Hip-Hop/Rap

[berkough]

I'm a huge hip-hop fan and came across some videos and mp3s from Russian/Ukrainian artists and I digg what I heard (even though I don't know much Russian to understand what they're saying).

Was just curious to see how many women on this board listen to Seryoga, St1m, Potap, etc... Or if there are any other popular rappers from FSU countries that perhaps I should check out. It's been quite a few years since I started listening to Seryoga, way before GTA4 came out.

[Shostakovich]

Rap and hip-hop, eh?  Hee-hee.

Be interesting to see how the ladies respond to this.  My experience with Russians - they giz a little too much over their Tchaikovsky,  as if he represents some azimuth of musical development.  In fact we musical snobs tend to think of him as something of a tune-smith; the composer who puts a little too much stock into prettiness. 

But rap?  I am now having visions of the slack-jawed legions who can't compute a fraction and who think St. Petersburg is a town in Florida, strip-malls, the ones who wait in thrall for the latest indiscretion of Paris Hilton, who spend all their time with internet porn and video games, throwing away plastic everything, with their love child, credit card debt and Wall-Mart job, the 35 y.o. who still thinks skateboarding is cool, who think a '64 Impala is worth tarting up, diabetic from too many cokes and a gut that spills well over their belt buckle.  Ya, sure there is music in it: it's the music of the ghetto; most often about fear and menace.  But music of menace is always second rate - it is easier music to make than music that informs and illuminates.  It's why Dr. Octagon and Eminem won't make it in the memory of anyone past the day after tomorrow.   

[berkough]

I actually own every Kool Keith album, including Dr. Octagon and the Ultramagnetic MCs.

When I said I was a hip-hop fan, wasn't talking about all the autotune bullshit (unless you count Afrikka Bambatta and Roger Troutman), or the majority of the mainstream crap that permeates the airwaves. Then again, I feel the same about most genres of music.

[ECOCKS]

There are those who go this route. Predictably, they are younger and more likely to be found in and around the University ploschas. I almost choked at the beginning of the school year event when I discovered the University "Dance Ensemble" concentrated on numbers which appear as if Paula Abdul, the Cowboys Cheerleaders, Shania Twain or Madonna had choreographed them for a video. Short skirts, boots, see-through halter tops and lotsd of glitter, bling and glam for the face, ears and hands.

Look into the big beach festival down in Crimea each summer, it competes with Daytona's Spring Break period for music fests and partying if that's your scene.

[berkough]

I always thought it would be cool to go to Odessa. Right now I'm living in Vegas but I moved out here from Long Beach, CA.

Kinda sucks, no one grabbed on to this topic, I guess as an addendum I'm curious if RW are leery of younger AM. I can understand that sincerity and fidelity could be the major issues.

Are there any women on this board that maybe had a good or bad experience corresponding with younger AM? Or for that matter, any younger guys like myself that have already been though the dating process?

[Shadow]

It depends on the generation.

Most people I have met care more about the quality of music as about the genre.
As hip-hop and rap has not produced a lot of quality music in any country, in Russia nowadays you see it used more in jokes and parodies as in concerts.

However as with any musical stream, you will find people who like it.

[Assamena]

I do not know a lot aout this music, but on TV now everywhere new sonf of Potap and Nastya
If you know Russian, if ou are native speaker - you will understand that in this song singers being sarcastic, video to this song even more fun. If you want this song search in google "Потап и Настя Каменских песня Новый Год "

As you understood, it's song about New Year

if to speak about clearly RAP, even I do not always understand what that rapers singing too fast, and not a lot sense in words.

Engoy!

[Shadow]

I do not know a lot aout this music, but on TV now everywhere new sonf of Potap and Nastya
If you know Russian, if ou are native speaker - you will understand that in this song singers being sarcastic, video to this song even more fun. If you want this song search in google "Потап и Настя Каменских песня Новый Год "

As you understood, it's song about New Year

if to speak about clearly RAP, even I do not always understand what that rapers singing too fast, and not a lot sense in words.

Engoy!

I checked and found 'Ne Para' a better example.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc7Ggy05woI&feature=related[/youtube]

It is a mix of traditional Russian music and rap, making it interesting and quite catchy.

[possum]

The Russian hip-hop/rap scene is pathetic as it's composed of a bunch of wannabes who nobody takes seriously except themselves.. They try to act like ghetto-dwelling blacks in the US, and it looks (and sounds), well, pathetic.. I listen to a lot of rap in my day, from both sides of the Atlantic, including European rappers, and I can honestly tell you there are maybe a few songs that I will listen to anymore.. Most of hip-hop is crap.. It's fun to blast in your low rider while cruisin' around the hood, but most RW will not be the slightest bit impressed by it..

