Metal versus Hip Hop

[hibernal_dream]

Last year, I did it on the "typical" image of metal as a misogynic, homophobic (or homosexual-hating) and racist community

Not to mention extremely thick... since we need an explanation of what homophobic means

 

[Mad__Alice]

Oh come on. That isn't what I meant.

I'm sorry if I insulted you.

There. I have edited it.

 

[Zephyrus]

If you don't like hip-hop because the sound of it doesn't appeal to you enough to explore it further, then fair enough. But as has been mentioned your post was exactly the same as someone saying they don't like metal because it has negative lyrics about hate and satan worshiping, the music itself is just noise, and the kids who like it are juvenile delinquents.

You missed my point. Metal can get away with having lyrics of such a nature because lyrics are irrelevant in metal, whereas in hip-hop they are at the forefront, and constitute the essence of the musical experience. One reason I don't like hip-hop is because I pay no heed to how important the lyrics and vocals are, so all I have left to listen for is the background music to the vocalist, which I find to be unappealing.

 

[Mort Divine]

Then you need to seriously start listening to rap in a different way.

You can't serious expect to be able to listen to all music genres in the same way.

 

[Zephyrus]

I guess I'm just too instrumentally-oriented. That's why I prefer classical music and metal over every other genre of music. If I like any song from other genres, it's because I'm hooked by a certain guitar, bass or synth melody.

 

[Mad__Alice]

You missed my point. Metal can get away with having lyrics of such a nature because lyrics are irrelevant in metal, whereas in hip-hop they are at the forefront, and constitute the essence of the musical experience. One reason I don't like hip-hop is because I pay no heed to how important the lyrics and vocals are, so all I have left to listen for is the background music to the vocalist, which I find to be unappealing.

In your opinion, to what extent are lyrics not that relevant in metal?

Perhaps it depends on the particular sub-genre as well. I don't suppose that Fenriz can get away with singing about anything.

It also happens that sometimes the audience sings along to a song (as happened last week at an Arch Enemy gig) and bands would sometimes introduce a song and say, "This is a song about traitors. What do we do them? We let them burn..." (Kataklysm)

 

[Zephyrus]

Metal is by its very definition lyrically irrelevant.

 

[Mad__Alice]

Metal is by its very definition lyrically irrelevant.

Do you think that there are "rules" about what bands can and cannot sing about?

I remember having to review a band who classified themselves as "black-death metal". It was your average death metal sound but with "satanic" lyrics.

 

[FenriR]

...crionics or something?

 

[Mad__Alice]

Nah, it was more old-school death metal.

I'm not sure about the name anymore.

 

[Mad__Alice]

...crionics or something?

Which genre would you place Crionics in?

 

[cookiecutter]

I can't stand rap. I haven't heard any of the underground stuff, so let's assume that they do have intelligent lyrics. It still has zero musical value. It's lyrics being chanted with a certain rhythm, and the rhythm is similar in almost every song. There is background music, but it's a minor part, isn't given any attention and therefore monotonous and completely empty, and in my opinion annoying.

That's a dumb thing to say. You could boil any musical genre to its bare elements like this but that doesn't make it have zero musical value. I mean you could say black metal is just a bunch of similar sounding tremolo riffs with the occasional power cord and monotonous drums and vocals. That doesn't make it true.

 

[Manic Ferocity]

Metal is by its very definition lyrically irrelevant.

I don't think "irrelevant" is the right word to be using here.

 

[Zephyrus]

Do you think that there are "rules" about what bands can and cannot sing about?

No, there is just a prevalence of certain topics that are copied by conformists because they think it matters.

Nah, it was more old-school death metal.

I'm not sure about the name anymore.

Deicide?

Which genre would you place Crionics in?

First two albums are Symphonic Blackened-Death Metal. Their most recent album is Industrial Blackened-Death Metal. One of my favorite bands currently.

I don't think "irrelevant" is the right word to be using here.

OK I'll clarify. Lyrics aren't required to be relevant.

 

[Carcassian]

Firstly, the Krig bashing seemed a little bit o.t.t. Sure, he could have been a little more expressive in *why* he doesn't like rap, though to be fair I don't think it should be necessarily lauded as a bonus to be "open minded" about all forms of music. TO be honest, all but about five of my albums are metal, and long may it continue. I have no need of metal other than metal, and it gets increasingly irritating to see the intellectual posturing based on how many other genres posters listen to.

If you listen to Catalonian industrial jazz, then good for you; though it won't make you any more intellectual than me for listening to my old school death metal albums.

That aside, this album is fucking BRILLIANT. Also, coincidentally, the last rap album I found even remotely interesting
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE-5Q_xyiwo&feature=related[/ame]

 

[Vossyrus]

I've never cared for hip-hop and probably won't. I am most turned off by the slang and incredibly poor language skills. Certainly in metal there are times when a foreign band's English isn't great, but it's no where near the atrocity that I see in a lot of rap/hip-hop groups...especially when English is their first language. Hearing "I is" or "You is" just annoys me. As well, the general image is one that will never appeal to me.

As for the 'demeaning' of women. Women don't exactly do themselves any justice by appearing in these videos in manner that are referred to in the songs, and so they are only promoting this idea further.

 

[Manic Ferocity]

OK I'll clarify. Lyrics aren't required to be relevant.

Fair enough.

 

[Cythraul]

I don't care about rap because it has nothing to do with indo-european culture.

 

[Zephyrus]

Firstly, the Krig bashing seemed a little bit o.t.t. Sure, he could have been a little more expressive in *why* he doesn't like rap, though to be fair I don't think it should be necessarily lauded as a bonus to be "open minded" about all forms of music. TO be honest, all but about five of my albums are metal, and long may it continue. I have no need of metal other than metal, and it gets increasingly irritating to see the intellectual posturing based on how many other genres posters listen to.

If you listen to Catalonian industrial jazz, then good for you; though it won't make you any more intellectual than me for listening to my old school death metal albums.]

 

[FenriR]

Which genre would you place Crionics in?

what Zeph said. Sort of symphonic blackened death.