The internet is a breeding ground for trolls and the perfect place to state any extreme opinion you may have, but as we all should know by now, internet arguments rarely end in anything other than insult wars and hurt feelings. So why don’t we all try to get along a little better? Just because you listen to one area of music doesn’t make you cooler than someone who listens to something else any more than being a vegan or spending twice as much on shoes does.
I’m sure we’ve all seen the phrase “Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj are ruining hip hop” plastered across YouTube comment sections, Facebook walls and Twitter feeds. Valuable characters and clicks that should instead be spent on promoting your favorite artist. Telling a Lil Wayne fan that what he’s listening to is trash isn’t going to make them like Tech N9ne. If anything it would stop them from wanting to listen to anything you’ve suggested. Maybe, instead of telling people their favorite artist is trash, you should tell them why you like Tech N9ne and why they might do too. They’ll be more open to listening to them and they probably won’t think you’re a complete tool.
I’ve been in situations where someone will say something like “Drake is the best rapper alive” and naturally my fists clench, my skin crawls and I grit my teeth. “This fool.” I think “I’m about to go school this dude.” So that’s what I do. “Nah man, Drake is ok but have you ever listened to (insert name here)?” The crazy part is that people listen most of the time. When you’re passionate and friendly people will listen to what you have to say. When you actually know what you’re talking about it will be really obvious to the person you’re speaking to. Educate them and then you’ll feel better at the end of the day, putting one more person onto your favorite rapper.
Chief Keef made “Love Sosa”, Riff Raff was on “Bird on a Wire” and Meek Mill released “I’m a Boss.” Maybe they’re bad examples, but the point is these songs pleasantly surprised me. Songs that were created by artists that I previously dismissed. Artists that are regularly dismissed by hip hop “purists. And, although I’m not exactly excited for ‘NEON iCON’, I will give it my best shot to listen to it with an open mind because maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Much of mainstream rap isn’t as lyrical or conscious as Rakim or Talib, but I’ll be damned if some of it isn’t entertaining as hell.
I get the animosity…I do…but trolling comments sections and being a snob about your music tastes aren’t going to help anybody except your inflated ego. Give it a break. How about this year we collectively try to not to be assholes about music and just enjoy it?
Hey can we get rid of the term conscious? What good does that term do? I feel like it’s a way for people to dismiss what they don’t want to listen to. Or am I wrong?
i understand why people bash wayne, its because his content is always the same.. i remember i got a lot of his music once to listen to at work and every song was about the same things.. and one song was a basketball/espn themed song and i quickly realized it was still the same content.. there weren’t even any lyrics about basketball that was kinda the last straw for me lol
but then again the conscious side can have negatives imo as well
like i never listen to immortal technique because a lot of his content is depressing to me.. like i don’t want to wake up and turn on a song about how the government is plotting to kill me
i like a middle ground like atcq, charles hamilton from like 2008/2009.. u know.. sortof just people who talk about normal life
i think a lot of people who bash artists are tired of the oppression of the industry.. u turn on mtv and all u see is the same 5 artists over and over.. people get tired of that
people don’t bash just because they dislike an artist.. they bash because they see people running around thinking an artist is the best just because they are the only one to get airplay
i am not saying any of this to “side” with anyone.. its just a few thoughts
I love this article. Yes lets start being nice and and open minded and accepting of others musical taste.