B!tchfest: a healthy release for our non-roleplay annoyances.

[Weird Tales]

<Snipped quote by Weird Tales>

They're reviewing, bud. It's kind of LITERALLY THEIR ENTIRE FREAKIN' JOB to give you their opinions. Because someone has opinions you don't agree with, or because one guy may or may not have been influenced by a blowie and some butthurt ex made 4chan act like 4chan again (Much to everyone's surprise) doesn't mean that the entire thing is nothing but trash just because one particular type of journalist isn't doing the opposite of what they're supposed to do.

@Sombrero

I haven't read a gaming journal in forever and I know what I want. I research for myself

[Frettzo]

<Snipped quote by Sombrero>

I haven't read a gaming journal in forever and I know what I want. I research for myself

@Weird Tales

Good for you

[SleepingSilence]

<Snipped quote by SleepingSilence>
While I agree that flow and lyrics are an integral part of rap music in any language, not being a speaker of Japanese just means that I listen more to the beats of any given J-Rap song. Reading translated J-Rap lyrics (or really any J-pop song) would just be weird because reading out the translations in English wouldn't help a non speaker understand the flow or rhymes or anything of the sort.

That said, Dekishi has great flow and frequently collabs.

@Fabricant451

For the first link, I do really wish I was able to understand that/or had a general idea of what they were saying because I probably would of liked it a whole lot more. Though I enjoyed it overall. It's also funny that I've probably found some better rappers on soundcloud than what you'd find in the mainstream. For the second, I just hope and pray that somewhere that is someone's real album cover.

There's also artists like Dabo, DJ Ken Kaneko, SALU, SKY-HI and COLEMAN OUTDOOR RESORT MOVIE.

Even if you're not a fan of lyrics there are artists in the J-Rap world that still put out some great beats that sound good no matter if you understand it or not!

@Fabricant451

SKY-HI <-- Enjoyed this one. And yeah, I'm usually the same for things like J-Rock. Or when I listen to half the metal I do, which doesn't speak the same language, Sabaton, ELUVEITIE, Korpikanni. Things of that nature. Maybe its because I prefer rock/metal instruments. So those alone can make the song interesting for me, I've never exactly been a fan of ambient and chill rap music, even in English. Rap is usually best when it pulse pounding and fast as hell. For me.

Well if it's weird you're after might I also suggest Wednesday Campanella or even DOTAMA

@Fabricant451

Eh, first one isn't so weird. I find the music video more unique than anything. When I think of glorious Japan weridness this is what comes to mind.
Second one almost had me. There's been plenty of songs you posted that I'd understand the appeal of. But I really do think the language barrier is stopping a lot of them for me. Eh, Everyone's a critic. xP

Also I really like Charisma.com because Gonchi and Itsuka are just office ladies with things to say about Japan. They're also kinda weird awesome and embrace the low effort production value. For example their most recent music video? It's just them walking around Japan with a selfie stick and an iPad playing the song so they can know their cues. But what makes it even weirder is that they have Not one, not two, but three different versions of the same concept. And then just because they're like that, they also put up a fourth version

Charisma.com is great

@Fabricant451

LOL. Well I liked that song too. Maybe not enough to listen to it 5 times in a row. That's is a little overkill. XP

Also I know it's about J-Rap but dammit I'm using this chance to plug the hell out of K-Rap artist Cheetah.

Cheetah is damn amazing. Just the best and everyone knows it. Even on guest track she kills it. She can sing too because she's perfect in every way. She is the queen. She is your mother. Bow down.

@Fabricant451

Don't worry I posted something non related too. :P

[SleepingSilence]

@TheEvanCat Heh, I dunno Kayne seems slightly delusional at the very least...Like I'm sure someone like macklemore might be someone I could stomach meeting in real life. But eh. But Kayne does have ONE instrumental I like as long as he isn't rapping over it. :P

[Fabricant451]

@Weird Tales That doesn't mean people in the industry are useless. It's an evolving medium and to thrive these days it's less actual written reviews and more video content. There are still people out there that just look at the number attached to the review and that's good enough for them.

@TheEvanCat Heh, I dunno Kayne seems slightly delusional at the very least...Like I'm sure someone like macklemore might be someone I could stomach meeting in real life. But eh. But Kayne does have ONE instrumental I like as long as he isn't rapping over it. :P

@SleepingSilence

Kanye might be a bit on the eccentric side but the guy is a fantastic artist. Most of his albums are legit great and even the lesser ones are still listenable. Which is more than I can say for any given Macklemore song.

[SleepingSilence]

@Fabricant451 You give him far too little credit, how much of an asshat he is. XP I mean to be fair I haven't HEARD a full album of Kayne...But I'm honestly never sure if I want to...as I said, I find LYRICS important and Kayne is literally dreadful with those.

