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Here's a thread to discuss the global state of hiphop...
Why is it that hiphop has only made it big (as a market and as a cration scene) in the USA?
I would be hard pressed to name 6 decent British MCs, and could not name one from almost all other countries of the world (except japan maybe)...so why is it? Slavery? Reasons of fashion? Corporate interests?
Is there any sort of local hiphop scene where you live, and where do you think the next big scene will emerge? Tokyo? Brixton?
Do you think that USA's hiphop is better than other countries, and if so, is that a coincidence, or is there a reason for it?
All ideas welcome

Originally posted by frogus
where do you think the next big scene will emerge?

Definitely out of the ghettos of Blackbird Leys

Sorry, I have no real view on this, I just thought I'd give the thread a reply and confound everyone not from Oxford...

:spam:did you know Blackbird Leys is the biggest housing estate in Europe?:spam off:

Please continue all.

Originally posted by frogus
:spam:did you know Blackbird Leys is the biggest housing estate in Europe?:spam off:

Please continue all.

Really? I would've thought that honour belonged to somewhere like Swindon...

Oh, and just who is "all" again??

UK

The uk? Wheres that... ins't that the little island out there that no one cares about anymore...

I think thats it... hmmm who cares.


thug





(p.s. Im american as can be, but if you go back far enough *not to far* im just another brit)

Personally i find that UK hip hop might finally bring some invention to a flagging genre. The US market of Hip Hop is becoming very average and mostly just bling bling and all that nonesense.

There are occasional MCs that bring something different but generally the sound is the same and the styles don't have anything new or interesting.

My only personal problem with UK Hip Hop is the actual voices, most of the British MCs just sound ridiculous when attempting to rap. There are however some very good lyracists however i don't think they get quite the exposure they could/should.

Originally posted by Mr Sleep
most of the British MCs just sound ridiculous when attempting to rap.

Your Honour, I call Tim Westwood as a prosecution witness...

Yes I know he's not a real hiphop MC, it's just that he sounds soo silly...

OMG! SLEEP SAID BLIND BLING!

Anyway, there are many viet and chinese R&B artists, pop is big there too.

The french group Java have made it big down under, whilst not big enough to get played on the commercial stations they have a cult following regardless.

just bling bling and all that nonesense.

LMFAO and just what is that supposed to mean

Originally posted by Vinin
OMG! SLEEP SAID BLIND BLING!

Indeed, i have other such slang terms if you want?

Anyway, there are many viet and chinese R&B artists, pop is big there too.

Some of them are actually rather good too

Originally posted by frogus
Here's a thread to discuss the global state of hiphop...

Not ANOTHER one! Lord save us.

The Swedish hiphop scence has been highly active for several years now, but i doubt it will every spread far outside Sweden since most of the artists make a point out of rapping in Swedish.

The Swedish hiphop scence differs considerably from the US one. Many of the bands are very political, and there is more focus or writing good lyrics than being a technically good rapper. I remember I told someone here at GB long ago that a prominent Swedish rapper got a price from the Swedish Academy for his lyrics. I don't think you'll see that in the US

Regarding US hiphop, I really think the genre has become stale and too commercialised, hopefully other regions will produce more creative hiphopers.

Aren't The Streets a UK rap group, well I don't think anyone else from another country would say geezer in their songs

Even wierder japanese pop is now a wierd mix of pop/rock, adn they do it well. A particularily popular artist is Ayumi Hamaskai. If you wish to hear her I suggest the songs of Evolution and Naturally. Mind you its in japanese, but if youre looking at it musically, she sings great, adn the riffs are very rockish. Its pleasing yet nerve racking.

Originally posted by Tamerlane
Aren't The Streets a UK rap group, well I don't think anyone else from another country would say geezer in their songs

The Streets is one man, a slightly ****tish ****ney MC...he has ideas though, and is occasionally funny with it...

@CE...I've never heard of anything like that before...I would love to hear some lyrics translated into English of course...I'm sure I can get a translation done on the net, can you find lyrics?

@Sleep...I agree, sort of - American pop is largely hip hop...and so pop musicians try to copy a hip hop style, and likwise real rappers get turned into corporate puppet souless popsters but just like noone outside UK has likely heard of MC Duke or Katch22, they are still serious and skillful...and there are serious and skillful US MCs too, just not well publicized etc...

Originally posted by frogus
@Sleep...I agree, sort of - American pop is largely hip hop...and so pop musicians try to copy a hip hop style, and likwise real rappers get turned into corporate puppet souless popsters but just like noone outside UK has likely heard of MC Duke or Katch22, they are still serious and skillful...and there are serious and skillful US MCs too, just not well publicized etc...

What about artists like Rakim, who remain popular in both commercial and underground fields?

So not a fan of DMX then?

Originally posted by frogus
@CE...I've never heard of anything like that before...I would love to hear some lyrics translated into English of course...I'm sure I can get a translation done on the net, can you find lyrics?

I'll try to find something, it's not so easy to find lyrics since most of them don't publish the lyrics on the CD-covers. Many lyrics are either about political problems (in the world and here) or about social problems, such as domestic violence, sexual abuse of children or having a parent dying from cancer.

Here is one, it's not one of the best but one of the few I found. And another, this group are the "fathers" of Swedish gangsta rap - the funny thing is that last year they got a scholarship from a Swedish Union for working class professions The lead rapper in the band also got some press for acting as midwife when his girlfriend delivered their daughter in their home As you understand, the Swedish hiphop culture is light years from the US one

Originally posted by Mr Sleep
So not a fan of DMX then?

Ugh, can't stand this guy. How on earth is he so popular, that voice is terrible. Then again I do consider myself a fan of punk/rock so my opinion is a bit biased. But he really does get on my nerves, unlike many of the other rappers.