
Preachthecomedian

ONE OF MY FAVORITE VERSES
Royal Flush

[Andre 3000]
Styles will change. They say change is dang-erous
As a King standing on the terrace
While his partner pointing up at the riflemen
Coward shooter, never know when your life will end
Then live like there ain't no 'morrow
And if one come then this the motto
Now I put message in bottle
You go to the nearest beach and open your car door
And walk to the place where the sea meets the land
Yeah, it's easier to run the street than walk in the sand
Hey, I'm talking young man. As if chalk in my hand
I will take y'all little ass to school
It's cool when the kids call me Sunny, the hood calls me Stacks
The B's call me honey, Hollywood calls me back
Crack and I have a lot in common
We both come up in the 80's and we keep that bass pumping
That's a nega-tive comparison, embarrassing
Unfortunate that if you come up fortunate the streets consider you lame
Ha, I thought the name of the game was to have a better life. I guess it ain't. What a shame
I don't slang. Never slung but I'm one with the slum that has a name well fitting
Plenty cheese getting. No wonder why they call it the trap
So watch your tail and I'm not kidding
The rats and mice will give advice, they say, "you can paint and draw
Get out of here. Go show them that we're more than slanging raw."
That's when I broke into my Big Rube impression
And I tried to enlighten but that night I learned a lesson
That the morals that you think you got go out the window
When all the other kids are fresh and they got new Nintendo Wiis
And your child is down on her knees praying hard up to God for a whopper with cheese
Do you B) hit the street hard with a flair
Or do you A) go to school for heating and air?
Dare make an honest living or make a crooked killing
Or do a bit of both until you're holding on a million?
Brilliant. You got one foot in, one foot out
You put your left foot back in and then you shake it all about
You do the hokey pokey til you turn your life around
That's what it's all about. 3000 out
The Duchess

LMAO!! I can't front.. I like Gucci Mane's ignant ass LOL
The Duchess

LMAO @ free cocaine!!! I could name countless rap groups and rappers that are HOT but just aren't making it in this game. The Clipse, Mobb Deep..
The Duchess

Drake is a tad corny but he is an upcoming lyricist.. His flows are getting better but as you mentioned, you don't care for the lyrics, you like the beats & the made up words in the songs.. LOL!
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

I can't front - I like ignorant music sometimes too - Lil Wayne, Plies, etc. (Don't judge me too hard, y'all.) But I take it for what it is - dumb mindless shit. The music is still utter garbage and I agree with the poster who said that our generation was spoiled by good music. This shit that's out now can easily be done without.

OhLehDoIt.
lesismore

it sucks *and* it sounds premature...like everyone has a lil' beiber in them or something
Lyndon

Clocks.... Yes Yes
Lyndon

"Try as you might, but you’d be hard press to find any rapper today who is capable crafting an album of this nature"

Wanna bet? You may not agree, but Young Jeezy might have done it already. Yep. I said it. I know dude sticks to the same subject matter, but he delivered a classic. Second to not too many.
Lyndon

IMO, the answer is shallow as fk. If you can't dance to it, it won't do Nelly numbers. And it don't hurt to appeal to the female audience. You do know who actually buys albums. Black men don't buy cd's, but we do determine what's legit- not good, but good music. We determine what's classic. If we only went to the record store... or stayed outta jail, whichever comes first.

Im a Scarface & Raekwon dude. They may never crack 1 mil.
QuoteMan

Good shit, homie, I’m a fair dude so Imma try not to touch anything from reasonable doubt and if possible nothing from the 90’s. Just his average. Lol.

It's the dynasty intro, walk with me ...........

The theme song to the sopranos
plays in the key of life on my mental piano
Got a strange way of seein' life like
I'm Stevie Wonder with beads under the du-rag
Intuition is there even when my vision is impaired
Knowin' I can go, just switchin' a spare
On the highway of life, n*gga it's sharp in my sight
Oh! Keen senses ever since I was a teen on the benches
everytime somebody like Enus was mentioned
I would turn green, me, bein' in the trenches
Him, livin' adventureous not worryin' about expenditures
I'm bravin' temperatures below zero, no hero
No father figure, you gotta pardon a n*gga
But I'm starvin' my n*ggaz, and the weight loss in my figures
is startin' to darken my heart, about to get to my liver
Watch it my n*ggaz, I'm tryin' to be calm but I'm gonna get richer
through any means, with that thing that Malcolm palmed in the picture
Never read the Qu'ran or Islamic scriptures
Only psalms I read was on the arms of my n*ggaz
Tattooed so I carry on like I'm non-religious
Clap whoever stand between Shawn and figures
N*ggaz, say it's the dawn but I'm superstitious
Shit is as dark as it's been, nothin' is goin as you predicted
I move with biscuits, stop the hearts of n*ggaz actin too suspicious
This is food for thought, you do the dishes

"Intuition is there even when my vision is impaired
Knowin' I can go, just switchin' a spare
On the highway of life............."

