If you’re a college kid, you’ve heard this before. However, it probably wasn’t from someone in your generation. Even if you haven’t, you all should know that the music of today just isn’t good. It’s certainly not what it used to be, yet we continue to endorse it.
I’ll start with the desiccation of hip-hop. What used to have rhythm, vocals, and flavor has become a monotonous and not clever sequence of synthesized noises. “Hip-Hop” videos have eliminated the dancing that used to define this genre with a giant party scene. There’s very little singing involved unless Chris Brown or August Alsina save it with a chorus or verse that has musical qualities. Unfortunately, the artists that once defined Hip hop have now adopted R&B as their genre of choice. Chris Brown, Cassie, Rihanna, and Usher have dedicated their music to R&B while artists like Sean Paul, Missy Elliot, The Black Eyed Peas, TLC and OutKast have been long out of the game. Yeah, remember them? That leaves us with the rapping aspect of hip hop. Keep in mind, rap is supposed to be an aspect. There was a time where the rap in hip hop was accompanied by a dynamic melody along with musical talent. Today I get annoyed hearing lyrics cover the same electronic fist bumping beats that are just one more beat drop from being dub step. Hip hop was a movement. A movement. So when I hear hip-hop, I want to be able to dance. I suppose the only evidence of hip-hop is its existence in the form of dance.
Let’s analyze the rap culture a little more. Lyrics used to have meaning. NWA gave people on the streets and in the projects something to relate to. Back in 2010, Drake talked about his own life and struggles growing up rather than bashing other artists and dancing in a colorful box. Lauryn Hill was talking about relationship issues and lifestyle choices while Ciara and Missy Elliot just wanted to make people move and dance (they succeeded). So what’s popular in the rap world today? Repetitive beats, boring rhyme schemes, and no real message or purpose. Most “songs” are now about money and how they (insert rapper name here) made it. Music videos consist of drinking and parties or the advocating of drugs and violence rather than anything the average person can relate to. Furthermore, I can’t understand what some popular artists are even saying in recent “hit songs.” If you can tell me what Ty Dolla$ign says in “Blasé” you deserve a medal, and go ahead and try to decipher what Young Thug is saying in any of his songs.
I admit, I have danced to some of the music I’m calling out right now. However, the only time I can listen to those songs is if I’m at a party. Half the songs are about parties anyway, right? Either way, just because a song is serviceable at a house party does not make it good music. Listen to the songs on Future’s "DS2" album, or anything Rich Homie Quan has regurgitated recently, and compare them to Chris Brown’s “Run It” or “Kiss Kiss” and tell me which one you get sick of first. I would also like to take the time to differentiate a good “pump up song” from good music. Sure I may listen to Meek Mill before a football game, but that’s because anybody yelling at me that angry and that loud is definitely going to make me want to hit somebody on the field.
Good music makes you want to move. Good music makes you feel better on a bad day. Good music is creative rather than offensive. When it comes to hip-hop and rap, take a listen to the hip hop and rap artists of the 1990’s and 2000’s. I think most of us know what good music sounds like, we just forgot. Let’s bring the throwbacks we always love into today's music by supporting good music.