I mean you can like rappers instrumentals but they usually AREN'T created by the artist alone, which is another divide. I never see in any other genre, usually. So if you like his 'music' you don't actually like Kayne West, you like all his producers that make his albums.

1. "I just talked to Jesus/He said, “What up Yeezus?”/I said “S**t I’m chillin’/Trying to stack these millions."

2. "I keep it 300, like Romans/300 bitches, where’s the Trojans?"

3. "Now if I f**k this model
And she just bleached her asshole
And I get bleach on my T-shirt
I’mma feel like an asshole"

4. "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex
Why? I made that bitch famous" (Christ this one makes me cringe even fucking looking at it. This should not be as easy to find, if he was talented in his writing abilities.)

If you found any of those interesting or clever than alright you like Kayne West. But I just flat out don't like him as a rapper on the stuff I have heard.

[Fabricant451]

@SleepingSilence I like Kanye's productions and his lyrics. Not every one of his songs is on point but when he's firing on all cylinders he's ace. He'll never be the top of the lyrical charts but he's creative and clever with his zingers and lyrics.

Examples:

'Golly, more of that bullshit ice rap / I got to 'pologize to Mos and Kweli (probably) / But is it cool to rap about gold / If I told the world I copped it from Ghana and Mali?'

' Swear I should be locked up for stupid shit that I did / But I'm a champion, so I turned tragedy to triumph / Make music that's fire, spit my soul through the wire'

'Ain't nobody expect Kanye to end up on top / They expected that College Dropout to drop and then flop / Then maybe he stop savin' all the good beats for himself / Roc-A-Fella's only niggaz that help / My money was thinner than Sean Paul's goatee hair / Now Jean Paul Gaultier cologne fill the air, here'

' How we stop the Black Panthers? / Ronald Reagan cooked up an answer / You hear that? / What Gil Scott was hearin' / When our heroes and heroines got hooked on heroin'

'I embody every characteristic of the egotistic / He knows, he so fuckin' gifted / I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts / Got treasures in my mind but couldn't open up my own vault / My child-like creativity, purity and honesty is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts / Reality is catching up with me, taking my inner child, I'm fighting for custody / With these responsibilities that they entrust in me / As I look down at my diamond encrusted piece thinkin'...'

'On a bathroom wall I wrote / "I'd rather argue with you than to be with someone else" / I took a piss and dismiss it and went and found somebody else / Arguing harvesting the feelings, I'd rather be by my fucking self / Till about 2am and I call back and I hang up and start to blame myself / Somebody help'

'Inter century anthems based off inner city tantrums
Based off the way we was branded
Face it, Jerome get more time than Brandon
And at the airport they check all through my bag
And tell me that it’s random'

'Crack, raised the murder rate in D.C. and Maryland
We, invested in that, it’s like we got Merrill Lynched
And we been hangin from the same tree, ever since'

'My freshman year I was going through hella problems
‘Til I, built up the nerve to drop my ass up out of college
My teacher said I'se a loser, I told her why don’t you kill me
I give a fuck if you feel me'

'I went to the malls and I balled too hard
“Oh my god, is that a black card?”
I turned around and replied, “Why yes
But I prefer the term African American Express”'

'I could do this all day, boy, I'm finna turn this bitch out
They need that Ye in the streets, boy, there's been a mothafuckin' drought'

'You see it's broke nigga racism
That's that "Don't touch anything in the store"
And it's rich nigga racism
That's that "Come in, please buy more"
"What you want, a Bentley? Fur coat? A diamond chain?
All you blacks want all the same things"'

'Killin' y'all niggas on that lyrical shit. Mayonnaise colored Benz, I push Miracle Whips'

'I know that people wouldn’t usually rap this
But I got the facts to back this
Just last year, Chicago had over 600 caskets
Man, killing’s some wack shit
Oh, I forgot, ‘cept for when niggas is rapping
Do you know what it feel like when people is passing
He got changed over his chains, a block off Ashland
I need to talk to somebody, pastor
The church want tithe, so I can’t afford to pay
Pink slip on my door, cause I can’t afford to stay
My fifteen seconds up, but I got more to say
That’s enough Mr. West, please no more today'

Kanye can go in when he has to, and a lot of his songs are about concepts and ideas above himself. He's egotistical, yes, but he knows how to make a song say something.

[SleepingSilence]

@Fabricant451 'Killin' y'all niggas on that lyrical shit. Mayonnaise colored Benz, I push Miracle Whips'

Hmm...Maybe I should mention, I also tend to find 'pun rapping', rather uninteresting. I also hate the overuse of 'that' word in rapping. Or over reliance on cursing because I find it usually immature, and take points off a song for it as oppose to thinking it makes them better. I guess just differences of opinion. :/

For instance, I think Eminem was talented in his flow and using hooks as more than just stealing others music. But I'd call his most popular album, Scary Movie - The album. Because that's pretty much what it reminded me of.

