The Evolution of Hip-Hop/Rap
 

I think this would be an interesting topic to talk about. Forgive me if my knowledge is limited. We all know that hip-hop and rap evolved out of DJ Kool Herc and underground poetry (and a few aspects out of the blues, funk, etc). You have the Sugarhill Gang, Public Enemy, Run DMC, Tupac, and Eminem (could go on forever). But what concerns me is the limited feel of this genre. Sure, it can vary in sound and all, but I don't really see anything "groundbreaking" or "revolutionary." Almost every genre has had something groundbreaking come along. You have Miles Davis with jazz, Robert Johnson with blues, Michael Jackson (ehg) with pop, The Velvet Underground with rock, etc. As a genre itself, hip-hop and rap are groundbreaking (or at least different) in comparison to other genres, but not so much within the genre itself. I mean, I guess there's Madvillain, Aesop Rock, and cLOUDDEAD (which could be categorized in this), but what I really want to see is something great and something that can be upheld by music lovers and art critics alike. I want to see the Velvet Underground of hip-hop. I'm sorry if I am ignorant in anyway. Maybe I am a bit close-minded. If I am, please prove me wrong. Remember I have respect for this music, but I am just speaking my mind.

I'm sorry, but I don't want to do a write up or anything, but you've kind of hit the nail on the head. Aesop Rock is too complicated for most people to get down with, but he's almost perfect. You can make a college English course in breaking down Aesop's lyrics. I read an article saying some English professors got a hold of some of his lyrics and they were highly impressed.

Take it with a grain of salt, but Aesop Rock is a god of hiphop.

He is pretty great. His album, Labor Days, is probably his best.

Kind of an oxymoron in your post, in that you say as a genre it's groundbreaking but there's no groundbreaking albums...someone had to break ground somewhere. I don't really get your post. Madvillainy is an album that is held up by both music fans and art critics.

Anyway, I also don't feel like making a long post but critics and fans love 36 Chambers, Illmatic, Straight Outta Compton, It Takes a Nation, The Low End Theory, Liquid Swords, Dr. Octagonecologyst, Deltron 3030, So... How's Your Girl?, Funcrusher Plus, The Unseen, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, 3 Feet High, Illadelph Halflife, The Cold Vein, Riddim Warfare, Absence anything MF Doom touches. Those are just the classic albums off the top of my head, they're held in very high regard and there's tons of other albums I can name, ones that aren't so popular, that do do more but whatever. I think there seems to be this problem amongst fans who come from the rock world into hip hop where they don't really understand innovations. It took me along to really pick out what made people like Doom, Kool Keith, Dan the Automator, Madlib, special.

Agreed, seemed like a weird post. And I agree.^

Also, Labor Days is my favorite as well.

Irish Rappers? view on them?-

I think float is pretty dope though, maybe better.

Isn't most innovation in hip hop the work of the producer?

Not necessarily, innovation can also come in the form of flow, delivery, lyrical content etc.

Well yeah, but I'm saying most. There have always been talented lyricists, but the beats are what have evolved most right? I just don't think that emcees have really been breaking that much new ground, which is not to say that some aren't amazing and fascinating to listen to. All i'm saying is that if you look back on all of hip-hop, the greatest changes have occurred in the beats and rhythms used.

Hip hop tends to be too specific on aesthetic aspects I think to grow too much. Albeit, I think it's integration into, and effect on other genres is amazing. I suppose the best thing for hip hop is if that it could return to being more experimental. One of the great things of hip hop is you can't really define what makes it instrumentally since it's mostly samples.

Therefore, Hip Hop could theoretically anything that utilizes mostly upbeat spoken word poetry. I wish hip-hop artists try something else other than the generic thumpy-thump bass grooves, and songs about asses, crack, and guns. I mean, a lot are, and it's wonderful, but it's not really getting as much exposure as it should.