Giovanni+R’s++2017+OpEd+Article



“So, tell me a bit about yourself Giovanni. What do you like to do?” “I love to listen to music. All the time.” “That is really cool, is there a certain genre in particular?” “Mostly rap, but I enjoy a lot of different varieties.” “Oh………” When I introduce myself as a rap fan immediately this is usually the response I get; especially from adults. In a way I can’t argue at all, because half of what is popular is rapping about Cocaine Castles, rolling up “broccoli,” and how you should “keep twerking baby might earn you a scholarship.” I am not lying when I say all three of those are from actual rap songs, and these are the types of songs that get played on the radio. These are the songs that give the rap genre the horrible title it has. I am not saying to ban all this music, because yes I enjoy “Broccoli”, and have fun listening to the most gangster album out there,”Trap Lord” by A$AP Ferg. What I am saying is that just like any genre, rap contains many hidden gems that should be dug up, and actually deserve attention to detail. In many ways rap is actually one of the smartest genres that currently exists. Have you heard Kendrick Lamar, Isaiah Rashad, Tut, or even Kanye West? The immediate response I will hear from that is the inclusion of Kanye West, but half the people who hate this man know nothing about him. I don’t love all that he has done; I agree in many ways he can come off as an asshole. Now I ask if you have actually tried to listened to his music? I agree he is just as arrogant when he grabs the microphone, but his production on all his albums has changed the face of music especially that of rap. His album,”808’s and Heartbreak” may come off as an album filled with crappy auto tuned vocals ,but in reality NO ONE had the courage to sing in their rap music. He always is throwing curve balls to try and change the genre. You don’t have to like his music, but you must admit that he has changed the face of music, and is much more creative than the average human when it comes to making beats. I am not afraid to admit that yes, all the artists above have made reference to drugs, violence, or sex. Hell, most of them grew in bad neighborhoods such as Compton. How can a rapper not mention such topics when they are surrounded by such? Even an album such as “Oxymoron” by ScHoolboy Q deserved to be mentioned; why you may ask, but it is one of the ugliest, meanest and most violent albums as of recent. The album begins with,”Gangsta”,”Los Awesome”, and “Collard Greens.” Sounds like a really thoughtful album, huh? Once you reach the next song the album starts to piece itself together. “What They Want” another disgusting, and dark song constantly repeats,”this is the sh*t they want,” and as we get farther he slowly starts to create a meaning that is lost between all the dirty, and catchy lyrics. Rather than simply stating what he does, he gives meaning to why,”If god won’t help me this gun will; I swear I’m going to find my way.” After a thorough listen through the album you begin to realize that all this violence, and these unattractive topics in his rap lyrics are because he needs the money. He needs to pay for his daughter that is why it is an __Oxymoron__, because he is disgusting so he can afford what he finds most beautiful. Although, I wouldn’t ever recommend this album to a teacher, or many people in reality; the point is that even the album that has all the qualities that rap haters dislike, it still contains meaning. That is what I find important; is that the rapping actually has some sort of meaning. I am not saying all good rap needs to be godly when it comes to lyricism. I enjoy a lot of rap music that lacks much of a meaning. A$AP Rocky is a very good rapper for his production, and being able to keep myself entertained. I enjoy rappers who help the genre in any way, or are not just the same as everything else. A rapper I came across recently, Tut is a well rounded rapper the production on his album,”Preacher’s Son” is very soulful, and strong. He also has a deep voice, which is unique within the rap community. Lastly, I usually respect rap groups, for example Rae Sremmurd. I can rarely come across a good rap group. I will admit that on their own the two don’t do much, but rap about money, and girls. The fact that they are singing, and rapping together is what interests me. For me to like you as a rapper, you just need to be unique, and have some skill. To end it off I think it is important to mention one person, known as the current king of rap by many. Kendrick Lamar is by far one of the strongest artists in general. He definitely raps about important topics that need to be discussed. He has talked about peer pressure, finding god, temptation, cutting off evil, self hate, and self love. He is so diverse when it comes to all the styles of rap he is able to accomplish, and is so easily able to incorporate a story. In “For Sale?” Kendrick goes into detail how the devil tries to mess with his head and to get him to give into temptation. He describes the Devil as a girl, Lucy almost flirting.The song is really smart, as Lucy(Lucifer) sounds so smooth, and appealing in a creepy way. Every single line, and every single noise is of importance in all of his songs, and I could go on and on about him. I can only speak so much, so before it becomes more of a pain than enjoyable. If you are interested in THE GREATEST RAPPER AS OF NOW check out “To Pimp A Butterfly.” It’s a great album, but it needs your attention to be as good as it can be. My point here is not to make you love rap, but instead to respect it. There are artists that are good and bad, just like with any genre. I personally think rap music is much more thoughtful than some genres, but that could just be me. All I want is for people to give it a chance, rather than immediately assume it is about doing drugs, and having sex.

Looking for some good, and smart rap songs?(lyrics are important!): “Heavenly Father” by Isaiah Rashad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3YzYRgrIRU

“Book of Soul” by Ab-Soul(This one is really sad): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nitz50WxwOY

“How Much A Dollar Cost” by Kendrick Lamar https://youtu.be/j7uP8RvBtpA

GREAT ALBUMS: To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar Cilvia Demo by Isaiah Rashad Preacher’s Son by Tut Genesis by Domo Genesis