Rap vs. Hip Hop
 

In your opinion, what's the difference (if any)? Which do you prefer?

To me Hip Hop was always a culture whereas Rap was always an action.
Every Emcee is a Rapper but not every Rapper is an Emcee type of deal

So Rap is the musical aspect of Hip Hop without the culture?

To me its all one in the same with little subset genres like trap, backpack rap, pop-rap, etc. It's like the two edges of the hip-hop sword are mainstream and underground but it's also a serrated edge & every serration is one of the aforementioned subsets.

The answer depends on context and one's understanding of the words. There was a time when hiphop was a distinct sub genre of rap music and was viewed as different than rap. A lot of real hip hop heads from the 90s would say "I don't listen to east or west coast I listen to hiphop" during the whole east coast west coast beef. But what's considered hiphop is subjective. And that's how it was, is and always will be. Hiphop was more of the culture of the elements in the past but the name was chosen by corporate, msm labels over rap cuz "rap" had a negative connotation attached to it. So hiphop became the generic term we see today. Where even cross dressing rappers like Young Thug are referred to as hiphop artist.

I think this is subjective. However I think of Hip Hop as being meaningful (Example: Immortal Technique), and Rap to be much more centred around bars (Example: Cassidy).

I agree with it being subjective. I think the one central theme of Hip Hop is authenticity...or the concept of "keeping it real," and being authentic means different things to different people. For some people, rapping about all the money you make and all the bitches you fuck is fake and you're putting on a front. For others, that's their real life (or at least it was) and the backpackers aren't "real" enough.

So it's not so much about content (at least initially) because two people can spit about the same subject but one seems to do so authentically while the other seems to do it purely for commercial reasons. That is when it can be about content to some extent because certain content sells more than others (sex, violence, etc.).

I'm changing the topic slightly but am I the only person bored of the same topics & stories in our genre? The drug dealer from an impoverished background glorifying the struggle of selling drugs usually. There was nothing wrong with the story being told but every rapper seems to have the same background. Why can't we have something different? I think that was one of the reasons for the success of someone like Macklemore - he jumps on the scene talking about buying clothes from a Thrift shop and has had a few big hits with similar, unorthodox topics.

Yeah but Macklemore also talks about how he's culturally appropriating the black music and how he has white privilege so he can fuck right off.

My problem with rap a lot is that everyone is John Cena. What I mean by this is that they aren't allowed to play a "character". They have to "keep it real" and be honest about themselves. Why aren't we allowed more storytelling? Things like 2pac writing a verse from the perspective of a woman, as if she's the protagonist? Or Eminem's Stan. Things like that always feel different for me and it opens it up to be more like writing and poetry than it is "rap".

Anyways, as for the general topic, some people have it the complete otherway around but I see rap as the action of rapping, and I see hiphop as the whole facade with flashy cars and gold chains.

I haven't listened to much Macklemore, but I get where you are coming from, Nick. I still think Rap/Hip Hop is the most versatile form of music there is. Probably 95% of all R&B, Country, or Pop songs are love-related (either they're saying sorry, breaking up or making up). I think they're even more monotonous than Rap imo. Hip Hop employs more words. Someone can tell their whole life story in a song. It's harder to do that in the other genres because of the format. People have sang about killing and violence in other genres, but it's not as convincing to me. I think the monotony in subject matter is mostly in mainstream and commercial Rap. Those themes sell (sex and violence) and most of those rappers are doing it mostly for the money. You will find more varied subjects if you explore the underground.

For people making ACTUAL music, as in playing instruments, I'm more impressed these days than rap.

I was recently put on to Lindsey Sterling and Miyavi and just their skills on their respective instruments alone are insane. Lovely Laura who smashes it on the Sax in Ibiza and was at Tomorowland last year is another amazing one with her art.

I have to agree a central tenet of hiphop is being true to oneself wether you're selling drugs or hitting the books. I think originality and creativity are also core tenets. So yeah, I'd agree content is important but not as important as "keeping it real". Though, I think how you deliver the message can matter. I believe most of us would give more props to someone who exposes or sheds light on situations as opposed to someone who may seem to glorify them.

---------- Post added at 08:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 AM ----------

I completely agree about the topics getting old. I really dislike Macklemore but agree with the rest. I had a dope track, good lyrics and production but took it down for that reason. Felt like that same old shit tbh.

---------- Post added at 08:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 AM ----------

It's a lot harder to write that way. And corporate labels are worried about money. There's a formula for that. So sadly won't see much diversity in music unless you hella search for it.

Thats another issue with rap. Everyone wants to get "signed". You dont just get an open mic night with people performing because thats what they love to do. Thats why you rarely get people writing about whatever they want and just feeling it.

The absolute difference is purely what the music is. Rap can be acappella. The music can be house or pop,rock,country,trap but have someone rapping on it. Someone rapping does not a hiphop song make

Hip Hop is a culture...rap is something people involved in the aforesaid culture do.

Hip-Hop is LIFE, Rap is the soundtrack. Just like any compilation there's different ways of doing it (sub-genres).
Beat-boxing turned into making 5 beats a day for 3 summers.
Break dancing turned into dabbing, nae nae, dougie, etc. whatever the fuck is "hip" now, get it hip?
Wearing Addidas track suits turned baggy pants then into leather kilts and shit and whatever's the trend now.