What is your least favorite style of music?

[Cifero Windtail]

Now for some math:
Cupcakes by Sergeant Sprinkles + the sharks from Deep Blue Sea + a sack of manure + family guy= rap.
 
Thus, rap is scary. And it stinks. And it's insulting.

[josh_down]

^

you've clearly only heard 50 cent and the like... who is several words i doubtlessly can't say on this forum. there is loads of really really -really- good rap with people who can actually craft an interesting sentence and who have something interesting to say instead of how awesome they are. plus it'll rhyme in a beautifully interesting way too.

and mr prime... tis good that you don't like the kind of bile that's likely played on smooth jazz radio. i'm british so we don't get smooth jazz radio... but we do get jamie cullum who's almost as bad.

[MiltoniusPrime]

Now for some math:
Cupcakes by Sergeant Sprinkles + the sharks from Deep Blue Sea + a sack of manure + family guy= rap.
 
Thus, rap is scary. And it stinks. And it's insulting.

Associate Family Guy with something I enjoy, and you've made an enemy of me, good sir.

And I hate throwing wood onto the argu-fire, but everything post-"Thus" comes off as "I'm intimidated by black people and things I don't understand".

(And the same three things could be said about furries.  ZING.)

Also, Busdriver.  Awesome technical rapper with superior wordcrafting skills and a sense of humor:
http://youtu.be/GRglOSBV2VE

[Midnight Madness]

I believe that equation is erroneous, for a multitude of reasons. But I digress. I dislike Rap music. A lot. I dislike it to the point of having to tell people I wish it to be turned off if it's going to be more than an hour. However, I do realize that Rap is an art no less, it is poetry. Literally, not figuratively. It's just recited in a more skillful manner, and I give props to the artists that can do it well.


But again, I just dislike the... drabness. There's no further substance, most of the time, besides the lyrics; which is a turn away in my opinion. I like music with a lot going on.


And I have an honest question, Prime; was that at all necessary? I mean, come on. That's just pointing fingers; one of my best friends is black, and I dislike Rap a lot. No less, not all rappers are black. For example, Eminem.

[MiltoniusPrime]

Obviously not all rappers are white, but rap still comes off as a very "black" thing.  There have been white rappers since the beginning, when people were rapping over the instrumental breaks in party records, and words have been set to rhythm for much, much longer.  Eminem got popular by being good at rapping, and by filling a niche, though he has outlived the novelty of "white rapper".  Rapping shouldn't be about race, though.  It should be about conveying your ideas through words and rhythm.  It has as much variety as rock or electronica, or any other genres.  But like other genres, it's easy to get lost in the top layer, the ones that are easily seen on TV and on the radio, and never look beneath.  Not everyone WANTS to look beneath, it's fine being comfortable with what you like.  I like looking beyond that, finding layers, interesting new tidbits to enjoy, things that aren't always completely palatable at first.

I feel it was necessary to discuss/defend something I enjoy quite a bit.  I'd also defend any other genre, possibly just as much, even if I don't actively listen to it (like modern country, R&B, dance pop).  While you may dislike rap quite a bit, you're at least trying to say so intelligently, rather than in non sequitur equations.  What you said didn't come off as "I don't like rap and don't have any logical reasons for coming to that conclusion, so I'll try to be cute and silly. *raspberry*"  I'm not trying to make people LIKE any kind of rap, just sticking up for it amongst a flood of "Yeah, I hate rap, more Muse/Linkin Park!"

I'm also not questioning your having black friends, or saying that all black people have to love rap.  I just like to think outside of race when it comes to personal taste.  Someone who says they love all rock/metal could enjoy Metallica AND Living Colour (though Metallica would easily come out ahead in popularity), but they also might be surprised to know the guys behind "Cult of Personality" are all black.

[josh_down]

Obviously not all rappers are white, but rap still comes off as a very "black" thing.  There have been white rappers since the beginning, when people were rapping over the instrumental breaks in party records, and words have been set to rhythm for much, much longer.  Eminem got popular by being good at rapping, and by filling a niche, though he has outlived the novelty of "white rapper".  Rapping shouldn't be about race, though.  It should be about conveying your ideas through words and rhythm.  It has as much variety as rock or electronica, or any other genres.  But like other genres, it's easy to get lost in the top layer, the ones that are easily seen on TV and on the radio, and never look beneath.  Not everyone WANTS to look beneath, it's fine being comfortable with what you like.  I like looking beyond that, finding layers, interesting new tidbits to enjoy, things that aren't always completely palatable at first.

