Is Rap Ironically becoming too Abstract for its own good?

[Max Headroom]

Now bare with me. I know all you hear about is how rap is being continually dumbed now from a lyricism standpoint and that might still be true.

But it dawned on me the other day that as music is evolving and changing, and artists are trying to outdo eachother and outdo the past, that maybe there is actually a more complex approach to some rap music, and that's having a negative impact overall.

Think about it, how often do you hear a song where it's straight forward lyrics with a clear point that only hinges on what's being said and how dope the rappers delivery and authenticity is? It's not just about how top notch the lyricism is, I'm not speaking on that. Just the approach to the whole process.

Every artist adds quirks to their verse now, or tries to be artistic with their delivery or abstract lyricism, that I feel like a lot of tracks kind of lose their meaning along the way.

Seems like no one can just spit a verse over a banging beat anymore. Rappers are rapping faster, or too vague and "artistic". Or with vocal effects. What happened to hip hop beats? Why forget them? Hip hop beats would still be played on the radio in 2018. It's not that, people are just trying something different.

Maybe it's a good thing, it shows people are trying to move he genre farther and in new directions. But it used to be so easy to say "that's a dope verse" or "look what he did here", and it's honesty not anymore. Everything is vague or stylized. The meaning is always hidden under layers of distractions or up for interpretation. Even with rappers like Kendrick.

EDIT: Changed the word complex to abstract

 

[Jimmy Two-Times™]

Now bare with me. I know all you hear about is how rap is being continually dumbed now from a lyricism standpoint and that might still be true.

But it dawned on me the other day that as music is evolving and changing, and artists are trying to outdo eachother and outdo the past, that maybe there is actually a more complex approach to some rap music, and that's having a negative impact overall.

Think about it, how often do you hear a song where it's straight forward lyrics with a clear point that only hinges on what's being said and how dope the rappers delivery and authenticity is? It's not just about how top notch the lyricism is, I'm not speaking on that. Just the approach to the whole process.

Every artist adds quirks to their verse now, or tries to be artistic with their delivery or abstract lyricism, that I feel like a lot of tracks kind of lose their meaning along the way.

Seems like no one can just spit a verse over a banging beat anymore. Rappers are rapping faster, or too vague and "artistic". Or with vocal effects. What happened to hip hop beats? Why forget them? Hip hop beats would still be played on the radio in 2018. It's not that, people are just trying something different.

Maybe it's a good thing, it shows people are trying to move he genre farther and in new directions. But it used to be so easy to say "that's a dope verse" or "look what he did here", and it's honesty not anymore. Everything is vague or stylized. The meaning is always hidden under layers of distractions or up for interpretation. Even with rappers like Kendrick.

"DUH-DUH DUH" that's what u sound like.

 

[Terrance Curtis Beasley]

lmao

 

[Cadillac]

there is no artist in this gen that is really at all complex

im not saying there dumb down or anything either. But they aint that layered.

if anything the "complexity" that some of these rappers are said to have is more the fans adding shyt on and making it up, that the artist probably didnt intend to have to be interuppted.

recent example is J.cole and this album he dropped, where his fans are adding more than whats there to it.

 

[SunZoo]

This might not be the thread for this but the abstraction you'e noticing isn't just with rap, it's a big picture thing. The scales are tipping toward the feminine polarity and will work it's way up to being just as out of balance as the masculine energy of the era's past where everything was 'gangsta gangsta' and simple, direct raps and musical styling. This abstraction applies across the board, which is why sexism and sexual identity are hotter topics than they have been.


The next age will be the age of the water bearer
It's called the age of Aquarius, when logic and truth will take care of us
And in this age of spiritual dignity
You'll see a rise in femininity
And creativity, meshed with masculinity

Widen your lens a bit...you'll see what I'm saying.

 

[CrimsonTider]

OP is 100% right.

I will say the degree to making hit record has become more complex as well.

All it use to take was getting the trendy hook person or an R&B singer or getting a track from a super producer to make a hit.

 

[CrimsonTider]

there is no artist in this gen that is really at all complex

im not saying there dumb down or anything either. But they aint that layered.

if anything the "complexity" that some of these rappers are said to have is more the fans adding shyt on and making it up, that the artist probably didnt intend to have to be interuppted.

recent example is J.cole and this album he dropped, where his fans are adding more than whats there to it.

This might not be the thread for this but the abstraction you'e noticing isn't just with rap, it's a big picture thing. The scales are tipping toward the feminine polarity and will work it's way up to being just as out of balance as the masculine energy of the era's past where everything was 'gangsta gangsta' and simple, direct raps and musical styling. This abstraction applies across the board, which is why sexism and sexual identity are hotter topics than they have been.


The next age will be the age of the water bearer
It's called the age of Aquarius, when logic and truth will take care of us
And in this age of spiritual dignity
You'll see a rise in femininity
And creativity, meshed with masculinity

Widen your lens a bit...you'll see what I'm saying.

Did yall even read the OP

 

[SunZoo]

Did yall even read the OP

Of course I did.

Did you read mine? I let you know from jump that I had a different angle on this. If you don't get it it might not be for you.

 

[Cadillac]

Did yall even read the OP

yeah and?

my post addresses his OP, as I said look at J.Cole and his album, you had people using the excuse that his song making, hooks, etc was him parodying the arist that he is making fun of.

 

[IShotTheSheriff]

This might not be the thread for this but the abstraction you'e noticing isn't just with rap, it's a big picture thing. The scales are tipping toward the feminine polarity and will work it's way up to being just as out of balance as the masculine energy of the era's past where everything was 'gangsta gangsta' and simple, direct raps and musical styling. This abstraction applies across the board, which is why sexism and sexual identity are hotter topics than they have been.


The next age will be the age of the water bearer
It's called the age of Aquarius, when logic and truth will take care of us
And in this age of spiritual dignity
You'll see a rise in femininity
And creativity, meshed with masculinity

Widen your lens a bit...you'll see what I'm saying.

Spit that esoteric knowledge king.

 

[SunZoo]

there is no artist in this gen that is really at all complex

im not saying there dumb down or anything either. But they aint that layered.

if anything the "complexity" that some of these rappers are said to have is more the fans adding shyt on and making it up, that the artist probably didnt intend to have to be interuppted.

recent example is J.cole and this album he dropped, where his fans are adding more than whats there to it.

I think maybe "complex" is the wrong word to use, which is why I used abstract. Rap is def more abstract, standards, boundaries are being pushed for better and for worse and to the people who have been here the whole time it's starting to not even look/sound like itself.

 

[bourgeoisie tall freak]

doubt it as far as rapping...there is really nothing new. its been fast flows, screaming and strange deliveries for a minute (twista, onyx, e-40) and every now and then some vague "abstract" lyricism will come around (pharcyde, kurupt, wu).

as far as production, maybe.