[Assamena]

I checked and found 'Ne Para' a better example.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc7Ggy05woI&feature=related[/youtube]

It is a mix of traditional Russian music and rap, making it interesting and quite catchy.

Ne para is even good video. Not very sexy.

New Year's song more fun

But just fun and nothing more, it's not hat songs which people will sing for long time

[boaterguy]

I never undedrstood how Rap could even be considered Music!  :noidea:

[Lily]

Was just curious to see how many women on this board listen to Seryoga, St1m, Potap, etc... 

As for me, I don't belong to such women.

[elliott]

...who think a '64 Impala is worth tarting up, diabetic from too many cokes and a gut that spills well over their belt buckle.

You're confused.  That's more of the Larry the Cable Guy type of people, and it'd be hard pressed to say that any of them listen to hip-hop.

There's more to hip-hop music/artists than the stereotypical sagging pants, gold grill, huge chain wearing thug singing about shooting people.  A lot of that is just playing to an image, anyways, and doesn't have anything to do with the person under the clothes.  *Think Alice Cooper here*

There are plenty of rap songs that have substance to them, and they happen to be very catchy, too.  So be careful, all who dislike rap music, because if you were to listen to some of the better hip-hop songs, you might actually like them.   

[Shostakovich]

 

This is going to turn into a  fest if I don't watch my step.  I did not say rap has no content.  In fact, for what it does it can be quite brilliant.  It is just that it is most often about fear and menace.  You create your life by what you bring into your mind so you have to be careful about what you put in there.  I've heard some on the radio that has pop-funk beat to it that is rather jolly but it's entirely disposable.  There is so much more music in the world that has actual merit so why would I spend my time with rap?  I can't say I've made an exhaustive survey of rap, since what I've heard has not been so persuasive.  I suppose there is a sort of art-house variant of rap, the best of the bunch so far is this music from the insane-asylum by Dr. Octagon:



It's kinda cute but not so smart really.  And scratch the surface and there is some buried treasure with Alice Cooper  ???

I'm afraid it is going to be hard to find the common ground ...

Here is an example of what I like:

[berkough]

Lol, I never intended this thread to be a forum for waxing intellectual on the subject, I was only curious about the cross-cultural aspect. But if the users on this board wish to debate, I'm glad that I could start the discussion, but I'll have to move on to other topics.
It's not a complicated topic, you either enjoy the genre or you don't. I do appreciate the users who have enlightened me as far as rap and hip-hop in Russia and the Former Soviet Union though, so the thread has served it's purpose to an extent.

[GQBlues]

berkough-

The Russ have Da Funk!

. A little raw but with a bit of work on transitions, these boyz can trick-out. It's a little weird to see a pit  with nothing but white boyz though.  

The Boyz gots skilz.  

Rap, I once thought this guy was a Russ. Maybe some folks here can tell us whether or not is.

Jooky spends a lot of time in Russia/Novosibirsk/Moscow maybe he can enlighten you more about this but there definitely is a lot funk in . Send him a PM.

[Simoni]

I never undedrstood how Rap could even be considered Music!  :noidea:

Exactly what my grandfather said about the Beatles and Elton John! :-)

[Shostakovich]

I never intended this thread to be a forum for waxing intellectual on the subject.

Where is the fun in that?

[Shostakovich]

Exactly what my grandfather said about the Beatles and Elton John! :-)

He was right - At least about Elton.

[Gylden]

Music taste is subjective to the individual taste. Just like all art work.
 

[Shostakovich]

Music taste is subjective to the individual taste. Just like all art work.
 

kill-joy

[Blues Fairy]

I find original Western rap/hip-hop pathetic enough, but its Russian epigone is even worse. 

[GQBlues]

I find original Western rap/hip-hop pathetic enough, but its Russian epigone is even worse.

LOL. Aww BF, give it time, they'll catch up. They're not exactly from LBC, you know. Pretty humorous seeing Russians sporting the Gansta look though. LOL.

I once had a fairly dry conversation with my Pops about the Beatles' music as he absolutely hated their style. When I said the Beatles single-handedly changed a generation, he simply dismissed it as...

"Well, I'm not surprised. Not much going for this generation anyway!"

[Blues Fairy]

LOL. Aww BF, give it time, they'll catch up.

That's the problem; I haven't heard anything original emerge from the Russian music scene, except a few non-format artists with rather insignificant audience.  Definitely no notable exports (except those two little Tattoo lesbians, but they are not too original either ).

[SANDRO43]

Music taste is subjective

Granted, but music has always required both repetition AND variation, unless aimed at hypnosis or brain-washing .

Hip-Hop, and Rap in particular, are excruciatingly repetitive .