I feel it was necessary to discuss/defend something I enjoy quite a bit.  I'd also defend any other genre, possibly just as much, even if I don't actively listen to it (like modern country, R&B, dance pop).  While you may dislike rap quite a bit, you're at least trying to say so intelligently, rather than in non sequitur equations.  What you said didn't come off as "I don't like rap and don't have any logical reasons for coming to that conclusion, so I'll try to be cute and silly. *raspberry*"  I'm not trying to make people LIKE any kind of rap, just sticking up for it amongst a flood of "Yeah, I hate rap, more Muse/Linkin Park!"

I'm also not questioning your having black friends, or saying that all black people have to love rap.  I just like to think outside of race when it comes to personal taste.  Someone who says they love all rock/metal could enjoy Metallica AND Living Colour (though Metallica would easily come out ahead in popularity), but they also might be surprised to know the guys behind "Cult of Personality" are all black.

funnily enough... linkin park have quite a bit of rap involved.

anyway... i'd just like to add that there is nothing wrong with saying that you dislike something. infact, that's great! people should say bad things about things. watch;

i can't stand classical musicians who play pop songs on their instruments. it kinda feels like they always wanted to be the cool kid in school, playing air guitar with a tennis racket and singing into the hairbrush... while all the while, they were forced to play violin by their parents. now that they're actually kinda good at their instrument, they loose any interest in the actual music and just play trashy pop songs or classic rock pieces. songs where you genuinely need lyrics and an actual voice to sing it, or any sense of emotion, expressionism or integrity is lost forever to the musician playing it.

now you try

people really need to stop with this "don't hate" attitude that's going around at the moment. people hate things... end of story. does that mean that it makes it wrong for them to like what i hate? of course not! cause they likely hate what i like.

[Midnight Madness]

-insert his statement here-

Well, I had hoped you weren't saying that; I am glad it came to be the truth. And your philosophy is rather admirable in regards to how you discover what you are interested in. Indeed music should not be about race, as it is free to the world. I agree on the looking beneath as well; hence why I find myself liking Techno and Rock, there's a lot on the bottom and middle layers, as well as the top. But again, merely opinion.


Well, that's the thing; I don't believe Cifero was necessarily bashing or attacking your interests or the genre. He was stating his  (slightly abrasive) opinion. But I don't think your rebuttal was exactly rubbing the right way in the manner you made it; the words were a bit flat in meaning, not alluding to a secondary intent.


It did rub off in that way, though; because it was a direct comparison. Stereotypes just get people in trouble, no matter the way they are used. And in making points, stereotypes are probably the last thing one should prance about and utilize. It can lead to inopportune comments; such as my question of your statement's necessity. But perhaps I should be questioning my own statement's necessity. But I digress.


Rap can be great sometimes, others, it can be utterly idiotic; but it is that way with anything in the world. I try to avoid stating that I "hate" anything; because hate begets hate. It's just that Rap not my style at all. And to helpfully defend the genre as well, there are one too many songs in the millions of other genres that sing of even worse things than any Rap song. It's all mind over matter, however.

[MiltoniusPrime]

I really have zero problems with people disliking or hating rap.  The point where I step in is where "I don't like rap" or even "I hate rap" becomes "Rap sucks".

I enjoy debating and finding out more about why things are how they are, it's tough to be content with someone disliking something without knowing exactly why.  Obviously not every answer is going to satisfy me, but that's what I get for being so picky.

And I don't just expect everyone/anyone to like what I say.  I don't like putting on padded mittens to deal with anyone, because I wouldn't want the same done to me.  If someone doesn't like something I like, no crying from me.  I'm not trying to say anything to purposefully upset anyone, but I can see how some things come off as harsh.  I know I can't just be angry and disturbing and critical all the time.  I like things too.

If I'm going with the flow of HAAAAATE, I dislike (genre)-covers of other songs.  I'm fine with artists covering other songs, and tribute/cover albums don't get on my nerves, but things like "Pop Goes Punk" or "Rap Goes Metal" really grate my skin.  They come off as very "Hey, I think this one genre sucks, but it'll be so funny hearing it with guitars over it!  IRONY!"  It's as bad as people who look around after hearing a joke to see if anyone else is laughing, lest they be the only one laughing and suddenly feel ashamed of their own sense of humor.

And "Don't Stop Believin'".  Decent band, fine genre, horribly over-rated and over-played song.

[Cheeky Stoat]

Rap does suck though.  In my opinion.    Nah, I'm just antagonizing you.  I can accept that not all rap artists are crap but enough of them are and enough of what the music represents that I have no patience at all for it.


