Broadway Legend Joined: 9/10/08
Jane, I'll take a stab at your question from my perspective. I got involved in rap music in the late 90's with a friend who had his own label. He has some moderate success with his groups and two acts were sold to the Epic label. I used to do some PR and promotion for his label for the fun of it. He was a Billboard reporter also at the time, so had many contacts within the music industry. Most of his music acts were the "dirty south" sound. My ear caught this style of music not from the lyrics, but mostly from the beat and the production. Many rap artists during this time sampled "old school" r &b hits which usually was the hook. Later, many started to look into the library of old rock hits for their sampling. To this day, I could not quote full verses of any rap song other than "In da Club" or "Gold Digger". So to me, I guess there is talent for the artist who is able to write the lyrics and recite the flow. But I felt, the true talent was in the overall production or producer of the song. (Just my opinion) During the late 90's and much of the 2000's rap artists were constantly in the Billboard top 100 singles and albums. Of course, the market became oversaturated and many of the artists who could fill an arena then, cannot fill a small venue today.It is only your Jay Z or Kanye West, etc type artists who still maintain their same success status as they did earlier. Now that I'm older, do I listen or buy rap? No. It's just not my interest anymore.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/10/08
"No answers to my question. I think it's because the answer is nothing."
Nope. Just haven't had time to respond.
For me it's about the lyrics and production. I think when Kanye is at his best he's great at stringing together inventive lyrics. I think he's also great at Production. 808's and Heartbreak is one of my all time favorite albums. I felt like it was something completely new to the genre and surprisingly moving. And I feel good Rap music is good for the same reasons any other genre of music is good. I get that it's not everyone's thing. As much as I've tried, I haven't been able to bring myself to like Jazz. But I wouldn't say it doesn't have any value.
I could write more about rap but my post about Kanye West wasn't really to argue for the value of rap music. It was in response to one of Namo's posts earlier in the thread. I will probably always appreciate West's talent. And I'll always appreciate he was the guy that looked into a camera during a national telethon and said "George Bush doesn't care about black people." But I can't disagree that he's become a giant ass.
I've grown to feel the same way about Madonna.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
The big difference is that his music is still listenable. Will it still be in 19 years? Who knows? If it's not, will I feel a need to pretend it is and argue that it's just as good as his good stuff? Or it's "fine"? Probably not, because as much as I love his music still I have never had any need to make excuses for his bad behavior.
Well that's where we disagree. There are songs on Rebel Heart I genuinely enjoy. Body Shop is probably one of my all time favorite Madonna songs. I still like some of her music and enjoy her tours. But find most of her antics eye rolling at best.
I think that's what's irked me about some of your Madonna posts. Whenn you imply that anyone who manages to enjoy anything she does has to be a crazed Madonna super fan. It's like when people try to tell me I don't like Hillary Clinton because I've been brainwahsed by the GOP.
Updated On: 5/23/15 at 12:21 PMBroadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
I don't actually mean to imply that.
What I have been mostly saying is "Songanddanceman, you don't HAVE TO DEFEND EVERYTHING. It'll be fine. Let Madonna sit with the fact that she disrupted a performance of Hamilton and distracted the star. You don't HAVE to stick up for her on everything, sometimes she is just a horrible jerk."
"Sometimes"? Many of her fans adore her BECAUSE she's a horrible jerk. That's when you realize they are the audience to which she panders and the quality of her music and her behavior start making sense.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Isn't that a small audience? Is not like this is 1977 and she's Sid Vicious.
Thanks very much for the responses, very much appreciated. I guess I'm an old fogey. I see rap as talking and putting your hand in your crotch. It's not really singing. So does the talent lie inthe ability to remember the words? I remember some lyrics as being full of cursing and dissing women and other groups. Like the full minute of deleting kenyas song. And
I can see where the production values canbe quite remarkable though but I don't think that counts as talent in what I'm asking about.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
It's hard to talk about it as if it's all one thing, but it's like poetry. There is some great poetry, there is a lot of awful poetry. It's about the rhythm and the cadence of the words, the meter and the way things scan.
Ok, so Namo in your opinion is Iggy Azalea a talented rapper?
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Noooo. Did I join the middle section of a conversation with a topic I didn't fully understand? (Wouldn't be the first time.)
Iggy's almost as bad as a certain white girl who once "rapped" that she did yoga and pilates and cruised in her Mini Cooper for the hotties.
Well then, at least I can recognize an untalented rapper. I think she stinks
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Speaking of Madonna, congratulations are in order. Still in the Billboard 300 (I presume, they no longer publish chart positions after albums tumble out of the top 200) nine weeks after #rebelheart's #release.
Charts are important!
How is Revolutionary Heart doing? Or is it another one of those breaks poor Madonna can't catch? Should we celebrate it hitting the charts or making excuses as to why it's not doing as well as it should? Or both?
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Has she postponed any more shows on her completely sold out tour? Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge.
I remember when she hunted down Carol Anne in Poltergeist II. *shudder*
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Did buying more time for tickets to sell to the postponed tour dates help or hurt?
I remember when she bit through that steel cable in Moonraker. *shudder*
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Was that right before she blew up in Jaws 3D?
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
BREAKING NEWS!
I've just been informed that Boston Gay Men's Chorus will be performing two numbers from Madonna's latest leak: Livin' For Love and Ghost Town. Given the audience demographics for the chorus and Madonna, the show will only be performed on a Sunday afternoon in June at 3 pm. I'm totally going because gay seniors are my dating pool.
Plus, special guest Laura Benanti and quite possibly Chris Caggiano
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
BITCH I'm MADONNA music video out Tuesday June 16th!!!!
Remixes also out this week including a DirtyPop remix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfSTo7k9xP0
And Rosabel's 'Bitch Move' remix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQfDfg0VJbk
pure dance joy.
Honestly the past few pages of this thread are unbearable, Namo and his sub bitch just talk for the sake of talking. Go outside, see the world.
Back to topic Bitch I'm Madonna video features Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Rita Ora, Miley Cyrus, Diplo and Nikki Minaj. Not a fan of the song (pretty immature from an otherwise grown up album) but the remixes are pretty good.
Now Nano, you see I said I wasn't a fan of the song, like I've said many things on this thread to do with her that ain't positive.....so does that mean I'm defending everything again? Just so I'm sure how it works in Namo's Lala land.
Oh and the implication that a few tour dates were rearranged because they ain't selling. A very quick check will show you that not only were all the tickets put on sale sold out but extra nights were added at the same venues.
Kisses
Videos