It's because there is less black guys :D. That's actually true. When you look at the American leagues, there are guys who are trying to flex their rap skills and lyricism. In Don't Flop, it's mainly about the jokes and bars because so many of them couldn't give a fuck about becoming an ACTUAL rapper.

EtH, I'm curious about your opinion on other forms of music. Do you feel the same way about other lyrical genres, whereas all (lyrical) music is just a form of entertainment? Or do you feel the "art" aspect of lyricism is entirely based on things you've noted, such as imagery, subtleness and honesty? You've got a unique perspective and I find it quite interesting.

Respect,
P.C

I'll admit i don't watch don't Flop very often. But I guess you see lyricism as something that gets in the way of the actual topic/bar/joke whereas I see it as something that embellishes it. All the elements that create lyricism are the same elements used in poetry. Its just like someone's verse can be more focused on flow and multies but that doesn't meant they don't have an actual subject matter (topic/bars/jokes). I think I see more of your point now though.

Yeah you often see people who have just bars of dope rhyming, and it's like, alright, that's pretty cool and all, but why should I be impressed? The goal is to write to a topic, or to write punches at your opponent. ONLY doing lyricism isn't impressive at all to me.

I doubt the majority of rappers have even read a full book before (I haven't either). It's not a very intellectually fuelled industry, so that's why we see so little intelligent additions to the rap game. For it to be poetry, you'd have to have poetic techniques, and I bet the majority of current rappers cant explain what alliteration is. Sure you have a few guys, like as someone said before Mos Def and Lupe, but you cant hold ALL of rap by the standards of the few guys who take a different direction. You have to look at rap overall, and the overall thing we see is that rappers talk about the streets, claiming it's storytelling and not genericism, they don't think of their bars in terms of imagery, subtle metaphors, tone. They think of their bars in terms of what rhymes next and how they can try and link it to the bar before, and when the bar before is about guns and shit, that's when they go down the same route as everyone else.

Correct. But you just as well can't hold ALL of rap by the standards of garbage radio rappers either. Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's "good." If all your listening too is "pop" rap, then yeah, your point would be justified 10 fold. But most lyricists who consider themselves "artists" give a huge thumbs down to most radio rap. Most of it is repetitive and emotionless and honestly, a large majority of that junk sells because of the beat and not the lyrics. Or because it's a bandwagon rapper, and kids love to love shit their friends love, without knowing why they love it. Regardless, there ARE plenty of hip-hop artists out there who are more than willing and able to show their true lyrical ingenuity. They might not get the respect they deserve, but they're definitely out there and shouldn't be discredited just because it's exponentially harder for them to get themselves noticed. Unfortunately, it's not considered "cool" to be rollin' blunts and bumpin' some deep shit that you and your boys would actually benefit from thinking about.

Respect,
P.C

I wasn't specifically referring to "radio rappers". I mean even the likes of Vinny Paz and Immortal Technique. Mos Def and Lupe Fiasco were mentioned. The reason people notice them, and the reason they stand out, is BECAUSE they use these small little poetic techniques. That's their edge. The reason it makes them different, is because almost every other rapper, popular or not, doesn't use those kind of techniques.

EtH Doesn't Think Rap Isn't Poetry, He Thinks Not Enough People Use A Poetic And Artistic Approach.

2/10000000000000000000000000000000 means it isn't poetry to me, those guys just happen to use poetic techniques.

Your Still Beautiful Though, Be The Best You Can Be Jabroni :D

The audio topicals were bullshit nobody knew how to vote on them the concept doesn't transfer