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2020029531334253002 Watched this in a post-secondary class a year ago and I think that it can explain my opinions and feelings on why just about all rap (I include hip hop, reggae and R&B to fall into the "rap" category to clarify) is extremely degrading better than I could.  It's a hip hop documentary made by a hip hop fan.  It's not a hate-film, I promise.


Anywho, I hated rao before I watched this mostly just because the sound wasn't very appealing and the people who "typically" listen to those genres drive me nuts (not all, my partner enjoys rap once in awhile).

[x]

I can't stand rap because, the majority of the time, they speak so fast I have no idea what they're saying, and they say the same stupid line over and over. Admittedly, some rappers are real poets and their songs have interesting lyrics. But then they ruin those lyrics by getting up on stage and rapping so fast no one is able to take the time to understand. Rap may feature good poets who write good songs, but these poets' musical execution of their songs is terrible. Most can't sing, and most of them can't play instruments. So it isn't really music. It's people writing poems then speaking them into a mic as quickly as possible with a little pre-generated, overused background music. So it should be it's own art form instead of being considered music.

Some heavy metal (not all of it) is also this way: I have to wonder what the point of "singing" (screaming?) is when no-one has any idea what you're saying.

I also dislike pop not because it's "bad" but because they use the same beats, almost the same lyrics, over and over. And the stations play these songs over and over so you get tired of them quickly.

As for what I like, I like hard rock, rock, metal, classic rock, alt. rock, country, lounge, jazz, new age, world, funk, and techno. (some of these styles also doesn't feature people who can actually sing but I like the generated beats).

[Midnight Madness]

So it should be it's own art form instead of being considered music.

I have uttered the exact same words before. Look at where music started; classical music with instruments. Pure vocals is like everyday speech or a poetry recital, just sped up and/or "bassified."

Some heavy metal (not all of it) is also this way: I have to wonder what the point of "singing" (screaming?) is when no-one has any idea what you're saying.

Hence why I'm not a huge death metal fan. I stick with Rock music I can understand. Disturbed, KoRn, Amorphis, Symphony X, etc.; at least one can understand the majority of their lyrics.

I also dislike pop not because it's "bad" but because they use the same beats, almost the same lyrics, over and over. And the stations play these songs over and over so you get tired of them quickly.

Pop = Popular = Popular Culture


I see the formula for spamming music over the radio. It's actually a little annoying to hear the exact same song over and over and over again for several hours.

[MiltoniusPrime]

I can't stand rap because, the majority of the time, they speak so fast I have no idea what they're saying, and they say the same stupid line over and over. Admittedly, some rappers are real poets and their songs have interesting lyrics. But then they ruin those lyrics by getting up on stage and rapping so fast no one is able to take the time to understand. Rap may feature good poets who write good songs, but these poets' musical execution of their songs is terrible. Most can't sing, and most of them can't play instruments. So it isn't really music. It's people writing poems then speaking them into a mic as quickly as possible with a little pre-generated, overused background music. So it should be it's own art form instead of being considered music.

Some heavy metal (not all of it) is also this way: I have to wonder what the point of "singing" (screaming?) is when no-one has any idea what you're saying.

I also dislike pop not because it's "bad" but because they use the same beats, almost the same lyrics, over and over. And the stations play these songs over and over so you get tired of them quickly.

As for what I like, I like hard rock, rock, metal, classic rock, alt. rock, country, lounge, jazz, new age, world, funk, and techno. (some of these styles also doesn't feature people who can actually sing but I like the generated beats).

Not going to counter-argument everything that you posted, so I'll give an example.  Kurt Cobain.  You can't tell me that you'd understand every single word of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" the first time you heard it.  I also bet there's a lot of people who wouldn't understand the differences between the phrases "a mulatto" "my denial" and "an albino", and Kurt says those over and over again.

I think there's just such an overwhelmingly negative attitude toward most rap (especially among people who claim to listen to "understandable" music) that people really don't try to understand the lyrics.  Not everything is going to be spoon-fed to you slowly and legibly, sometimes you have to listen a few times, or even look up lyrics online.

Everyone who declares rap "not music" doesn't really understand how broad the term "music" is.  Your opinion is one thing, but enough of you agreeing about the same thing doesn't change reality.

Also, I find bands like Korn and Disturbed to be overly, pointlessly angsty, and get tired of hearing "oh, I really like them because I had a dark point in my life where I really related to them".  That's like saying "I was hungry for pizza, and I found a restaurant that sells pizza, now it's my favorite restaurant".

