junctionist
Senior Member
Hip hop is obviously music. To say otherwise is ignorant. Music is organized and structured sound. Hip hop is clearly organized and structured sound. With hip hop, the vocals are the melody, the sampling or synthesized sounds are the harmony, and the beat provides an underlying rhythm.
Not all producers sample--some compose their harmonies and rhythms on computers and synths. When they sample, they normally give credit to the original artist in the album's liner notes. Sampling isn't a weakness; it's part of an art form. You have to find samples that suit the mood of the song and the meaning of the new song's lyrics. Talented producers will combine samples from different artists into one song and make it sound good, like a collage. In a way, it's like how postmodern architecture references classical or Art Deco styles in a modern facade that is an original work.
In the end, a good rapper also tends to be a good lyricist, which takes talent. Hip hop songs can have lyrics laden with meaning like poetry. Sometimes, they form the narrative to a story. That's why there's a website devoted to interpreting and explaining the lyrics, like "Halftime" by Nas.
Not all producers sample--some compose their harmonies and rhythms on computers and synths. When they sample, they normally give credit to the original artist in the album's liner notes. Sampling isn't a weakness; it's part of an art form. You have to find samples that suit the mood of the song and the meaning of the new song's lyrics. Talented producers will combine samples from different artists into one song and make it sound good, like a collage. In a way, it's like how postmodern architecture references classical or Art Deco styles in a modern facade that is an original work.
In the end, a good rapper also tends to be a good lyricist, which takes talent. Hip hop songs can have lyrics laden with meaning like poetry. Sometimes, they form the narrative to a story. That's why there's a website devoted to interpreting and explaining the lyrics, like "Halftime" by Nas.