[Fabricant451]

@SleepingSilence THat is an opinion I never thought I'd hear. Use of 'that word' (I'm assuming you mean the 'n' word) is such a part of the culture of the genre and in the culture in general that it pretty much comes with the territory. Of course not every rapper uses the word but cursing is as much a part of the genre as shitty similar sounding white dudes singing is to the alt rock genre. Rap, like any other genre, has subgenres and artists with their own styles and approaches to the music. Even back in the early nineties when people were up in arms over the rise of vulgar gangsta rap there was still stuff like Skee Lo and Kid and Play to feel safe with. Rap is an incredibly diverse genre and it's great.

I'm curious though, what are your thoughts on rock bands or something that use profanity?

[SleepingSilence]

@Fabricant451 I also agree usually, especially when it comes it immaturity. I don't think cussing is ever something you can call clever. There's some angry songs that might be able to use them effectively, but I tend to not like them anyway. As for that word...Yeah, it is but I still really hate that it is because it really doesn't make any fucking sense for them to use it. >.<

But maybe its because I grew up a evil christian. So I used to just listening to most things that didn't curse at all. (Though unlike rock which I sometimes do think it's better, though I sort of can't stand most christian rap. :P) But I guess it's just personal taste. Though I kind of curse like a sailor because I apparently learned a bunch of words in my daycare as a toddler. Great right? XD

My only real legit musical criticism I can come up with Rap vs Rock when it comes to cursing, that may favor one over the other. Is that rap uses curse words in literally every type of song, party and dance songs, or happy and bragging songs. And cursing usually has to do with strong NEGATIVE emotion, so when angst rock, which is usually the type of rock that curses. The whole song, is moody and angry so cursing as immature as it is, AT LEAST fits the overall theme. It's not like I automatically dislike songs with cursing, or don't like some immature music. But, in general I prefer finding other ways to say someone besides that.

And though metal is still probably the most diverse genre I've ever seen lyrically and musically, which is why it's still my favorite genre, even if I probably listen to more of other genres...And I used to say rap was my least favorite genre. But now, I do greatly appreciate rap, since I've gone on a search for new music craze. Especially, Alt-Rap.

[Fabricant451]

@SleepingSilence Speaking as a member of that community and culture, nigga makes sense because it's being used as a term of endearment and solidarity. It's like when white people call each other dude or bro, so too do a certain set of people refer to each other as nigga. It's all about context, much like profanity in general. Even cursing can be done in the positive way. I mean, look no further than someone going 'FUCK YEAH!" or something.

I like profanity just as much as the next person. I feel as if its use in music gets overblown and generalized especially when it comes to the rap genre. To me it's no different than when someone says that all rap is about bitches, hoes, and money. It's like nigga please, what is you even saying right now.

But you've got people like Lupe Fiasco who has songs that legit have no profanity in them. The album 'The Ecstatic' by Mos Def has I believe only like one use of profanity in the whole thing. Chamillionaire has made it a point not to use profanity in his songs now.

There's options for everyone out there and I genuinely believe that holds true even for people who erroneously think all rap is the bitches and money stuff.

[Gowi]

Kanye is insane— but he’s still an excellent producer. Whatever you think of him lyrically, the guy has been an influential and important producer for over twelve years. He’s earned that credit, no matter how many awkward metaphors or eccentric trirades he goes on about. He’s a shitty person who is self-obsessed to the point of god-like narcissism but I don’t have to like a guy to recognize objectively his importance and subjectively enjoy pieces of music in his large body of work.

As for the “lost in translation” kind of scenario with Japanese Hip-Hop? I don’t care. I listen to bands from Russia, Hungary, Serbia, Israel, China, South Korea, Spain, Germany, etc. and can appreciate the non-lyrical components just fine. Hip-Hop be very lyrical due to rapping being the focus but I can find enjoyment in not only the mixing but the technicality of how the language sounds— in any language I can hear the rhythm and the “punch”. That’s all I need.

because it really doesn't make any fucking sense for them to use it.

No, it makes plenty of sense for “them” to use it. I grew up in an urban neighborhood for the majority of my childhood and I can say your sentiment is wrong— and possibly doesn’t understand a genre that is a music of street culture. There are multiple reasons why the word is uttered by hip-hop culture (or urban society) and it varies but in general it is to remove the word of its “power” over people and its “meaning”. There will only be vitriol around a word if you continue to allow it to have power. It’s fallen into language beyond that general reason, but generally that was the impression and explanation I was given growing up. On a related point, you may think profanity in hip-hop is needless but without that crass bluntness early hip-hop wouldn’t of had the teeth to speak to people. Tupac went on with several points that the violent and profane songs about hood life, gangs, and so on were as abrasive and volatile as they were was to depict these happenings directly so that they can stop so people could realize the things that were happening to fix them.