Need I say more, take a moment and give it a thought for a second. Lol
QuoteMan

Are you for real, Jeezy? Over the years, I’ve heard a lot of funny stuff, but this is right up there………… lol
http://twitter.com/#!/Schiffon Schiffon

I know that the best music of my lifetime is already behind me.
Preachthecomedian

OK OK i see we got a battle
here's something else

Lyrics to The Art Of Storytellin Part 4 :
(Feat. Outkast, Marsha Ambrosius)

Enemy... (enemy...)

[Andre 3000:]
Verse One:
So I'm watchin' her fine ass
Walked to my bedroom, and thought to myself
That's the shape of things to come
She said, "Why you in the club, and you don't make it precipitate?
You know, make it rain when you can make it thunderstorm"
I'm like, "Why? "
The world needs sun
The hood needs funds
There's a war going on and half the battle is guns
How dare I throw it on the floor
When people are poor
So I write like Edgar Allen to restore, got a cord? [?]
Umbilical attached to a place they can't afford
No landscaping, Or window draping
This old lady told me,
"If I ain't got nothin' good, say nathing"
That's why I don't talk much
I swear it don't cost much, to pay attention to me
I tell like it is, and I tell it how it could be
The hood be
Requesting my services, Oh don't get nervous it's
Step yo game up time, These ain't them same old rhymes
Designed to have you dancin' in some club
Niggas write to me
Woman be up in they tub
Expoliating with hey pom poms
Yellin' "GO 3000! "
I'm in my whatever bumpin' what?
A 100 miles in
Runnin' Runnin' Runnin' Runnin'
Summon
Woman
Come in
Sit down, heard you need some plumbing
Done and
I'm in
A swell mood
A rather swoll mood
Until she told me that she told (?)
That's she'll be back, she's going to the store
I didn't know she had a boyfriend, so the door
I pointed her too
I said, "Call me when ya'll break up
I don't fuck nobody bitch"
And never only Jacob, know what time it is
Nigga just tryin' to live
Like a Nigga suppose to live
If I still drink that malt liquor
I pour that beer
On the ground for niggas not around
I started out starvin'
Now they got me out here Brett Farve'n
Try'n to see if I still got it... (got it...)
I guess it's like the right thing about it... ('bout it...)
QuoteMan

Gimmie something deeper, homie, I’m only scratchin’ the surface…………

There's been a murder (3rd verse)

See, my life is like a see-saw
And until I move, this weight it's gonna keep me to the floor
Travel with me through my deep thoughts
Y'all can't learn Jigga by the shit y'all be readin’ in The Source;
It's deeper of course
Follow the life of this reckless minor
At 16 in the 600, unlicensed driver
Playin’ cops and robbers, like shots can't stop us
Flippin’ a bird to the choppers
Buck-thirty on the turns
Reckless abandon, when I'm standin’ on this pedal
Hand on my metal, minus all this time they tryin’ to give me
Lord help me, all I ever wanted to be was wealthy or
somebody to tell me that they felt me
I tried to play the hand you dealt me
but you gave me five funnies and shit
I was hungry I need menage money
Nothin’ less than a 520; and with that said
back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is dead
Lola

Biggie is overated!!!

*please don't shoot me!!! <----in my lil girl voice
Lola

but, only as a "Karate Expert"!! )
Webb

For every generation, there's a mass of people before them saying that their music was better.
preachthecomedian

Outkast in due time
[Andre Benjamin]
Who said good folks is not supposed to die
The same {nigga} that said {niggaz} is not supposed to cry
United States giving out milk and cheese to pacify
I'm sure they got a cure for A.I.D.S. but yet it's classified
You wonder why I spit the truth and not to make no dough
To make a difference fo' this {motherfucker} up and blow
in pieces, I could think of many reasons
Only when {shit} is goin bad you want to holla Jesus
I pledge allegiance, they got my knuckles bleedin
From crawling , got these {niggaz} thinkin they really ballin
when they isn't, don't take my word, there's {niggaz} off in prison
that will tell you, that's locked up for long time and won't sell you
no flex, so congregation will turn you text,
To the book of OutKast, chapter two, verse one
The first one that feel me, jump up and make a joyful noise
You'se OutKasted; meanin, you now have a choice like that
journeytowifey

i sooooo agree......i dont get older women lovin' dem some trey, he reminds me of my nephew, aint nothing trey singin 'bout that gets me going
not just hip hop, r&b died too
da ThRONe

Cant believe I missed the hip hop discussion. Got my one comment in there.
Webb

I'm in the queen city area as well and I have to admit, yeh Waka's music can go hard but...I cant show him too much love because the guy is a total idiot. But I will rep J.Cole. He's got some serious flow and he's from my home town Fayetteville so I have to show him love. You should check out his song Rags to riches - If you haven't heard it.
Oh and I love Bone thugs
Womanofyr

Yes it's just not happy music now. It's about women being gold diggers and men cheating.

