When rap came out 30 years ago I thought it was just a fad

By the way.  Lol. I still don't care what the rap bashers think. Lol #stiff arm

Jimmy Fallon's house band "The Roots" rap group/band.  The public now craves it and the Internet has evolved to help the dumbing down of culture period.  I'm a jazz guy who listens to Harold Mabern ,Ahmad Jamal, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dave Holland, Miguel Zenon, Dave Brubeck quartet, Mulgrew miller, etc. etc.  great musicians that I enjoy.  Oh must I not forget lightnin Hopkins! Sign of the times. Today's music at times is mind numbing not just rap!

most rap has less than 5 letters in the words now. I'm an old school hiphop head. big daddy kane, rakim etc. Groups like whodini were the first rap group to record in dolby stereos in europe. it had the best wordplay and beats. A tribe Called quest had a movie that michael rappaport produced. They mixed jazz with hip hop. Guru did jazzmztazz.Those were great rappers. This OOH OOH OOH crap is not it for me please dont lumo now with my rap era

Wow read this thread.  I grew up in the midst of it.  I guess some people think of rap as a thug genre. It's not.  I remember the wordplay and creativity that was involved.  It's a shame that all people see now is that side of it. The Internet and the monopolizing of local radio stations has been terrible for true hip hop. The Heavy D's and Chubb Rock's of the would have a hard time.  I was listening to LL Cool J aThe other day and Early Run DMC and I smiled. Google a picture of Rick Rubin. He was a long haired hip hop loving white guy but he had a vision and produced tracks with rock overtones with a street feel. Pure entrepreneurs on a street level. Sometimes people are limited by what they are exposed to.  I'm not going to look at Rock music and say they are just a bunch of dopers. I respect all musical genres. Today's rap has its own sub genre that I don't actually like but it is what it is. Russel Simmons half a billion dollars. Dr Dre a billion dollar deal.  Jay Z half a billion dollar deal.  I think today's rap has been dumbed down but I think you can't put all rap or hip hop in the same boat. Our education system or lack of a successful one plays a part.  Low vocabulary and limited life experience and exposure sums up most rap that the general public knows about. I listen to rock country jazz classical pop. It all has its good and bad. I'm a heavy jazz guy. Enjoy all. 

Music is what you think is music.  The fad continues to dominate.  Lol.  

Yup. Thread closed. Like the rapper Big Sean song "What a Year" going home now signing off!

If you ask the roots themselves they have the completely opposite opinion.  The are the intelligent side of hip hop. Interesting comments.  Not Informed on the band and its originations. 

I must admit that most the stuff nowadays I don't even consider it rap to me it is the follow the bouncing ball sing a long cartoon that we watched as kids. Some people don't like rap and I understand that but this yodeling and auto tune 2000 is not rap to me it's nursery rhymes 2015

@taters good job.  Lol.  Yup probably a little too much for you to understand. I should expect that from someone who just doesn't like it and paints with the broad brush. I get it enjoy your rock and roll. Honestly, certain kinds of music is not made for certain people. Not made for you. Guess why some of these artists perform all over the world. Yup the the 30 year fad continues on without you. Lol. Long live Rock and Roll. Oh I'm sorry I meant Hip Hop. Lol. 

Yup.  See how trump leads this race to run our country.  This is what the world has come too.  Thug this thug that. Arguments that are clearly "dumbed down" lol. Musical genre painted with a broad brush.  I could say heavy metal or Rock is for the dopers.  Or blues and country is for the drinkers. But I won't do that.   Yup I see a hip hop band for if not for them being on jimmy Fallon you wouldn't even know who they were.   Then say they are not a hip hop band.  Hysterical!   Lol.  Y'all win on this one. Lol.  

@tostadosunidos well spoken.  You make some great points.  Great. I love jazz the most.  I listen everyday.  It's absolutely stunning the way some of them can play.   To each his own.   We all have our preferences.  I love the original ROOTS crew as they originally called themselves.  They are a great band of musicians. They can do it all well. To everyone else.  Enjoy your kind of or music. Lol. Don't talk just listen.  @taters Rock on!   Lol.  

@taters as one of my rappers would say. You getting mad I'm getting rich you getting mad I'm getting rich.  STIFF ARM!!! 

