Beats vs. Lyrics

FreshAIG

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Good question. To me, if the beat is bad the lyrics have to be exception on some Ras Kass, early Nas shyt. I care more about lyrics than the beat when I judge the MC, but with songs, the beat has to be at least decent most times. I can listen to a song with wack lyrics if the beats are incredible (See the Group Home album). I can't listen to an entire album of great lyrics and terrible beats.
 

Harry B

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It's pretty simple, the answer is 'it depends on...'.
If it's a club joint, if it's a socially conscious joint and on and on.

A good example is toned down beats, simple beats like early Eminem. His shyt was still classic. And plenty of early NY shyt. The beauty of those tracks was the simplicity and how well it went with the emcee. Now if you try something "BIG" like a Timbo beat and fail, that's ass.. But in those cases you were explicitly trying to put emphasis on the beat and failed.

In indie pop/rock you for example have songs in which you can't even hear the lyrics cause the reverb is that real. But the instrumentals bang.. And them you got Bob Dylan styled music where lyrics is everything.
 

The Dust King

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people always blast this kid on the board but from the handful of episodes i have watched he is articulate and i respect his analyzations
 

SirBiatch

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Would you rather listen to acapellas or instrumentals?:yeshrug:

There's your answer

exactly.

Beats are the foundation of this hip hop shyt. Ignoring the importance of the beat in a hip hop track is like building a house on stilts. shyt will fail.
 
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