Instead of dreaming about endless love-- songs dreaming about outsmarting or dumping someone they hate (or just being validated against that person). That's not a dream, it's a nightmare situation.
Womanofyr

Actually, I haven't been listening much in the last 10 years.
http://nwso.net/ NWSO

Yeah, it worked although could be cropped a lil tighter so the head makes it into frame. but it's better than nothing. ha!
Miss Conception

So i am looking through and find that no one mentioned one rapper today that is good. I mean from today. Or an artist. I hate to say it, but if you listen to the rappers and singers that aren't played alot, you would be surprised what you find. Have any of you heard of Janelle Monae? She is actually considered as today's Janis Joplin. How many R&B artist from the 90's can you think of who were real artist? You know: has your own band and directs them, sings, produces own music, and has own record label? Get back to me with that. I'd love to hear your response. Also, I don't know if any of you know Lupe Fiasco, but put his lyrics to many rappers and you will see he doesn't say many ignorant things. And what the fuck about Kanye? yeah he is a good producer, but his lyrics are so overrated. I'd hate to say it, but Kanye will never speak to me. End of story.
The Duchess

LMAO!! I TOTALLY agree with you!!
The Duchess

Jeezy's flow on the remix of Shawty Lo's Dey Know..

I'm in my cool whip insides jello
Hop up out that pretty muthafucka like hello(hello)hello
Ladies how you doin
Dat nigga crazy girl don't say nothin 2 em(haha)
Dey know dey know got white low low
Rob who? Take What? (gun cocks) hello
They know I give a fuck about them haterz(nope)
Young jizzle been gettin paper(yeeeaaaahhh)
Granite? wheels on da coup like savors
Hit da club with 20 brawdz like flavor
I'm on da top floor(floor) no neighbors
Who u kiddin I get my 87's tailored

LMAO!
QuoteMan

I held all my aces, in hope that you’d gimmie somethin’ introspective, but so far – not exactly. You realized I haven’t touch anything from his 1st. 3 albums, which I believed to be his best body of work until Blueprint 1. So I’m callin’ it quits.

Give credit where due, not for nothin’ Andre is a great artist. Aquemini is in my top 10 rap albums of all time. He’s mos def one of the greatest lyricist, if not the greatest to hail from the south. But to have him as the greatest of all time is inaccurate.

I guess it’s a matter of preference …………

You didn’t think I was goin’ to end without throwin’ in a verse, right.

Pray (3rd verse)

Anywhere there's oppression the drug profession
Flourishes like beverages, refreshin’
Sweet taste of sin
Everythin’ I've seen made me everythin’ I am
Bad drug dealer or I victim, I beg
What came first, movin’ chickens or the egg?
This is why I be so fresh, I'm tryin’ to beat life
Because I can't cheat death
Treat shame like shamelessness
Aim, stainless at anuses
You know the game this is
Move coke like Pepsi
Don't matter what the brand name is
I stand behind mine
Everythin’ I do, I'm a man behind mine
I'm not an angel, I'm sure
But every night before I lay
I drop my knees to the floor and I pray
QuoteMan

“Am I a part of the cure?
Or am I part of the disease? - clocks"

I mean how thought-provoking that is
http://spinsterscompass.wordpress.com Spinster

Absolutely. Makes a lightbulb go off in one's mind.

And don't forget The Verve, Bittersweet Symphony:

'Cause it's just a bittersweet symphone, this life.
Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die.
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet, yeah.

(next verse)
Well I never pray, but tonight I'm on my knees, yeah.
I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah.
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now.
But the airways are clean and there's nobody singing to me now.

(This song is also my ringer.)

Oh sorry, this was supposed to be about rap & hip-hop. Lemme go renew my low-class ghetto ass ghetto pass.
QuoteMan

Spinster, it’s official our ghetto pass has been revoked. Lol
But that’s OK, can’t help it, great music has no genre.
preachthecomedian

That being the case all the verses are exactly the same with Jay. None of what you gave has even touched Andre 3000 . Because if we really talking about it i'll put Andre 3000, UGK, Em and Beanie Siegal ahead of Jay. Its all been the same rhyme just different songs. thats just MY prefrence though
Murder by UGK (not their best song but not much rides harder than this Bun b had the best verse)

