What makes the destructive nature of rap so appealing?

[Complexion]

No point blaming the jits for eating up 2.0 of what we hammered back when as its just amplified the worst and dropped the pretense to ensure the message and signal is beamed loud and clear:

Murder, death, kill.

The question I'm wondering is what do you think makes this destructive vibration so enticing? Its got the whole world in its grip, many of them who've never struggled, known lack or faced discrimination so, just like that 9-3 wave, its symptomatic of a deeper affliction. What do you think it is?

Sex and violence always sells, thats the first order of business but rap really is laughable at how one dimensional it is (always was since G Funk kicked in and bought in the banging on a commercial level?) compared to other genres that are filled with arguably less talented wordsmiths. The way some bars are threaded together is beautifully elegant which shows how skilled the one pushing the pen is but then to constantly recycle the same handful of topics, ad infinitum, speaks on not only the rapper but also the fans who are seemingly happy to hear the same concept as the last five albums recycled.

In that sense the current super hero trend of movies just being perpetual retreads was actually started by rappers as they've been doing it since back when. To flip it:

Consider a painter who has an immense level of skill and yet he'll either draw a painting of a strip club, a murder scene or work being weighed on scales along with the occasional pencil sketch of how rich he is. How boring would that be?


What a waste of talent and skill.

Yet and still that is what it is.

Why?

 

[TheGreatMTB]

Sex and violence always sells,

Consider a painter who has an immense level of skill and yet he'll either draw a painting of a strip club, a murder scene or work being weighed on scales along with the occasional pencil sketch of how rich he is. How boring would that be?


What a waste of talent and skill.

Yet and still that is what it is.

Why?

Some of the most talented artists and writers you'll see draw or write porn for the reason you highlighted. It sells. If you check their commission queue/Patreon, you'll discover there's artists who have become millionaires from it while others who paint more "artistically" struggle to eat.

Pretty sure it's instinctual. People enjoy looking at attractive things. In regards to music most violent rap songs are extremely upbeat and adrenaline boosting in terms of melody. I'd say people pay more attention to the melody than the lyrics half the time. Sometimes I'll listen to violent rap when I'm working out and I won't remember a single word I heard.

 

[Dafunkdoc_Unlimited]

Human beings are a violent species by nature.

Our intellect draws us to depictions of said violence in myriad forms.​

 

[Double Burger With Cheese]

How many times can we have a state of the union on rap music here

People talk about what they most comfortable talking about. It’s that simple.

The most important thing is that they staying true to themselves. I got an artist and been getting his campaign right cause he dropping next month. A few weeks ago we was in the studio and he was in the booth and said, “We the new BMF” My partner looked at me and said did he say we the new BMF I was like hell yeah smh. Told the engineer to plug us in and we was like so you selling bricks now He was like I’m gonna change it. Hell yeah nikka change that shyt. We don’t sell no damn bricks and we ain’t no fukking BMF smh.

 

[Complexion]

Sometimes I'll listen to violent rap when I'm working out and I won't remember a single word I heard.

Thats a valid point, it definitely is about making the listener/viewer feel something as the porn thing suggests. To me this points at something deeper, a state of emotional deadening akin to wearing welders gloves and complaining you can't sense details as well as you did.

I noticed a while ago after I was working on exorcising the demons of the past from within I simply couldn't listen to low frequency music or entertainment in general as it just wasn't appealing so there is something about this. For jits its all about intensity and rebellion, for certain, but when you look at it globally as well as the whole nature of recession as evidenced by tantrums, lack of empathy and nuanced conversation being long forgotten it really speaks volumes about the nature of the players on this stage of the Game and their devolution.

If there is no harsh realities and aggressive content within seeking a way of vent then those purveying it would be out of business in an instant as they scratch an itch the listener (generally) can't themselves. Therein lies the appeal. The more you get, the more you need. Perfect business model to create fiends, in both senses of the word.

You are what you consume, on some level.

 

[get these nets]

OP

Sonic energy. You're probably not old enough to remember Public Enemy's peak, but they made the HARDEST music of their era. People were drawn to it, even if they didn't know or care what Chuck D was rapping about. Even people who didn't understand English.
With head phones, listen to albums 2 and 3 and you'll feel the energy even if it's not your era.
I assume today's drill and druggie topic songs have the sonic energy that draws people in. Even if they don't know or care what the rappers are saying,

 

[Mowgli]

Feminine men like chaos

Masculine men like competition

 

[boriquaking]

Some of the most talented artists and writers you'll see draw or write porn for the reason you highlighted. It sells. If you check their commission queue/Patreon, you'll discover there's artists who have become millionaires from it while others who paint more "artistically" struggle to eat.

Pretty sure it's instinctual. People enjoy looking at attractive things. In regards to music most violent rap songs are extremely upbeat and adrenaline boosting in terms of melody. I'd say people pay more attention to the melody than the lyrics half the time. Sometimes I'll listen to violent rap when I'm working out and I won't remember a single word I heard.

