Posted by Joe Baker on August 14, 2003 at 12:59:19:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Poll: other music style preference posted by Winton on August 14, 2003 at 10:48:37:
No personal affront taken, Winton. I'm just very frustrated that, when the vast majority of people I speak with of all races are REALLY trying to build bridges, some folks want to put up walls by crying racism when it isn't there. Yes, pockets of racism DO still exist and DO need to be addressed; and I'm glad I was wrong about this case.
As to the musical/social value of rap, that's all in the ear of the beholder. The following represents my viewpoint: if there is some underground rap that no one on the 'outside' ever hears, that has musical and social value, great; but when you refer to 'rap' without any qualifiers, I think most of us think of the only rap we've heard, all that Vanilla Ice Pick Pee Diddy Daddy Dog doodoo. It consists of deafening and boring rhythms, accompanied by spoken (not sung) words that tend to be foul, demeaning of women, encouraging of violence, and AT BEST bitching about everything under the sun being someone else's fault. How do I judge its social value? I look at the cross-section of America that listens to it. And no, I'm NOT talking about race, just about narcisistic, criminal and antisocial behavior. You're not like that? Okay, I'll take you at your word; but you surely will admit that you are in the minority among rap fans.
You are, of course, entitled to your opinion and the right to voice it (as am I). In the free country I love so much, people can engage in whatever "music form" they wish. But to me it's still just so much crap.
Joe Baker, who can't remember the last time a big-band leader advocated rape or was indicted for murder.