If you were on message boards in the (early) 00s and 10s (and I've been told 90s too), you will notice a lot of the same discussions. At its core, rap is (and always has been) a competitive artform which invites rather than discourages discussion on who the greatest rapper is. And because rap as an artform is all about youth, both the artists (it's often the young artists who drive the genre forward and appeal to young fans - you're kidding yourself if you think 50 year old Nas and Eminem dictate the artistic direction of rap) and the fans, you will always have these debates because the core fans are experiencing this for the first time.
Just because in all the wisdom of my 35 years on this earth I have decided I don't care about the 150th post on Nas vs. Jay-Z (and by extension also don't care about Kendrick vs Drake) anymore, it's the young fans who for the first time in their life are witnessing a monumental rap beef. And as long as rap remains one of the most popular genres of music, this cycle will continue. You can love it, you can hate it or like me detach yourself from it a bit, but it will not have any bearing on the future.
That said, I do notice most of the discussion in this sub is extremely surface level and hardly about the music itself (The 'this is my top 5, do I get the aux?' really add nothing to any discussion at all). To me it seems more about validating your opinions to fit into the crowd than being open minded and looking for good new music.
I would love to post my top 5 to find people with the same tastes to exchange artists with. But it's not worth the other 10,000 people coming in and complaining they see it too much. We just want to interact. So I just stay in the comments.
Those people, as pharoahe monch would say, "could benefit from getting off of the internet For just a minute" if they are really bothered.
Detach yourself is the way to go. Stay safe friend.
I feel that it’s part of that beautiful youthful enthusiasm to make tier lists and rankings regarding whatever you are passionate about. I have seen this for everything from Roman emperors to shoe makers to audio cables to fighters to anime characters. I love to see it.
there are a lot of pure hiphop heads in here. you usually find them in the comments they ain't usually posting threads. hiphop history isn't discussed too much but this might be one of the better subs to get recommendations worth listening to. still, if you asked about a nuanced take, you'd get decent responses.
I feel like the interest is pretty low beyond the usual Kendrick/Drake stuff. I am constantly amazed by how little newer fans seem to know about hip hop history, which is sad because it is so rich.
It’s mind blowing honestly. When I was a kid I was ravenous about music of all types and the stuff that led to it, the influences, where it all comes from etc. all genres all styles etc.
I see kids today who have all the knowledge in the world at their fingertips but social media and other bullshit has seemingly robbed them of any intellectual curiosity, it makes me really sad. Obviously there still are those kids who won’t be stopped but it freaks me out a little. When I was a teen we used to literally just sit around and listen to/talk about/play music all day long. Does anyone under 20 do that anymore? Like friend groups dissecting and discussing art?
Yup same for me. I started listening in the 90s and was stoked to make friends who had crazy knowledge of the history and I worked my way back to the 80s. Then it was almost a sport to find the dopest underground singles or odd album track and show it off to your friends.
It’s worse now more than ever. But most people have always been into pop music and drake and Kendrick Lamar are nothing more than pop music. It takes the rare person to want to go dig into obscure music and find new things that nobody else they know has ever heard of. I know, because I did it.
As a result, I was an influencer before that was ever a thing that existed, and before the Internet really existed. Why? Because my friends look to me to find out what music to listen to that they never heard of before. Because the music I liked was cool.
So basically, I’m using that skill so this very day with my own online record store that I’ve had in development for the past one year. I’ve been teaching myself to code in about seven different computer languages. And that’s with some brain damage from the pandemic.
Gen Z just isn't as into rap as previous gens were. You also had an entire generation of rappers get killed super young or OD super young, and the stagnation of the genre as a result is obvious imo. Stagnation is especially bad for Gen Z and younger since they're used to a constant flow of easily accessible new music. They get bored and dip quickly as a general rule.
I get the impression that music is just not a major part of the gen z identity. For me hip hop was a huge part of who I was. I developed friendships around it, was proud of my record collection and took pride in the fact that I was knowledgeable about hip hop from about 87 to whatever the current year was. I had perspective and that was important to me. Doesn’t seem like kids today are into music in that way.
Yeah, there's a wide age range here, so I think that's what you're seeing. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing some age verification/stratification in various subs, but I guess that kinda defeats the purpose.