Now taters. We are good with each other. I'm just speaking my mind and you are speaking yours.  I think from your limited viewpoint all you see is your tv and media stuff of rap.  I'm not a fan much of the current state of tge rap genre. It just makes my long for the days when the lyricists ran the genre. Not the sing a long "E mail fake Thugs" lol. Did I say thugs oh me oh my. Great idea for a thread it has been very interesting 

Well it doesn't surprise me that there is definitely a generation gap in music. I respect the legacy of BB King, Miles Davis and Bob Dylan's. They are great musicians.  I used to represent one of the guys who played with BB.  He was a great guy as well. I'm a fan of the great Lightnin Hopkins. Those guys can never be compared to what's out here today or any of the rappers. I would never do that. However, I'm happy business wise for them. I hope that the genre takes a turn back to the less stingy song and fake tough guy posing that's going on now. I hope they do that not for the outsiders that look in and judge that 30% that is misinformed or will never like it. I hope it changes more for itself to continue its reign over popular culture. " It needs to worry about the internal thought inside itself not the rants of those outside the culture. Enjoy whatever you listen to. I like Jazz the most.  For those who like jazz go listen to Duke Pearson's album "The Right Touch" great hidden gem that has some of the greatest musicians ever playing on it. 

@whipsaw great take on this. That's important to note it's gives views from a different perspective and that always important to society. It has at times pointed out mistreatment and inequality in our justice system for example. I look on both sides because I saw it for before becoming a practicing attorney. Honestly when I read threads like this it makes me thankful for earlier rap and even a little rap of today because you can't just have one narrow minded point of view.  It's like a forum of media and music that couldn't be controlled by the powers that be. Rap at one time was the wild card to report on things that society would try to hide or ignore.  From that point alone it has been extremely useful in American Society. It created conversations about things that were being ignored. It also made a generation of young people not strive for acceptance but choose and make their own way. Once again it's all about perception and perspective. It also made folks understand that there is about 30% of people in this country that don't understand it or care to understand it. It also made it ok to not care if they didn't.  Public enemy, x-clan, Sister Souljah, Queen Latifah, Big Daddy Kane, Brand Nubians, Ghetto Boys, NWA, Black Thought(Band Leader of the Roots) OutKast(liberation) all spoke to issues in the community that had no other vehicle to spring them to the front of the line. Today's rap is different and is not as activist oriented as the pervious rap. However, it made sure that people who spewed out simple minded group think didn't control the conversation or America's point of view.

Well I think that the storytelling that once dominated the rap scene is gone. People are recording 5 songs and trying to get a million hits on YouTube. It's either a dance or fake tough guy rap. I don't like it at as much as I used to. I'm older and listen to Duke Pearson, Harold Mabern, Miles Davis, John Coltrane nowadays. I will admit that if I never listened to rap and my first experience to it is what I see now I wouldn't be impressed much by what it is now. Gone is the wordplay and the wittiness that made move love it.  It has been replaced by what's on the radio now. I'm in Dallas and there is one of the greatest jazz stations in country the Kntu 88.1. My radio stays there. I hope the dance rap and posing is a phase in the genre. I have seen it before. It always corrects itself. I hope it does soon. Lol enjoy the music or noise. Lol

Fad I. Think not. There once was a group of MC's from a far away place (Oakland, California) Hieroglyphics. Did about 5 albums and continued to travel the world and perform about 15 to 20 years after they came out even 12 yrs after they stop making albums because they where the great in the hip hop area of lyrics wittiness and story telling. They continued to sell out 20,000 seat arenas because it wasn't just a fad and they were saying. They toured Europe, Asia, Austrailia and South America. Great lyrics and beats and the world from Oakland to Aukland wanted it year after year after year. The people have spoken. The world has spoken. Sorry that the 30% percent of code word thug calling folks in this country don't like it. The world does. Doesn't mean the world is right. I'm just glad we have somebody on the thread to tell us that the world is wrong and it is all crap because we are not that smart. Also, the whole world is stupid for listening to and buying it.  Also, it never did anything positive. I'm so glad that our music Oracle is a pure unadulterated genius. Lol. 

"The Revolution will not be televised" is one of the greatest pieces ever because it was raw unyielding and straight truth. Funny how it's not cool to drink the Kool Aid when certain people are pouring it. Drink up Fellas or die of thirst. Lol. Everybody around the world are just Rap Zombies. I liked it more when I was younger but I hope I never become a guy who lumps everybody into one pitcher of Kool-Aid.