Songs like “Changes” are pretty clear in that.

So while you may not LIKE them, they do have a point and are NOT senseless.

[Dinh AaronMk]

<Snipped quote by SleepingSilence>

Kanye hears ya. Kanye don't care.

(Although I have talked about my Kanye conspiracy theories for like, hours on end. TL;DR he's not a bad dude.)

@TheEvanCat

You need to be sharp and witty to be as crazy as Kanye.

[SleepingSilence]

@Fabricant451 Not a big fan of Lupe Fiasco either, but that is someone that does tend to seem like he is trying to write good lyrics...well his trap song "Pu$$y" not withstanding...And I agree that there is a lot better music than what is playing on the radio. You can find good and things you like in practically every genre if you try hard enough. But, I do wish rap had a little more lyrical diversity, and I mean like concept albums. I would love it, but I really haven't found it. In the vain of things other genres have done. I can provide examples if you want to know what I mean. :P But I suppose maybe it's a little harder to do. But, I'm certainly not saying you can't like an artist. Though 'personality wise'? Eh...not really sure if that's possible for me to understand. :/

@Gowi Lived in the ghetto for months and went to a predominantly black high school. With mostly ghetto and growing up poor friends. I understand the culture more than the average person. But it's still a culture I'm not entirely sure is a good thing that exists. Because it provides a lot of negative double standard and bizarre contradictory things are said often. Like I'm not really sure, if a lot of things SHOULD be something that is taught by a 'street culture'. Because a lot of things taught, aren't exactly a good thing. Even if it is ingrained in their culture. But culture isn't always a legit excuse for actions. But I don't want to go into the weeds over something as goofy as Yeezus. So I'll just say, I get that 'shock rap' has it's place and I'm not someone that thinks the music shouldn't exist. I never said they can't have a point, but you have to admit it usually doesn't and they probably IS a better way to articulate through words beside those.

Also, like I said, I'm usually the same, when it comes to not having a clue what they're saying but not caring. And I like how the language can sound at times. But I think it may have to do with my music preferences. Plus, I haven't listened to a lot of J-rap in particular. And like all genres the more you listen to it and the more exposure to it, the more you'll learn to tolerate it and grow to like it.

[Gowi]

Fair enough, but I don’t think [the culture] is a bad thing either. I think the music of poverty, oppression, and all that has a lot in common with the punk movement at its peak in the 1980s— there was something about politically and socially minded music that is important and good to have; even if there are facets of that culture that are awful. God knows I can relate in a similar fashion to you in that we’ve probably seen our fair share of what poverty leads to and the facets of street culture that are largely negative. Interesting that you’ve come out of it apprehensive towards it, but I suppose that’s how it goes: you either tolerate/embrace it or dislike/reject it.

What do you mean about lyrical diversity though? Hip-hop has plenty of lyrical themes that go beyond social commentary about poverty, crime, and “hood culture”. There’s plenty of artists who lean towards the abstract, the dorky, the emotional, and so forth. It may not seem transparently as diverse as metal (what with themes about science, medieval history, fantastical concepts, politics, etc) but I think it is plenty diverse— it’s just that you have to look for it.

[Fabricant451]

But, I do wish rap had a little more lyrical diversity, and I mean like concept albums.

@SleepingSilence

One of the greatest records out there.



For those who like their hip hop concept albums with a sci fi twist.



A great concept album about the darker side of the American dream through the eyes of an African American

Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City by Kendrick Lamar is also fantastic.

Because the Internet is also fine but I'm not a big Gambino fan

Speakerboxx/The Love Below is good as is Idlewild

[Gowi]

You forgot:

Things

[Vilageidiotx]

This thread has become a list of shit I need to listen to.

[Fabricant451]

Then it was a good thing you were here to bring it home!

[SleepingSilence]

@Fabricant451 Someone gave me deltron's album before when I mentioned that. Don't remember it at all. So I'm assuming it wasn't my jam upon first listen. (but I can always give things second chance.) X3

Also I REALLY tried to listen to both of kendricks albums, and I even liked one of his singles 'I' but god certain things he did in the album frustrated me. >.< I can tell I'm not his target audience.

Oh and I liked 3005, (Though the chorus could be changed and make the song better.) I listened to Because the internet. I think I turned it off after listening to a really, really bad song off it. :P

@Gowi@Fabricant451 But I will give those albums a quick listen. When I get done writing. -.-