Steve Raybine:
Blog #11:
RAP:
Love it or Leave it!
I just don't get it music aficionados? I've listened to and analyzed more music than I ever thought possible in my lifetime, but what is the appeal of this inferior style of communication known as Rap? Did you notice that I refused to refer to it as music? For me, Rap just doesn't qualify as a musical form. What's that you say, Steve? Did we hear you correctly? You certainly did, my fellow blogsters. If you want to call Rap something else like rhymin' to a beat; spewing endless invectives; dancin' and jivein,' etc., I don't care, but please just don't refer to it as music.
Many of you have heard the statement, "You can't spell crap without rap," haven't you? I'll take a stand and say that's how I feel about this insipid, ridiculous and often times, offensive style of communicating. Is this gibberish the best stuff the music business can promote to people under the guise of being music? I think it's primarily a money-making machine for certain companies and artists that are musical pretenders, not contenders. Most great musicians past and present are undoubtedly retching when forced to contemplate Rap as a viable musical art form--excuse me while I throw-up in my throat. O.K., so maybe you're one of Rap's die-hard believers. You just don't GIT IT Steve, they say. Rap is a composite of multiple musical elements that depicts relevant social commentary about an entire generation. Right. And the gossip magazines in the grocery stores are great literature, too. Tell certain people something often enough and they'll believe anything. And, just because something's popular, doesn't mean it's good. Feasting on gummi bears is not exactly haute' cuisine or a sublime culinary experience.
Listen folks: I'm not exactly a musical neophyte, nor am I a musical snob. Although I don't particularly enjoy all styles of music, I don't consider them non-musical entities (some come pretty close for me, however). Hey, I can talk fast and I can rhyme--cleverly too, and within a complicated rhythmic structure (remember, I'm a drummer). Does that constitute some great gift? Should I be universally applauded and have riches bestowed upon me beyond my wildest imagination because I can do that? Seriously, is that equal to the hundreds of thousands of hours I've spent perfecting my performing skills and composing as a legitimate jazz artist? When the average Joe and Jane on the street can simulate a reasonable Rap, it's nothing more than a gimmick, it's not art. Singing out-of-tune doesn't make you a singer (at least a good one) and Rappin' doesn't make you a musician.
I realize that Rap utilizes a rhythmic base within the rhythm section instruments--generally ungodly repetitive and mundane, however. And, there is a chord or two that appears throughout the course of a Rap piece. Let's face it: Rap is not known for showcasing a series of mesmerizing chords or an interesting or complex chord progression--simple or simple-minded might be a more accurate description. The concept of a melody is generally lost on these rappers. They're known for talking, not singing or playing a memorable melody. Call me old-fashioned, but I'll take a melody every time. The reality is that it actually takes a modicum of talent to create a good melody.
As music has advanced throughout the ages, we've seen and/or heard performances that have left us inspired; awestruck; jubilant and generally overwhelmed. I am honored to be a part of the great legacy my musical forbears have left for me and for generations of appreciative audiences. Rap doesn't belong in the discussion of the esteemed musical tradition that has preceded us and continues to this day. If it's a distraction, then so be it, but please don't give it more credit than it deserves. It is, in fact, a mode of self-expression, which remarkably, many people find appealing. So be it. I, however, am forced to acknowledge Rap's presence, but it doesn't and won't earn my respect and consideration as a musical art form.
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