Kanye West

[Paul the 6th]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanye_W....26_Heartbreak - also his fiancee broke things off with him shortly after.... then his next album was '808 and heartbreaks'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanye_W...ther.27s_death

Originally Posted by Dave20046

I heard he likes fishsticks

Gay Fish is probably his best song, such talent

Originally Posted by BanannaMan

All that glitters is not gold.

That line reminded me of some real rock gods, though I am aware its not quite the line.

[Wideboy]

Originally Posted by specialone

Gav, shut up you old fart, since when has music lyrics got to make sense?

I think I raise a good enough point. Going off from the thread topic briefly, In a way modern music stars reflect youth attitude in modern life.... laziness, half arsedness, cut corners, expect something for nothing, materialistic, whine enough and you get your way and generally try to get rich off doing something relatively unremarkable.

There was a benefits program on the other week where some 19 yr old lad has never had a job and collected job seekers since leaving school. Rather than get a job he devoted what little time he had to being a rap star and refused to except jobs as he didn't want to do them. When asked what he wanted to do of course he said he wanted to be a successful rap star, when asked if he thought it was acceptable for the tax payers to fund his dream he said yes and it would be unfair for them to make him get a job

I hate society

Probably hates you too gav, what ya gonna do, things like that boils my carrots too as I've always worked since school and never claimed a penny in dole money.

[Wideboy]

Go on a rocket launcher rampage. Then blame it all on GTA and the fact that I didn't have a social club to go to when I was younger

Originally Posted by Runako

Spank - no not prose. There is a rhyme its just irregular. Many a poem/song has been written with an irregular rhyming pattern. Jay Z is not some kind of pioneer in this styele.

I often refer to rap as bad poetry with a beat.

I'd call it prose not because it has an irregular rhyming pattern so much as because an 8 year old could rhyme that many words by accident. I'd also accept doggerel verse, but TBH I think there's less lyrical talent there than in a limerick about a fellow from Nantucket.

Not that poetry has to rhyme of course.

Originally Posted by ClunkintheUK

That line reminded me of some real rock gods, though I am aware its not quite the line.

Actually it is... assuming you're quoting Prince.

The original was "glisters".

I was quoting Led Zepplin

Opening line of Stairway to Heaven. "There's a lady who's sure all the glitters is gold" though to be fair that was a twist on words by Shakespear in the Merchant of Venice

I'm with WB on this. No poetry doesn't have to rhyme, but if you do try to make it rhyme, there needs to be actual rhymes. It also has to have cadence and in my mind some purpose other then showing off, so constantly talking about driving your lexus/bently or how much money you have is not poetry.

Repetitive lyrics are not necessarily a problem, if it is done for a reason or oratoy device, saying "Keep it 300 like the Romans" over and over again, like his most recent release, is none other then he likes the line and can't develop his point form there.

Originally Posted by ClunkintheUK

I was quoting Led Zepplin
I'm with WB on this. No poetry doesn't have to rhyme, but if you do try to make it rhyme, there needs to be actual rhymes. It also has to have cadence and in my mind some purpose other then showing off, so constantly talking about driving your lexus/bently or how much money you have is not poetry.

Its a point of view thing. If you were from that culture you might feel different about the composition. But you know, its easy to criticise what appears to be crap lyrics about crap.

The fact is a lot of the meaning is cultural. A lot of references in the music relate to their experiences. Ok, here's an example. Billy Joel did a song called, funnily enough, 'New York State of Mind' in which there were these pearls:

"Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighbourhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I'm taking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I'm in a New York state of mind"

So, some say if you're trying to rhyme it should rhyme. Well look at the above. Irregular rhyming pattern - to some, nonsensical when written on paper. But the musically content can change the whole presentation of the worlds. Who says these rappers aren't intelligent enough to design a rap this way anyway? And if it works for Billy Joel, why can't the same apply to rap?

Then some complain about the simplicity / baseness / unintelligeable / crude references in rap music. But none of this is unique to rap. Have you heard Megadeath?! Look at Billy Joel's lyrics again. On paper it could look silly. Some people might not even know what a Greyhound is! And why would you prefer to ride on a flippin bus around new York State rather than hopping on a plane to Miami Beach if you could?

But that's exactly the point. Anyone who can relate to his experience would have some idea of what these lyrics mean. To everyone else it might just be some catchy lyrics or an uninteresting song.

Notorious BIG. Never really rated him when he was alive. Too much drugs, biatches, hoes, more money and more problems. But listen to a lot of stuff after he died. And then watched The Wire when it came out which did a great job of giving a detailed and intense visual representation of that culture. This in turn makes you appreciate some of the lyrics even more when you realise the way of life they are rapping about is real. Moreso its part and parcel of human nature, just expressed in a different way.

So whilst "Kayne's" recent stuff is poorer in my opinion, the truth is that Kayne is talented and is creative even if he's not every one's cup of tea.

But then he always was a better pianist than lyricist imho.

Unless you like your lyrics like a shopping list.

That said there's still a lot more rhyme to it when listened to as oppose to put down on paper.



FWIW I do think Jay-Z's significantly better than the majority of rappers.