Alchemist has a message for all the "Where's the drums at" complainers

[Peak]

Are there actually any rap albums with no drums on them?

Pick any Ka album

 

[THE 101]

I kinda hate drumless rap songs, with few exceptions.

Drums have always been a part of hip-hop. From beating on the lunch table. Cats wasn't making weird ass ambient sounds and shyt like "ok, go in".

Fred.

Terrible reductive attitude.

Mfs were rapping like Dr. Seuss on the earliest rap songs too.

Genres evolve. There is no rule book. You're probably one of these clowns who say Future and Thugga aren't hip hop either.

Didn't you used to rap about crop circles? But no drums is beyond the pale?

 

[Heavy_Handz]

All Alchemist best beats ever had drums.

 

[Family Lives Matter]

He white of course he don't care about rhythm even if he is an all time great.

This is gentrification at its finest

 

[JustCKing]

The dumb are mostly intrigued by the drum…

This line is getting at what D. Dot was talking about when he said backpackers/purists ruined the game.

What part about that line is even remotely intelligent? If someone is mostly intrigued by a drum, how does that make them dumb? The song has a beat for a reason and its like backpackers/purists didn't understand that and still don't. Its such a poor take and really an exposal of not understanding music.

 

[LOST IN THE SAUCE]

This line is getting at what D. Dot was talking about when he said backpackers/purists ruined the game.

What part about that line is even remotely intelligent? If someone is mostly intrigued by a drum, how does that make them dumb? The song has a beat for a reason and its like backpackers/purists didn't understand that and still don't. Its such a poor take and really an exposal of not understanding music.

... I really want to believe that line isn't going over your head, but I don't know how else to interpret this post. He's simply saying people don't care about lyrics as long as the beat is knocking. It's not a purity test, or a complaint about production, it's commentary on mass appeal and the attention span of the audience at large. This is really simple stuff.

 

[JustCKing]

... I really want to believe that line isn't going over your head, but I don't know how else to interpret this post. He's simply saying people don't care about lyrics as long as the beat is knocking. It's not a purity test, or a complaint about production, it's commentary on mass appeal and the attention span of the audience at large. This is really simple stuff.

But does caring about the lyrics over the beat somehow make one smarter? And if someone likes beats moreso than the lyrics, what's the problem. That's their preference.

 

[LOST IN THE SAUCE]

But does caring about the lyrics over the beat somehow make one smarter? And if someone likes beats moreso than the lyrics, what's the problem. That's their preference.

He said "the dumb are mostly intrigued by the drum" Not "if you like beats, you're automatically dumb."

I think you're putting too much sauce on it.

"The track renders helpless and suffers from multiple stab wounds
And leaks sounds that's heard
93 million miles away from
Came one to represent the Nation
This is a gathering of the masses
That come to pay respects to the Wu-Tang Clan
As we engage in battle, the crowd now screams in rage
The high chief Jamel Irief takes the stage
Light is provided through sparks of energy
From the mind that travels in rhyme form
Giving sight to the blind
The dumb are mostly intrigued by the drum
Death only one can save self from
This relentless attack of the track spares none"

He's just painting a narrative of how powerful his lyrics are, and how the dumb will mostly just focus on the beat. You're putting all types of extras on something that's just a little throwaway bar in what is essentially just him bragging.

 

[JustCKing]

He said "the dumb are mostly intrigued by the drum" Not "if you like beats, you're automatically dumb."

I think you're putting too much sauce on it.

"The track renders helpless and suffers from multiple stab wounds
And leaks sounds that's heard
93 million miles away from
Came one to represent the Nation
This is a gathering of the masses
That come to pay respects to the Wu-Tang Clan
As we engage in battle, the crowd now screams in rage
The high chief Jamel Irief takes the stage
Light is provided through sparks of energy
From the mind that travels in rhyme form
Giving sight to the blind
The dumb are mostly intrigued by the drum
Death only one can save self from
This relentless attack of the track spares none"

He's just painting a narrative of how powerful his lyrics are, and how the dumb will mostly just focus on the beat. You're putting all types of extras on something that's just a little throwaway bar in what is essentially just him bragging.

You do know that line has been used by backpackers/purists to justify the stance that lyrics should be emhasized over beats.

 

[Da King]

These drumless tracks are the absolute worst thing to ever happen in hip-hop, I hope every producer, who does this bullshyt loses the ability to produce

 

[Sean7]

These drumless tracks are the absolute worst thing to ever happen in hip-hop, I hope every producer, who does this bullshyt loses the ability to produce

I listen to the song and wait for the snare or drum to kick in and when it just loops and nothing..... It takes away from the overall feel IMO. Producers can do as they want and some will like it no doubt but I love the drum kick and the overall feel when it kicks in and then the mc starts to do what he does over the beat, nothing like it.

 

[Tetris v2.0]

I don't get that third poijt. If an album is trying to create a specific mood then there is no reason for there to be drums on any song if that's what the artist is intending.

That's fair, I guess it really depends more that I think about it. Dudes like Preservation pull it off with Aethiopes and Dr Yen Lo because the rapping is interesting on it, and he's making a soundscape. Other times it feels like they just pulled the drums off to be contrarian which irks me

 

[BUSINESS AS USUAL]

Drumless beats are TRASHHHHH..BORING

 

[LOST IN THE SAUCE]

You do know that line has been used by backpackers/purists to justify the stance that lyrics should be emhasized over beats.

That's true.

 

[hex]

All That I Got Is You >>>> most hip hop songs. Point I’m making is music ain’t “supposed” to be one way. There’s room for all of it and if the emcee is good enough the song will be elite regardless.

I explained what I mean:

Yes but it wasn't an issue then because it was used sparingly.

It's kinda like....steak (drums) are the main course. Macaroni, baked potatoes, etc. (drumless tracks) are the side dishes.

Now there's a whole album, 50% albums of baked potatoes.

Fred.

Terrible reductive attitude.

Mfs were rapping like Dr. Seuss on the earliest rap songs too.

Genres evolve. There is no rule book. You're probably one of these clowns who say Future and Thugga aren't hip hop either.

Didn't you used to rap about crop circles? But no drums is beyond the pale?

What is this goofy motherfukker talking about?

I made beats like 20 years ago, with drums. I've posted them on here. I never rapped about crop circles. I've posted my pics and the exact block I'm from....I have no idea who you are.

As far as the rest of your post, REMOVING something is reductive. Drum breaks were the first element of production because rappers just needed a drum to rap over. It's the corner stone of rap production. Experimenting is cool, a whole subgenre where fans are asking "where's the drums?" to the point where Alc has to address it, is obviously too much.

Fred.