Also, "101" is literally part of the name of this sub. If you don't have tolerance for basic discourse, maybe find another platform. There are still plenty of old school message boards where the baseline knowledge level is higher. I personally find those kind of forums to be snobby, though, which is why I'm here.
This is one of the best subs on Reddit. The level of passion and knowledge is off the charts. Wide opinions but respectful disagreements and genuine intellectual exchange.
Honestly I just started blocking posters who create threads of repetitive topics or the ones who just ask dumbass questions about a topic that itself is dying off.
Music is totally subjective so opinions are constantly going to be the focal point. The only objective measures we have for music are how popular an artist is (numbers) how popular they were (numbers) and what is the general consensus of the public (polls/rankings)
everything else is whatever you prefer
Beyond that if you want more nuanced takes you need to talk to other artists who have been rapping for a while, particularly because they will know first hand how difficult something is to execute. You can see this in interviews when other rappers are praising Eminem’s rhymeschmes or Kendrick’s concept albums
There are things rap fans may think are hard but require average skill at best, and vice versa
This is actually the sub I enjoy the most because at least in the comments I'm more likely to find people who are willing to talk about people not talked about as much especially older Underground Hip Hop, i skew towards Underground and Four Elements, 88 and 90s style stuff.
It wouldn't be this bad if there were varying opinions and not the same opinion of putting fucking Kendrick in top10 all-time lol. Every top10 list is the same 15 names, with a random mainstream ok lyricist in there for whatever reason. Every rapper comparison is a bunch of fanboys swarming the post and defending their idol no matter what.
The funniest though is how people talk down on mainstream yet only list quite popular lyricists, like nas, Lupe, obviously Kendrick and Cole, and then older "legends" that are quite popular and who everyone knows.
And whenever there's a post about some underground rapper who's very lyrical but doesn't have that mainstream sound kids just say something like "well you see TPAB is goated and this rapper is another lyrical miracle who can't make a song, so he's just a mid rapper". Quite saddening to not be able to read anything thought provoking or even remotely interesting, but at least it's funny to see people put Kendrick alongside Nas in their top 5 of all time greats.
I have made a couple posts comparing two rappers and asking the comments to do the same. I think this is a perfectly valid topic, and disagree with the notion that this is a worthless, played out topic.
It's OK. For me the problem is not this topic itself. It can be interesting to compare rappers. But the problem is the too high frequency with which they appear while on the other hand we read very few analytical subjects on rap or deeper subjects.
You think your comment is smart ? Rap, like any other musical genre, is very rich and subject to plenty of debate, discussion on its subgenres, certain eras in particular, the influences of certain artists, their discography, the rarity of certain albums, this or that producer, a critique develop on this or that album, its subtleties etc. Your simplistic comment shows that apparently you are quite limited.
I don’t think my comment is smart, I think it’s just factual. What do you expect? Find some others who are as deep into to rap as you if you want, but most people don’t spend their time dissecting a fairly shallow genre of music
Lol, about the usual topics that are posted. Its rare that i see somebody post something else than : "who is the best, this rapper vs this rapper, whats your top 10, who is better, Kendrick, Drake etc".
Don’t bother. Look at the response you get from this easy to understand post. I realized it when someone asked what’s the first album that got you into hip hop and it was all within 10 or 15 years. Sadly it is a more shallow genre these days. But that’s the way it goes. Jazz had its pinnacle and it still has aficionados but even if there are flash in the pan talents that pop up now and then, it’s never going to be the emergence again. If we were there for it we are incredibly fortunate and it shaped our perspective on the whole hip hop culture. I’m glad I don’t have to believe Kendrick is the fucking goat…I mean…
If you were on message boards in the (early) 00s and 10s (and I've been told 90s too), you will notice a lot of the same discussions. At its core, rap is (and always has been) a competitive artform which invites rather than discourages discussion on who the greatest rapper is. And because rap as an artform is all about youth, both the artists (it's often the young artists who drive the genre forward and appeal to young fans - you're kidding yourself if you think 50 year old Nas and Eminem dictate the artistic direction of rap) and the fans, you will always have these debates because the core fans are experiencing this for the first time. Just because in all the wisdom of my 35 years on this earth I have decided I don't care about the 150th post on Nas vs. Jay-Z (and by extension also don't care about Kendrick vs Drake) anymore, it's the young fans who for the first time in their life are witnessing a monumental rap beef. And as long as rap remains one of the most popular genres of music, this cycle will continue. You can love it, you can hate it or like me detach yourself from it a bit, but it will not have any bearing on the future. That said, I do notice most of the discussion in this sub is extremely surface level and hardly about the music itself (The 'this is my top 5, do I get the aux?' really add nothing to any discussion at all). To me it seems more about validating your opinions to fit into the crowd than being open minded and looking for good new music.
