Reflection on Shinedown and Rock and why I hate the hip hop culture

Shinedown is by far my favorite band. My favorite genre of Music is Rock and all of its sub-genres. So it comes as no surprise that I don’t care much for hip-hop. It’s not that I don’t respect the talent of the artists but simply the substance of their work. We live in a culture that idolizes everything that means nothings, the superficial. Hip-hop optimizes everything in our society that I have no respect for. Artists rhyme about the Bentley cars, Rolex watches and everything else material. Meanwhile young people idolize these figures and choose to emulate their style but at the core they are not recreating anything of substance. They are not improving their self worth, only trying to align themselves with a model they will never be able to copy. At the end of the day people who live in the hip hop culture only set themselves up for failure and disappointment. This brings me to Rock Music. Rock music to me is about real life, about the struggles and triumphs that we all endure. It is a musician pouring their heart into a song that is their interpretation of an experience in their life. That is why the most depressing song to one could be the most inspirational to another. Rock is about life, it does not try to transcend life and that is why it will always have my respect. Shinedown to me is an incredible band. Their songs relate with people on a level that is insane and you when you watch their shows you don’t feel like you are watching a circus sideshow. Brent sings with real emotion and passion which as a music fan, I truly respect. I saw them in Louisville on June 11th and again on July 13th. The obvious difference in the shows is that the Sound of Madness was released between the shows. The entire show changed between the concerts as well and more changed than the set list. It appears that they have updated their image and their show. To me this is fine, I feel like this means that they are starting to really gain a lot of due attention and their label is feeling their potential. The sky is the limit for these guys and they are in my mind the best out there.

- 45 starin

Good analysis. I am a total fan of just music. I listen to about everything from classical to country to even some rap. Like you I feel Rock is my favorite because I feel it does the best of any genre to convey feelings. I got in this argument with my girlfriend because she too is just a big fan of music (not as much as me though, I get more obsessed). But her favorite musicians are Josh Groban and Michael Buble, two musicians who are amazing. She claims they can show the same emotions at the same level of rock. My response was they show love and sorrow well, along with classical music because they often use orchestras. They use different tempos to give the listeners different feel in emotions. My argument, however, is you will NEVER find a song that has more raw potential in it than what a guitarist does. When the guitarist writes and composes the music for a song it has the raw emotion with the lyrics and often times with the guitar. My favorite track from Shinedown is No More Love. I looked at the writing credits one day to see Jasin was a writer on this song. Why does this song blow me away? Because it has soooo much power to it. The lyrics are raw, the guitars are powerful. I never got to personally see them tour LAW live, but Live From the Inside the No More Love performance gave me chills with the circle pit and the fans just getting absorbed in it. I love music in general because every genre tells a different story. Granted most rap is pathetic, but some is actually meaningful. But still, never can you find such a story when it comes to the raw power of rock.

mel - i almost replied to this. actually, i did but i took it back. aren't you proud? i'm learning to control my inner bitch.

you should let your inner bitch fly from the inside! we want to hear it!

quote:

Originally posted by LEESA es inocente:
mel - i almost replied to this. actually, i did but i took it back. aren't you proud? i'm learning to control my inner bitch.

And here I was waiting for it!
I know someone else that wanted to reply, too, but they don't have an account.

I thought 45_starin hit the bull's-eye. I'm curious as to what LEESA es inocente's opinion was on this. To me most rap seems to be eclectic and doesn't flow along like most other music styles. I'm still amazed about the the genre of music that is successful in the stores these days. You really can't blame it on the demographics that have access to computers. Is it marketing and MTV? Your guess is as good as mine. Social engineering. I better get me one them black helicopter shirts. Life isn't about what is seen or conveyed in rap videos. It only compounds an already screwed up social problem. Then there is the no talent factor. So what if someone is a walking homonym factory. Boo! Talking over programmed music. Sounds like a bad night at karaoke to me. LEESA want to know "why are there only 18 people on the shinedown street team? www.streetpropaganda.net GO! sign up & spread the word"
Cause all the mindless masses are listening to what they are told to listen to. I'm 42 and remember when rock use to own. I tell you, it OWNED! What a shame. The SOM should totally own the charts. No fillers here. Being a J-Ville native I was let down a little over the line-up change. I guess that's life. Going to make a lil' lemonade out of these lemons. Nick seems like an okay guy. Like his work with Silvertide. These guys are headlining up here in Green Bay next week at a smaller venue. See yall there. Paul H.