Lol. Subtle cultural bias comment also had me laughing Then I saw a rap artist called Jidenna and the video to the song "Knickers" and all I could do is laugh harder. Witty is back! Lol 

Everything is not meant for everybody to like or understand. Rap used to seek acceptance and now most of those fans and artists revel in fact that they could care less about who likes it or not. Music is made in every genre to be different some of us like it some of us don't. Yup even if you don't want to listen rap nowadays it's almost unavoidable like it or not.  I stayed away from this kind of Internet forum because it's a place to be extreme. It's the new right leaning megaphone for social media. Just enjoy the music you have and for those who don't like rap avoid it if you can. Lol

@souljasmooth You see this.  Thug this thug that.  We know that that means.  Anyway. I see that you listen by your suggestions.  You will not see much of that in these kind of forums.  You will get blanket statements and challenges to folks that maybe are not as deep into to rap as we once were. I guess that how it is. Anyway I was listening to ll cool j and whodini today and may wish for 1985.  Made me think of all the music, motivation and messages.  It also made me think of the fun.  Enjoy your music.  

@souljasmooth that right.  The purpose of the original poster was never to actually get an answer. It was just say it's terrible. However, I listen to hip hop and mostly jazz.  I can respect any genre. Anyway enjoy your music.  I grew up on it and I am happy for the younger guys who are still doing it. Great cultural impact. Some good some bad. Like most other music.  

Yup, Kurtis Blow was the man!  There is a movie called "Krush Groove" Stars Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Fat Boys, Beastie Boys, Kurtis Blow. Shiela E., New Edition. It shows some of the early years of Rap. Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin started Def Jam. Gives you a lot of history of the genre and how they overcame the people who hated it. There is a great song called "King Of Rock" by Run DMC. It has some great guitar riffs in it. I still know the song word for word 30 years later.

@bdp24 @lowrider57 thanks. You are right the early Sugarhill gang "The message " was an important song that talked about social ills in America. Run DMC "Hard Times" was another song. Kurtis Blow "If I ruled the World" Too Short's"The Ghetto" all of these songs brought awareness to the social ills and problems in America at that time that were being ignored.  Like I said before I can tell when people actually know the music that's in the genre.  Yes rap has changed and we have fewer of the the socially conscious rappers that we had in the past. Rap at one time was a poor mans CNN.     It told real stories about what was happening in America.  It railed hard against censorship and over reaching powers of our government. People who know real rap history know that.  People who don't hate it just to hate it and have no social awareness of the earlier positive affects it had in American Culture. Small minded group think at its best. Anyway thanks for your input fellas. Enjoy your music. 

Music touches the soul and has meaning. For most people music is not for just listening but for hip hop it was and has been a movement. It's storytelling the beat of the drum and creating the rhythm. Rap doesn't have to justify that it's music to anyone it's music to a movement. Don't worry about it learn to like it.  You are going to hear it playing whether you want to or not. Lol.  The Beauty of it all is that this "fad" doesn't want or need the acceptance certain kind of so called music lovers.  It actually shuns them and revels in the joy of not being accepted. Gonna last another 30 years ago. I guess the next thread will be "60 years ago I thought it was a fad my question is why?" Get ready to ask it again in 2045!!! It's a rap thing you wouldn't understand.

Yup. Certain kind of music lovers like those who claim that they accountability and credibility. Anyone who acts like folk, blues, rock, jazz, punk, country etc. etc. was first and is so much better is so grey poupon. Lol. Ask a question got an answer. Our audiophile hobby as a whole is full of it. That’s why it’s dying. It’s so damn snooty. I’m glad I don’t have accountability and credibility with this bunch. That means I probably on the right track! Sire sire please bless me with your approval. Lol. Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin got turned down in every bank they went to 20 years later 1 billion dollar sale of the label. Great genre. Great music  Great American Story.

Yes I have a strange way with the English language.  I type on a small iPad.  Sometimes too quickly. Lol.  However, enjoy your music. You like what you like. I don't care if I put people off or if I make a good case for my cause on this particular thread.  It is what it is. One would not expect to ever get a positive reaction or common ground on certain things in certain situations.  This one of them.  I don't think you make a case for your points either but at the end of the day it's not really important to either of us. It would be foolish to think that what I say to you and you to me matters much at all when it comes to this.  In your mind you think you have made brilliant observations about this subject. I beg to differ but in the end we probably will never meet or have a listening session and based on your responses that probably is a good thing for us both.  Now back to my jazz and my hip hop fad. Lol

