Comments on: Why Don’t Rappers Realize Indie Rock Is Cool?

By: Damien Stram

Damien Stram — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 11:03:51 +0000

I happy to read this article, Thank you very much.

By: Crane

Crane — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 06:59:25 +0000

The thing is, it’s exactly the paragraph about “I know I shouldn’t like them, because teeny-boppers like them” which convinced me that the whole thing is tongue-in-cheek; admittedly, it’s not written by someone who is ace on the hip hop scene, but this is clearly facetious — at worst, the author is mocking his own stance as a hipper-then-thou knee-jerk rocker.

By: Lawson

Lawson — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:11:08 +0000

I think this ‘story’ is mainly an indictment on forced music journalism in general – y’know, “copy’s due, oh shit i better think up of two things in music completely unrelated and write on them”. there is a constant stream of articles like this that are so… artificial. like no one actually cares about this issue (maybe they do – 44 comments or smoething). good music writing talks to something important, relevant.

By: rogerniner

rogerniner — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:01:18 +0000

@Halfwit: At least I learned how to skank at an early age. God knows what I would have become if I was old enough to be allowed into "Monster Squad"

By: encyclopediablack

encyclopediablack — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:03:26 +0000

@spinachdip: Well, my point was Cat Power, The Mars Volta and others were on White People, thus the indie rock meets hip-hop collaboration.

By: janine

janine — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:00:58 +0000

@StuntKockSteeev: "Most rappers do have terrible taste in rock music..."

I wouldn't say that's true. To the producers and DJs I've interacted with, they listen to everything with Hip Hop ears: timbre and breaks, timbre and breaks, and that is all. Who cares if it feels good going into your ears?

By: Captain Wrong

Captain Wrong — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:35:31 +0000

I’ll take the Judgment Night soundtrack for $500, Alex.

By: natepatrin

natepatrin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:42:50 +0000

@StuntKockSteeev: Enh, fair enough, I guess. I should probably stop posting when I'm stressed.

By: bcapirigi

bcapirigi — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:08:52 +0000

i wonder where neon neon falls in this discussion...

also, am i the only one that always gets fishbone and lungfish confused?

By: Nunya B

Nunya B — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:52:55 +0000

Do you really want Kanye or whoever to collaborate with the Shins? Gwen Stefani’s first album was more entertaining than anything they’ve ever produced and while she may be “commercial pap” I’d much rather hear a collaboration that actually works instead of an OMG SUPERCOLLAB designed to cater to people who aren’t easily pleased.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:37:09 +0000

@natepatrin: Hearing white rap fans (of which I am one) say nice things about the Roots* is like hearing fifty year old bald men say nice things about the Beatles. The overall statement is more than likely true, but the probable statement behind it ("Hip Hop is Dead" is the new "Why can't new bands write songs the way we did in our day") is a complete farce. That wasn't a shot at anyone in particular, it was a fact arrived at after meeting thousands of people that think Slug is a better rapper than Scarface. I think there's enough of that stereotype running around that it's not like I'm some ultra-combative BrooklynVegan commentator or anything.

*And defending the Roots is always easier than defending Talib Kweli's inability to rhyme on beat.

By: Halfwit

Halfwit — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:59:16 +0000

@Clevertrousers: For those too young to remember... THIS is what HBO used to show before "Oz" changed the game.

And, yes... growing up with stuff like this is why there's a seemingly endless feedback loop of kitschy nostalgia within the hipster community.

By: natepatrin

natepatrin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:43:31 +0000

@natepatrin: shoulda been a comedy strikethrough through "other white folks". Ah, crap.

By: natepatrin

natepatrin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:42:46 +0000

@StuntKockSteeev: Jesus christ. Where are all these annoying dilletante white folks ruining rap for other white folks the rest of us by actually making the terrible mistake of saying good things about the Roots*? I haven't been harangued by any, unless... unless I am one.

*seriously, did a Fender Rhodes kill your father or something?

By: rogerniner

rogerniner — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:31:46 +0000

@Chris N.: This is the standard that Sir Duggery Douche might be holding the imaginary collabo with, and it is a fantastic track.

@Clevertrousers:
JESUS! Watching that made me realize that that was my very first exposure to ska... and Fishbone for that matter! Wow. Thanks Annette!

By: rogerniner

rogerniner — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:26:07 +0000

Wait. Slate paid someone to write an article summed up as thus:
"Why won't the rappers I like team up with the rockers I like? It's not faaaaaiiiiiiirrr :( "

Paid him. PAID HIM.

I'm going to lie down now.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:21:09 +0000

…and ditto to everyone that wants to cock punch white people that bring up Talib Kweli/the Roots/any other OkayPlayer granola during rap conversations.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:20:24 +0000

I think the core problem is that even people that have a fundamental understanding of one type of music (which is a small fraction of people in general), typically are confused by all other genres. Most rappers do have terrible taste in rock music, but most rock musicians have terrible taste in rap music. Why do you think Snoop still has a career? There are people that understand Sean Price AND the Super Furry Animals, but so few that the odds of it ever spurring a decent collabo are slim. It happens, but with the frequency of broken clocks telling us the accurate time.

By: Clevertrousers

Clevertrousers — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:04:31 +0000

@Halfwit: Oh SNAP... I need to read all the posts before commenting!

But don't forget this:

Seriously, this is where the Roots are headed... Beware!

By: Clevertrousers

Clevertrousers — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:02:05 +0000

Is it me or is the Roots just this generation’s Fishbone? WTF do I know… I’ve been listening to the goddamn Tigerlillies all week. How come no hip hop producers wanna collabo with them?