The fukk

Patreon writers are hardly the cream of the crop

 

[Complexion]

I assume today's drill and druggie topic songs have the sonic energy that draws people in. Even if they don't know or care what the rappers are saying,

That is an interesting concept, very interesting and it makes a lot of sense as the dumb are hypnotized by the drum. If you look at the fragrance field you can always tell what will be a hit because it uses an overdose aromachemical which makes peoples noses twitch when it hits them gets the tills ringing. I get the feeling the same principle must be at play in music therefore its not totally conscious and thus very effective with the masses.

That said everything is brickwalled these days for minimum fidelity and maximum impact which relates to what I said about people feeling less and needing more to get a hit. Idiocracy is seeming more and more inevitable...

 

[Ghost Utmost]

Which are your favorite movies?

Stories from history?

Stories your homies tell about back in the day?

News items?

That's right. Fukcery. Violence and confusion. And Hip Hop is no different. I may not talk about literally attacking someone, but I say shyt like

Don't make me call Dr Kevorkian. Have you snorkeling with a snorkel full of scorpions.

Spoiler: #barz

Same with action figures, comics, and video games.

 

[get these nets]

That is an interesting concept, very interesting and it makes a lot of sense as the dumb are hypnotized by the drum. If you look at the fragrance field you can always tell what will be a hit because it uses an overdose aromachemical which makes peoples noses twitch when it hits them gets the tills ringing. I get the feeling the same principle must be at play in music therefore its not totally conscious and thus very effective with the masses.

That said everything is brickwalled these days for minimum fidelity and maximum impact which relates to what I said about people feeling less and needing more to get a hit. Idiocracy is seeming more and more inevitable...

I don't think it's about Idiocracy. People are entitled to like the music they like. And as I've pointed out before, the youth are all listening to some of the same artists. These artists perform at college homecoming and hole in the wall nightclubs.
Responsible young people listen to the shyt, then turn it off and go handle their business in the real world. That song is just one of many songs they listen to, and music they listen to doesn't define them or govern their decisions.

For the most vulnerable youth it's more than just music. That's what the actual problem is.

 

[Complexion]

Repetition is programming in a sense, this is obvious from people hating songs back when then calling them classic after hearing it spin for the 100th time and I believe there are a lot of factors working on various planes to keep people collectively in the lowest possible state. Why? Control. That and its very profitable.

​

How many industries do you think feed of rap in general? Its very eye opening when you see the crooked web they weave under the guise of entertainment. As for Idiocracy I definitely think we're headed there unless people wise up because the net has ravaged peoples already broken inner realms and now this form of mental illness is being layered over an already sick society as "the way it is". Discernment in general is quite low these days.

Some people can see the true state of the Emperor. The rest call them crazy as they're invested in the narrative and addicted to the artificial stimulus.

 

[The Eliminator]

The beats
Most people don't care what's being said on a track cause ''it knocks on the speakers,man''
Artists could talk about how they killed a bunch of people and move weight,it's all in the background long as the shyt slaps

 

[IIVI]

It's either for bravado or a way to get attention for people needing attention (like when a bad kid does something to get people to notice them), bottom line.

The actual musical part in terms of rhythm, pitch, etc. ain't the main draw/selling point people are saying it is.
People ain't blasting trap or drill instrumentals by themselves when they pull up to the club or any social spot with bad females are they?

I mean you can study difficult material to the hardest trap and drill instrumentals and not be distracted. It'll basically be background noise.

The distracting and catchy part that people throw their hands up to are the words and it's emotion/delivery with the message, especially if the artist harmonizes with the instrumental at the right time.

As producers/beatmakers we say it all the time: don't overproduce and add a bunch of shyt to the beat because what you think is "missing" is many times the artist's voice. The number one rule for getting placements as a producer: always leave room for the artist on your beats. shyt, producers will tell you themselves it's their simplest beats that get the most placements. 99% of the time the general public ain't trying to hear production-intricacies, they trying to hear the artist.

The words, attitude and emotion of the artist charge the energy to the beat and if people are craving attention, they're going to blast that music.

It's basically an emotional tuning fork: if you need attention and are the type to get it by being a bad kid - then here's a song for you to blast and turn up to.



Music, like most things social, needs people willing/wanting to take in the message/vibe for it to propagate.

That's how songwriting and music production works folks.

 

[Lurk_skward]

Which are your favorite movies?

Stories from history?

Stories your homies tell about back in the day?

News items?

That's right. Fukcery. Violence and confusion. And Hip Hop is no different. I may not talk about literally attacking someone, but I say shyt like

Don't make me call Dr Kevorkian. Have you snorkeling with a snorkel full of scorpions.

Spoiler: #barz

Same with action figures, comics, and video games.

I was going to say this.
People like rap because of the thrill of conquest.
Same reason kids play GTA, fortnight & COD
Same reason guys watch Marvel, Superman &007
Same reason girls watch dating & drama shows.