Rap Lyrics

[Agnapostate]

I've been flowing and battling for a few years, but I've lately gotten more serious about rap, and bought a recording mic to make songs with. I've been incorporating some of the "mainstream" elements of rap into my lyrics, but am not sure of the extent to which I could justify doing this.

I never want to be one of those people who raps about getting so much money and so many hos, but on the other hand, if I did do that, and became a popular mainstream artist (or if anyone did it, aside from the realism of me doing it), and then used concert fees and sales revenue to contribute to socialist organizations, wouldn't the tangible benefits from this be more significant than the intangible detriments of promoting elements that are already present in hip-hop culture regardless?

I see that Immortal Technique, to use the best example, is still technically an underground rapper who gets little air play, and have to wonder if this is due to the fact that people want to listen to entertaining music, not socially conscious lyrics. My friends, generally from working-class Latino family backgrounds, love Lil' Wayne and Rick Ross and Wiz Khalifa and their glorification of money, and I honestly do not know how to explain the problems with this to them.

I wonder if the solution is to mix "entertaining" mainstream lyrics to gain fame and infuse new releases with socially conscious lyrics; the best example of a modern rapper who "mixes" these two elements is Common, I guess. Imagine, for example, if The Carter IV was full of songs with such lyrics. How much would that make people trip out?

[Manic Impressive]

It amazes me that IT is so popular really I mean the lyrics are ok but all his songs have shit beats, it sometimes sounds like he's giving a speech rather than rapping. The coup have great lyrics funny, intelligent, engaging and good beats but are only gaining popularity now due to Rage fans listening to street sweeper social club. I can't even find anywhere to buy "kill my landlord" (probably unreleased in the UK).

So yeah probably the only way to be commercially successful is to do commercial music. But then you have to figure out if you want to make music just for the money or as piece of art for others to enjoy and which is personal to you.

[Spawn of Stalin]

IT has Primo on his next LP, I wouldn't dismiss him because of shitty production just yet. But I'd agree with you other than that, he comes across as really condescending..."I know more about why your life is fucked up than you do".

You should rap about what you want to. If you want to rap about "mainstream" subjects then do it, letting your consciousness get in the way of something you want to do is really false imo. I also don't think that mainstream Hip Hop is the only way to be commercially successful. The only way into the top 10 pop charts sure, but look at KRS, Rakim, the Wu, MOP, most of their music revolves around things other than money, and they are all millionaires who will never have to work another day in their lives if they don't want to, they sell out every show and don't change their style for anybody but themselves....even Cypress Hill and Nas to a lesser extent. And don't give me no shit about how they are only still successful because they are classic artists who came up in the 80s and 90s, look at Odd Future, it has yet to be seen whether or not they will stand the test of time but for now, they are a huge success.

[L.A.P.]

Just go with it and don't force what inspires you.