These guys are headlining up here in Green Bay next week at a smaller venue. See yall there. Paul H.[/QUOTE]

I could of swore I seen you post the other day that you weren't going.. Make up your mind .. LOL I don't want to be by myself .

quote:

Originally posted by xXx_ENIGMA_xXx:
I thought 45_starin hit the bull's-eye. I'm curious as to what LEESA es inocente's opinion was on this. To me most rap seems to be eclectic and doesn't flow along like most other music styles. I'm still amazed about the the genre of music that is successful in the stores these days. You really can't blame it on the demographics that have access to computers. Is it marketing and MTV? Your guess is as good as mine. Social engineering. I better get me one them black helicopter shirts. Life isn't about what is seen or conveyed in rap videos. It only compounds an already screwed up social problem. Then there is the no talent factor. So what if someone is a walking homonym factory. Boo! Talking over programmed music. Sounds like a bad night at karaoke to me. LEESA want to know "why are there only 18 people on the shinedown street team? www.streetpropaganda.net GO! sign up & spread the word"
Cause all the mindless masses are listening to what they are told to listen to. I'm 42 and remember when rock use to own. I tell you, it OWNED! What a shame. The SOM should totally own the charts. No fillers here. Being a J-Ville native I was let down a little over the line-up change. I guess that's life. Going to make a lil' lemonade out of these lemons. Nick seems like an okay guy. Like his work with Silvertide. These guys are headlining up here in Green Bay next week at a smaller venue. See yall there. Paul H.

i don't know what you're on about but...
mel has an eyeball

I do!

Unrelated, it smells like Barry.

Finally a musical taste argument. I agree with the original poster in most ways. I have no problem with the older rap music it had its origin same a rock music, shunned by society, and loved by the "demagraphics" of the wayward, urban, lost soul, angry, what have you. I have nothing but pure malice for hip hop music during the past decade "supermanning that hoe" while funny doesn't show an inkling of anything that has to do with living life which music of any genre should do. Lets get down to it hip hop artist are hurting their urban roots which is what you would say if you were a pussy and, didn't have the balls to say mainly black (thats what urban means), hip hop artist hurt the people that bore it wither its white or black, asian or martian, its stupid ,it's okay to sing about stupid shit every once in awhile but having a whole album dedicated, ejaculating on a girls back, drinking cough syrup, shooting people is just a wast of talent which some of these artist have, and it mentally handicaps the listener. The should take rap music back to its roots of being a real form of musical expression not a merchandised, tea-bagging party.

It is good to see other people have similar opinions. I am not sure what those two girls were talking about!

What two girls?

You and Leesa! your posts make absolutely no sense and were not related in any way to the main topic.

They certainly make more sense than 99% of the rest of the posts here. That's all that I'll say about that though, because really, it's just not nice.

As for what we're talking about, if you have to ask, you don't need to know.

P.S. Your "main topic" is actually off topic and is not related, in any way, to the forum topic.

Someone needs to inform 50 cent he isn't improving his self worth. According to Forbes, his self worth is a mere $33,000,000 for the year 2007. As of 6/11/08 he has only earned $150,000,000..Geez what a slacker he is. Granted $100,000,000 was earned from last year's sale of his stake in Vitamin Water.

Sucks for him to rap about being found in the da club. I know I'd party EVERY DAY like it was my birthday with his money. TWICE on visiting days at the bank.