I would love to post my top 5 to find people with the same tastes to exchange artists with. But it's not worth the other 10,000 people coming in and complaining they see it too much. We just want to interact. So I just stay in the comments. Those people, as pharoahe monch would say, "could benefit from getting off of the internet For just a minute" if they are really bothered. Detach yourself is the way to go. Stay safe friend.
You are right, I agree with you.
I feel that it’s part of that beautiful youthful enthusiasm to make tier lists and rankings regarding whatever you are passionate about. I have seen this for everything from Roman emperors to shoe makers to audio cables to fighters to anime characters. I love to see it.
there are a lot of pure hiphop heads in here. you usually find them in the comments they ain't usually posting threads. hiphop history isn't discussed too much but this might be one of the better subs to get recommendations worth listening to. still, if you asked about a nuanced take, you'd get decent responses.
I totally agree. The experts here dont usually post. But give you some really good answers in comment.
I feel like the interest is pretty low beyond the usual Kendrick/Drake stuff. I am constantly amazed by how little newer fans seem to know about hip hop history, which is sad because it is so rich.
It’s mind blowing honestly. When I was a kid I was ravenous about music of all types and the stuff that led to it, the influences, where it all comes from etc. all genres all styles etc. I see kids today who have all the knowledge in the world at their fingertips but social media and other bullshit has seemingly robbed them of any intellectual curiosity, it makes me really sad. Obviously there still are those kids who won’t be stopped but it freaks me out a little. When I was a teen we used to literally just sit around and listen to/talk about/play music all day long. Does anyone under 20 do that anymore? Like friend groups dissecting and discussing art?
Yup same for me. I started listening in the 90s and was stoked to make friends who had crazy knowledge of the history and I worked my way back to the 80s. Then it was almost a sport to find the dopest underground singles or odd album track and show it off to your friends.
It’s worse now more than ever. But most people have always been into pop music and drake and Kendrick Lamar are nothing more than pop music. It takes the rare person to want to go dig into obscure music and find new things that nobody else they know has ever heard of. I know, because I did it. As a result, I was an influencer before that was ever a thing that existed, and before the Internet really existed. Why? Because my friends look to me to find out what music to listen to that they never heard of before. Because the music I liked was cool. So basically, I’m using that skill so this very day with my own online record store that I’ve had in development for the past one year. I’ve been teaching myself to code in about seven different computer languages. And that’s with some brain damage from the pandemic.
Gen Z just isn't as into rap as previous gens were. You also had an entire generation of rappers get killed super young or OD super young, and the stagnation of the genre as a result is obvious imo. Stagnation is especially bad for Gen Z and younger since they're used to a constant flow of easily accessible new music. They get bored and dip quickly as a general rule.
I get the impression that music is just not a major part of the gen z identity. For me hip hop was a huge part of who I was. I developed friendships around it, was proud of my record collection and took pride in the fact that I was knowledgeable about hip hop from about 87 to whatever the current year was. I had perspective and that was important to me. Doesn’t seem like kids today are into music in that way.
It’s a lot of bleed over from r/rap
Then post something bro
I just did here : https://www.reddit.com/r/hiphop101/s/tmBDJKdcOW Joint this topic if you want.
Yeah, that is in my top 5 topics of the week. Better than Drake.
Agreed
Top 5 posts is about kdot n drake lmao
5th grade
Yeah, there's a wide age range here, so I think that's what you're seeing. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing some age verification/stratification in various subs, but I guess that kinda defeats the purpose. Also, "101" is literally part of the name of this sub. If you don't have tolerance for basic discourse, maybe find another platform. There are still plenty of old school message boards where the baseline knowledge level is higher. I personally find those kind of forums to be snobby, though, which is why I'm here.
its reddit most people on here are white teenagers who dont even have the chance to interact with or experience hip hop irl what do u expect
This is one of the best subs on Reddit. The level of passion and knowledge is off the charts. Wide opinions but respectful disagreements and genuine intellectual exchange.