Long ago when I started in this hobby I always understood that it was different and I was different. I grew up in the hip hop golden age. Lol.  However, I love old school jazz with a passion. My  walls are filled with old black and white photos of Holliday, Fitzgerald, Gillespie, miles and ellington. I have been around a number of great audiophiles that are great and I don't ever worry about racial issues with most. I would say that there were times I have thought it was an issue. Face it most audiophiles are as described in the earlier post.  The high end is an affluent crowd. African Americans who are affluent would not spend it on this usually and those who would wouldn't care for the uppity folks accepted them. They wouldn't keep that kind of circle.   I'm not saying that anyone here is or isn't but I am aware that it is subtle. I could see where one could see possible overtones/undertones.  I think that some people it would bother. For me, it does not.  I would be naive to think that there are folks who are here who don't say it to be racial.  I'm just saying I wouldn't care if they did.  They know who they are. As far as rap music is concerned to me went from being this innovative lyrical and musical art form. It went from describing America's social ills and problems and a uplift message to this sing songy fake gangster repetitiveness driven monetarily by its surburban fan base. Does it portray African Americans in a negative light. Now, I would say that mainstream rap probably does a lot.  I enjoy old school hip hop but I absolutely love old and new real jazz. To each his own.  In every hobby you have folks that have there circles and preferences.  I wouldn't spend my money on a speaker whose owner would let me demo whatever I choose.  I would spend it on one who would or find someone who wanted to develop one.  It's mindset. It's America.  Free to be the way you are.  If Cristal doesn't want you to drink it's champagne. Develop or buy Ace Of Spades and serve your market. Audio better change its strategy or it endanger of dying. Thanks for all comments. The final answer your question is the fad has lasted because like everything else it has it's good it's bad and unapologetic. It's raw like it or not.  It doesn't require approval of anyone. That's what attracts it's fans. I like it less now and my jazz more.  Enjoy whatever you like but don't ridicule other audiophiles because they like a genre you don't.  

@ps +1 I'm out. Exiting

Somehow people just think I sit around and listen to rap all day.  I listen occasionally to it. I listen to jazz and blues the most.  I listen to hip hop, r&b and rock as well as some Christian music mixed in.  I'm willing to listen to it all.  Kind of different than a lot of folks. I welcome creativity in all realms. Some I like some I don't but I give it all a try.

That’s great that no one ever asks for rap music. They are playing it on 5 stations for free all day in most of the markets. It’s all about preferences and exposure. I listen to jazz but I am really knowledgable when it comes to rap. I don’t like all of it but I enjoy some on my system. Most of today’s rap is simplistic and repeats itself. Not enjoyable to those like myself. I was bashed on this forum for knowing the genre up and down and told that I can’t be in the audiophile little boys club. Tastes are different somethings you like and somethings you can’t stand. I just enjoy it all at the highest fidelity possible. Jazz lovers try duke pearsons album "The Right Touch". I’m exiting again don’t want to get punched walking out this debate. Lol.

Thanks my friend. Enjoy your music!!

Man I don't care about audiophiles not liking rap music. I'm glad certain audiophiles don't.  I think it will survive without them maybe. Lol. I'm glad that my musical tastes are all over the place and that I can enjoy just about any genre.  Just enjoy your musical choices. It shouldn't be puzzling. It's pretty simple I'm probably younger and from a different cultural background than most audiophiles. So I will never expect most audiophile to like rap music. I would be foolish if I did. Most of the people coming out of my era don't really care what guys that don't like rap think.  Honestly, most take it as a badge of honor when certain folks don't like it.  I hope you enjoy your music. I'm enjoying mine. Happy listening. No hard feelings.  Don't kill my vibe. Just enjoy your own. 

Continue to bash bash bash. I enjoy it. I'm not going to back down  from the bully I stand up to the bully unlike some people in our country and this hobby/obsession.

I'm watching the Hamilton musical rap freestyle at the White House on the Today Show right now! Enjoyed it!

As one of the rappers likes to say. #stiff arm.  Lol. I'm not obsessed with your acceptance. You are obsessed and puzzled about why rap is so successful.  Don't try to pull that controlling the narrative crap with me.  Lol #stiff arm. Man go ahead and send me one of those really thought out anti rap responses and then tell me how bad I look in my responses. I don't give a rat's *** what most of the rap bashers think I listen to My hip hop, jazz, r&b and blues and smile.  I'm never going to meet you guys. If I did we probably wouldn't have much in common. We probably would never hang out. I own my own business. I have a law degree. A radio show and some really great audio equipment and music I enjoy. I listen for me not anyone else. I love America. USA USA USA. 

I will take a chill pill.  The fact the you have respect for j Dilla is enough to make me apologize.  He had one of the largest most diverse vinyl collections when he passed away.  He is one of the rap guys that had great respect for soul r&b, jazz, rock and blues.  The stuff he had in his collection was flat out unbelievable. It was in a huge basement studio with vinyl from floor to ceiling circling around the walls.  Great rap producer and music lover. I must admit you surprised me with that one.  Enjoy your music. Thanks.