[Midnight Madness]

Not going to counter-argument everything that you posted, so I'll give an example.  Kurt Cobain.  You can't tell me that you'd understand every single word of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" the first time you heard it.  I also bet there's a lot of people who wouldn't understand the differences between the phrases "a mulatto" "my denial" and "an albino", and Kurt says those over and over again.

I think there's just such an overwhelmingly negative attitude toward most rap (especially among people who claim to listen to "understandable" music) that people really don't try to understand the lyrics.  Not everything is going to be spoon-fed to you slowly and legibly, sometimes you have to listen a few times, or even look up lyrics online.

Everyone who declares rap "not music" doesn't really understand how broad the term "music" is.  Your opinion is one thing, but enough of you agreeing about the same thing doesn't change reality.

Also, I find bands like Korn and Disturbed to be overly, pointlessly angsty, and get tired of hearing "oh, I really like them because I had a dark point in my life where I really related to them".  That's like saying "I was hungry for pizza, and I found a restaurant that sells pizza, now it's my favorite restaurant".

You don't seem to be taking it well when someone states their opinion of dislike on Rap music. You're really getting quite defensive, and a little rude, over nothing.

[x]

Your opinion is your own, but I want to defend myself.

I can actually identify with those hard rock/metal artists in terms of my ENTIRE LIFE, not just "there was a really hard point in my life" as you put it.  When I listen to those bands, I get sucked in, I feel like I'm inside the song, it's an overwhelming 'wow' feeling. And, actually, I don't collect artists. I don't even know who sings some of my songs. I collect songs. If I hear something and like it, I get it. Has nothing to do with the band playing it.

As for 'not being able to take the time to understand rap lyrics' you aren't really looking at what I said. Sure, I can't understand a few words to songs, but when I put on the rap channel I can't understand ANY of it half the time. I listen, but I can't make out any of the words. They call this unintelligible. I'm okay with not understanding a few words to a song (I'll look up the lyrics later), but when I can't understand any of the song then there's a problem.

Also, I DID understand all of Smells Like Teen Spirit the first time I heard it.

I'm not saying rap isn't art, it just shouldn't be called music. As should some other genres of "music."

I listen songs to get into them, not to figure them out. A song is not meant to be a puzzle, it's meant to sound good in your ears and put the words of what the artist is saying into your head. I can understand listening to a song a few times to get its meaning, but I can't understand having to google the lyrics for every song I listen to because it went by too fast. Sounds annoying.

[MiltoniusPrime]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/music

Suck it, Trebek!

You don't seem to be taking it well when someone states their opinion of dislike on Rap music. You're really getting quite defensive, and a little rude, over nothing.

Music means a lot to me, so I feel that the music I like is worth debating/expanding upon.  And I'm not getting upset at people not liking rap music, but people who are only experiencing what mainstream media expects them to hear.  When I read something like "put on the rap channel", of course I know you're listening to (in my opinion) horrible music.  I don't listen to rap on the radio, for the same reason I wouldn't stick a sharp object in my ear.  I find out about artists through my various circles (friends, shows, sharing threads), give the album a listen, and if I don't like it I don't listen to it again.

I do collect music, not for any kind of "hipster" air, but because I like music.  I like knowing that an artist or band cared enough about music to craft an entire album, not just one song that everyone remembers them by.  I like giving them a chance, since they put the effort forward.  I know not everyone has the time or desire to listen to an entire album, but I know that if someone wants to listen to something I've got more than just a hit single.  I practically had a listening party when I found the entire Rick Astley record that contained "Never Gonna Give You Up".  The same goes for a-ha.

If you think rap is too fast to understand, don't listen to something like System of a Down's "Chop Suey!".  Or, gods forbid, R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)".

Just to be clear, I don't like ONLY hip-hop, but I know the nature of this thread is "least favorite genres", and not "Milt finds out the diverse or uniform musical tastes of the forum".

Also, I DID understand all of Smells Like Teen Spirit the first time I heard it.

I listen songs to get into them, not to figure them out. A song is not meant to be a puzzle, it's meant to sound good in your ears and put the words of what the artist is saying into your head. I can understand listening to a song a few times to get its meaning, but I can't understand having to google the lyrics for every song I listen to because it went by too fast. Sounds annoying.

I wasn't there the first time you heard it, so I'm not questioning you specifically.  People are knowing for mishearing lyrics.  I like a little replayability in my music.  I know things like depth and musical taste are relative, and perhaps I enjoy finally picking up on a reference or something subtle I never "got" before.

tl;dr
"I dislike rap" is fine by me, you don't have to like everything, not going to question you.
"rap sucks" comes off as scoffing at multiple genres based on the loudest of the worst, sounds immature.  I need a satisfactory explanation.