Thread: Rockism

I think that you will all agree when I say that rock music is generally considered the most popular genre in America. Now, I have nothing but love for rock but I sometimes wish people would try expanding their horizons a little more. Rock snobs used to snear at heavy metal and never really gave it the respect it deserves until very recently.

Nowadays, it's the same thing with hip hop. Far too often I hear people say things like "rap is crap" or "I hate hip hop". I used to be like this myself until I realized that MTV is not the best place to look for quality hip hop music, or music in general.

My point is, rock is not the end-all be-all of musical genres. Music is a family that rock is a part of, as is jazz, classical, hip hop, dance, and many many others.

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

I think that you will all agree when I say that rock music is generally considered the most popular genre in America. Now, I have nothing but love for rock but I sometimes wish people would try expanding their horizons a little more. Rock snobs used to snear at heavy metal and never really gave it the respect it deserves until very recently.

Nowadays, it's the same thing with hip hop. Far too often I hear people say things like "rap is crap" or "I hate hip hop". I used to be like this myself until I realized that MTV is not the best place to look for quality hip hop music, or music in general.

My point is, rock is not the end-all be-all of musical genres. Music is a family that rock is a part of, as is jazz, classical, hip hop, dance, and many many others.

Ice Cube in the 90's, don't laugh, was my first hook, and "It was a good day" was the track. You know how it is...it's always that one part, of that one song, that's playing in your head over and over that gets you started.

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

I think that you will all agree when I say that rock music is generally considered the most popular genre in America. Now, I have nothing but love for rock but I sometimes wish people would try expanding their horizons a little more. Rock snobs used to snear at heavy metal and never really gave it the respect it deserves until very recently.

Nowadays, it's the same thing with hip hop. Far too often I hear people say things like "rap is crap" or "I hate hip hop". I used to be like this myself until I realized that MTV is not the best place to look for quality hip hop music, or music in general.

My point is, rock is not the end-all be-all of musical genres. Music is a family that rock is a part of, as is jazz, classical, hip hop, dance, and many many others.

We watched this documentary on Sundance last night. HIGHLY recommended, Thuze.
Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Check out this young Turk: YouTube - Ceza - Holocaust (Turkish Hip Hop) Crossing The Bridge


There's also some REALLY great rock and folk in this film. Great stuff!

Originally Posted by Goldwater

Ice Cube in the 90's, don't laugh, was my first hook, and "It was a good day" was the track. You know how it is...it's always that one part, of that one song, that's playing in your head over and over that gets you started.

Hey why would I laugh? Ice Cube is sick, he's one of my favs. That's a really good track.

Originally Posted by Davocrat

We watched this documentary on Sundance last night. HIGHLY recommended, Thuze.
Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Check out this young Turk: YouTube - Ceza - Holocaust (Turkish Hip Hop) Crossing The Bridge


There's also some REALLY great rock and folk in this film. Great stuff!

I've never really heard any music outside of America or Europe and I'd like to. I might pick it up or try to download it, thanks!

Originally Posted by Davocrat

Check out this young Turk: YouTube - Ceza - Holocaust (Turkish Hip Hop) Crossing The Bridge

Really fast, but too bad I don't speak Turk. He sounds skilled, but then there's no way I can really know.

Rockism 11-15-2008 10:48 PMRoshi but rap is crap


What a cowardly abuse of the rep system.

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

Really fast, but too bad I don't speak Turk. He sounds skilled, but then there's no way I can really know.

The documentary was made by a German, but the version I saw had English subtitles. The rappers said that Turkish hip hop themes tend to be more political than American gangsta themes. Most of what I saw was like that.

Originally Posted by Davocrat

The documentary was made by a German, but the version I saw had English subtitles. The rappers said that Turkish hip hop themes tend to be more political than American gangsta themes. Most of what I saw was like that.

Hmmm, that's the same sort of thing I hear about with French and British rappers as well. We need more of that hear in the States. Too bad political rap doesn't have the same commercial appeal as bitchez and gunz (every man's fantasy).

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

I think that you will all agree when I say that rock music is generally considered the most popular genre in America. Now, I have nothing but love for rock but I sometimes wish people would try expanding their horizons a little more. Rock snobs used to snear at heavy metal and never really gave it the respect it deserves until very recently.

Nowadays, it's the same thing with hip hop. Far too often I hear people say things like "rap is crap" or "I hate hip hop". I used to be like this myself until I realized that MTV is not the best place to look for quality hip hop music, or music in general.

My point is, rock is not the end-all be-all of musical genres. Music is a family that rock is a part of, as is jazz, classical, hip hop, dance, and many many others.

I'm no musicologist, but it has seemed to me since my own teenage years, that the term "rock" means nothing more then "the music that most of the middle class kids are listening to right now."

Frankly, I don't think there has been much actual music produced in the West since the late 1940's.

In general, if there isn't harmony or a baton involved, it is hard for me to call any sound music.