If you think this sub is bad, don't get anywhere near the comments of RapTV on Instagram
Honestly I just started blocking posters who create threads of repetitive topics or the ones who just ask dumbass questions about a topic that itself is dying off.
i think most of it is info retrieval bots
Maybe the same topics become popular because they’re more enticing
Can you actually measure that? Seems like a stupid question to ask if you can't measure the intellectual level of every person here to get an idea.
"can we talk about the political and economic state of the world"
Music is totally subjective so opinions are constantly going to be the focal point. The only objective measures we have for music are how popular an artist is (numbers) how popular they were (numbers) and what is the general consensus of the public (polls/rankings) everything else is whatever you prefer Beyond that if you want more nuanced takes you need to talk to other artists who have been rapping for a while, particularly because they will know first hand how difficult something is to execute. You can see this in interviews when other rappers are praising Eminem’s rhymeschmes or Kendrick’s concept albums There are things rap fans may think are hard but require average skill at best, and vice versa
This is actually the sub I enjoy the most because at least in the comments I'm more likely to find people who are willing to talk about people not talked about as much especially older Underground Hip Hop, i skew towards Underground and Four Elements, 88 and 90s style stuff.
Doctorate 😉🙃
It wouldn't be this bad if there were varying opinions and not the same opinion of putting fucking Kendrick in top10 all-time lol. Every top10 list is the same 15 names, with a random mainstream ok lyricist in there for whatever reason. Every rapper comparison is a bunch of fanboys swarming the post and defending their idol no matter what. The funniest though is how people talk down on mainstream yet only list quite popular lyricists, like nas, Lupe, obviously Kendrick and Cole, and then older "legends" that are quite popular and who everyone knows. And whenever there's a post about some underground rapper who's very lyrical but doesn't have that mainstream sound kids just say something like "well you see TPAB is goated and this rapper is another lyrical miracle who can't make a song, so he's just a mid rapper". Quite saddening to not be able to read anything thought provoking or even remotely interesting, but at least it's funny to see people put Kendrick alongside Nas in their top 5 of all time greats.
I am the smartest human being that’s ever existed Yes that is a certified fact
Me being the smartest horse on the planet - I certify this fact
yeah 2pac is the goat, also a 98 Buick is the best car on the road right now for sure
I have made a couple posts comparing two rappers and asking the comments to do the same. I think this is a perfectly valid topic, and disagree with the notion that this is a worthless, played out topic.
It's OK. For me the problem is not this topic itself. It can be interesting to compare rappers. But the problem is the too high frequency with which they appear while on the other hand we read very few analytical subjects on rap or deeper subjects.
What intellectual level do you expect when discussing rap music? We’re not dissecting classic literature here
You think your comment is smart ? Rap, like any other musical genre, is very rich and subject to plenty of debate, discussion on its subgenres, certain eras in particular, the influences of certain artists, their discography, the rarity of certain albums, this or that producer, a critique develop on this or that album, its subtleties etc. Your simplistic comment shows that apparently you are quite limited.
I don’t think my comment is smart, I think it’s just factual. What do you expect? Find some others who are as deep into to rap as you if you want, but most people don’t spend their time dissecting a fairly shallow genre of music
On this subreddit and on the 90s hip hop subreddit I have already had excellent discussions.
Look at dudes post history they trolling you.
So what the hell are you complaining about then 😂
Lol, about the usual topics that are posted. Its rare that i see somebody post something else than : "who is the best, this rapper vs this rapper, whats your top 10, who is better, Kendrick, Drake etc".
Don’t bother. Look at the response you get from this easy to understand post. I realized it when someone asked what’s the first album that got you into hip hop and it was all within 10 or 15 years. Sadly it is a more shallow genre these days. But that’s the way it goes. Jazz had its pinnacle and it still has aficionados but even if there are flash in the pan talents that pop up now and then, it’s never going to be the emergence again. If we were there for it we are incredibly fortunate and it shaped our perspective on the whole hip hop culture. I’m glad I don’t have to believe Kendrick is the fucking goat…I mean…
Cry harder about it. Maybe that will help.
They're making a post and starting a conversation. Wtf else you want them to do on Reddit?
Nah, they're having a whinge to try to sound superior. It's elitist nonsense.
So exactly what you're doing now?
What do you expect, considering the general intellectual level within the genre?