re: is hiphop or rap really music?

This is clearly a post made by someone that has never actually listened to rap music or been openminded enough to actually see the craft that goes into making good rap music.

I'll give anybody that the radio crap is just that, crap but the really good rap is really good from an artistic perspective.

Sure most rap beats are electronic but those sounds you hear still have to be put together to make it sound cohesive and good. Those machines don't just magically put out the beats you hear. A person who has a good ear for rhythm and sound puts a bunch of sounds together and make an artistic sound. For those that think its so easy, go try it. You can download programs to make beats and I guarantee you most of the people saying its not art couldn't put together a good beat using "machines". It still takes an artist to put together those sounds and make it sound good.

The complaining about sampling is just stupid. 99% of sampling is just one small piece of the original used as the main focus of a beat and then built around to completely change the sound of the original. Its not like they take an old song and just rap over the instrumental. Also without that sampling, some of the artists sampling wouldn't make any money off that song. They do get paid for the samples(most of the time). Sometimes the sample reinvigorates that particular song and brings it back into the limelight. Its a positive for the original.

As for the lyrics, the best rappers and lyricists are definitely artists. Much more technical and better with words than most of the rock that is considered classic or great lyricism. Rappers use infinitely more words in their lyrics, while at the same time rhyming words and syllables. Add in the well timed and well thought out hook that sells the sing and in the end you have art. I get that there are many, many basic and unoriginal rappers that bring down the whole art form(the best and most original rappers discuss this all the time). Quite simply, most of the rap that is popular or that sells is a dumbed down version of real rap. The good rappers and lyricists are far from dumb or unintelligent. Tell Jay Z he's dumb. You know what he'll tell you? Go take a look at my bank account. The guy is no dummy. His fortune was built on this non art form or non music that some of you claim.

No one that has actually listened to Dark Twisted Fantasy can say that isn't music.

Also on many top albums lists for 2014 the top album(top 5 at least on most) is a rap record. Run the Jewels part 2. Nothing dumb or non music about that album. Obviously people that judge music for a living believe its music