Verse Two: {Bun-B}

Well this Bun-B bitch and I'm the king
I'm movin' chickens got 'em finger lickin'
Stickin' nigga's who be trippin'
You need a swift kickin' yo azz is right for the pickin'
Now down as my pocket's stickin'
I be thinkin' nigga's slippin' you sick
When I be clickin' now take a look at the
Bigger nigga Marl liquor swigger
Playa hata ditch digger figure
My hair trigger you bound one hot one in yo liver
You shiver shake and quiver
I'm free from nigga you wetter den a river
For what it's worth it's suburblous some nigga's doin' dirt
Fuck her first and take off her skirt
Make the pussy hurt Mister Master
Hit the Swisha faster then you keep a
Blister bastard fuck her sister faster
Hit the elbro for sale yo
Brother better have my mail hoe
Before I catch a murder case and go to jail hoe
Hell no, time to bail hit the trail so
We can sell mo fuckin' yell get the scale
No other bullet duck or get shoved
Inside this game they better buck us
Cuz the clucker's they love us
Make them class dick suckers
Check they jelly like smoker's
I hit like nun-chuckers
Cuz Short Texas bring the rukus
This for my muthfucker's
Cookin' cheese to crooked geez
Rockin' up quarter key's
Just to get the hook with ease
Wanna bee's get on yo knee's
Fill the squeeze from them HK one three's
>From here to over sea's
We do what we please
No trip cuz we flip
Light up a dip
I'm breakin' 'em off from they hip to yo lip
Go ask that boy Skip
That nigga Bun rip
With one clip, soon as the gun slip
Now I done ripped out my Barile
Flyin' through yo belly belly and
Some smelly red jelly is drippin' out of ya belly
Servin' 'em like a Deli jumped on my cellular telli
Hoe sell it like it's goin' out of style
You can't see me Marcus so have a
Motherfuckin' Sweet and smile
preachthecomedian

Im a HUGE Joe Budden fan but he do his thing... but judging by the girlfriends he has had hes not hurting
preachthecomedian

The Clipse are the shit.. ive been on them since they came out in '02
The Duchess

Nothing wrong with having musical ears.. Real music is not specific to any one genre.
The Duchess

OH I FORGOT to add Joe Budden's to my wack ass NY rapper list.. Thx for reminding me
http://www.nwso.net NWSO

#Fail

You can't add someone from NEW JERSEY on a NY list. SMH!
Especially someone dope, but that's the least of your issues here. lol
God’s Gift

I love Kings of Leon!
R.e.D

That's as tight as it allowed me to crop the image. I either had to leave a piece of the head out or a part of the feet out. So I chose to show the legs. Maybe I will change it again, but thx.

Today's piece was very disheartening, couldn't even bring myself to watch the videos. The topic reminds me of certain episodes of 'The Wire.'
Shelli

As the mother of two teen age girls I always find myself looking sideways at the "tunes" I hear coming out of their rooms. Like me they have a definite love for music but I'm always "shakin my head" because they are being cheated by the crap that's being served to them in the name of "musical genius". I see now we're in the "stripper age" What does that say about a man whose claim to fame is that he goes to the strip club and makes it rain? Really? That's it? I've always shared a diverse love for music, but see no longevity in rap. It's vulgar and vulgar music will be remembered for being vulgar. Not for the "statement" There are those who are prolific and have flow but for the most part it's crap. But consider this, we, I used to spend my last $5 for an album. My children have little intention in "buying" music, not when they can get it free with mix tape websites and frostwire. You get what you pay for, lol!
http://nwso.net Gemini

I'm with you Shannon...Blue Magic, Eddie Kendricks (song: Intimate Friends)Harold Melvin, Frankie Beverly and so many others. Real music. I made sure my children listened to the original love songs. The 70's music really took you there.
Missy

Yes it sucks. I'm 19 and I pretty much hate every mainstream hip hop or pop song out there. I only "like" it at parties and that's only if I'm under the influence of some mind altering substance. I'm a music fiend so it really bugs me when people are so wrapped up in crappy music with crappy lyrics and crappy beats when there is so much underground talent out there.
Young, Giftend and Black

Ditto. What's out today can't touch what I came up on, but what I came up on can't even see the stuff in the late 60s & 70s.
http://www.naughtyinkpress.com MelodiR

I wholeheartedly agree. My oldest is 13 yrs old and we dont listen to the local radio in the car, we listen to to satellite, usually Heart and Soul..and at home, he is You Tubin MJ and lovin Eric Benet and many other 90s artists and songs that I let him hear. He LOVES Mint Condition (as do I) We are music lovers in the family.

Jazmine Sullivan is very promising as is Chrisette Michelle. But it does seem like good music is needle in haystack these days...
hi

Most music today sucks, but there are some artists who have talent and really speak out to you. I am a teen myself and feel the emotion and talent of artists like Evanescence, Taylor Swift... and I am not a rap fan but a few of Eminem songs, like Mockingbird, have such emotion. But others are bad and just violent.
Jobs Nigeria

Who said that You do know who actually buys albums. Black men don’t buy cd’s, but we do determine what’s legit- not good, but good music. well everybody is entitled to his opinion