http://johnlinnell.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/the-decline-of-hip-hop/ today I sat at the edge of my bed, and thats where the realism hit me. Though the day is dangerous, I've slayed bigger monsters Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:56:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://johnlinnell.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/the-decline-of-hip-hop/#comment-94 Levi Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:27:57 +0000 http://johnlinnell.wordpress.com/?p=200#comment-94 Interesting article. I DO remember the Ninja Turtles Movie, so your not alone. As your article goes I was into rap some when I was younger, but haven't really kept up with it other that watching Stomp the Yard the other day. But I do love music and can agree that music is a very powerful medium through which people can be influenced. My favorite music usually has a large dose of reality in it, and really comes from the heart...or it makes me want to dance! Either way I hope I get to be a part of creating music one day that helps people understand that they can be who they are without fear or shame. Interesting article. I DO remember the Ninja Turtles Movie, so your not alone. As your article goes I was into rap some when I was younger, but haven’t really kept up with it other that watching Stomp the Yard the other day. But I do love music and can agree that music is a very powerful medium through which people can be influenced. My favorite music usually has a large dose of reality in it, and really comes from the heart…or it makes me want to dance! Either way I hope I get to be a part of creating music one day that helps people understand that they can be who they are without fear or shame.

]]> http://johnlinnell.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/the-decline-of-hip-hop/#comment-93 Karyn Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:05:17 +0000 http://johnlinnell.wordpress.com/?p=200#comment-93 well written. I like good clean rap. no, i don't find enough of it. it almost feels like vulgar rap is disrespectful to the music itself or the rapper...it seems to say this is trivial or i am trivial and I'll write about whatever i want because it/i really don't matter. or perhaps the authors are afraid to rap about anything but sex and violence and materialism because they don't think they will be accepted any other way or that's all there is to their life. Perhaps it is an insult to society, saying all you want is the worst of life so that's all I'll give you. or maybe it's an insult to white people...like we don't want you listening to our music so we'll make it as offensive to you as possible and at the same time create anthems for our people to instruct them that the worst life is the best life and a life of running from pain and seeking pleasure but still winding up empty and soulless is the best we can have in life. Of course it isn't just rap. There is bad messages in music in all genres. Hip hop is just one of the nicest genres and it is a shame to waste it. I wish there would be hip hop about being incredibly intelligent...not that any kind of arrogance is good but as it says in the Great Debators, slave owners did what they could to keep the mind weak and the body strong. I know that has changed a lot, but I think it would be good to continue to take ground in that area. well written. I like good clean rap. no, i don’t find enough of it. it almost feels like vulgar rap is disrespectful to the music itself or the rapper…it seems to say this is trivial or i am trivial and I’ll write about whatever i want because it/i really don’t matter. or perhaps the authors are afraid to rap about anything but sex and violence and materialism because they don’t think they will be accepted any other way or that’s all there is to their life. Perhaps it is an insult to society, saying all you want is the worst of life so that’s all I’ll give you. or maybe it’s an insult to white people…like we don’t want you listening to our music so we’ll make it as offensive to you as possible and at the same time create anthems for our people to instruct them that the worst life is the best life and a life of running from pain and seeking pleasure but still winding up empty and soulless is the best we can have in life. Of course it isn’t just rap. There is bad messages in music in all genres. Hip hop is just one of the nicest genres and it is a shame to waste it. I wish there would be hip hop about being incredibly intelligent…not that any kind of arrogance is good but as it says in the Great Debators, slave owners did what they could to keep the mind weak and the body strong. I know that has changed a lot, but I think it would be good to continue to take ground in that area.

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