Dumbing Down: Music That Is (As It Pertains To Hiphop)

[Conscious]

Webster’s online dictionary defines the word ‘dumb’ as:

: lacking some usual attribute or accompaniment; especially: having no means of self-propulsion dumb barge>
: lacking intelligence: STUPID b : showing a lack of intelligence dumb questions>
: not having the capability to process data dumb terminal> -- compare

With that said, I have a few questions…

When your favorite rappers say, they’ve been ‘dumbing down’ their lyrics over the years; What does that relay to you the listener that may be sophisticated enough to not have someone have to speak to you like you're dumb? What is he/she really saying?

As a person that enjoys an artist because of the integrity of their work on record how do you feel knowing that the person you like will change for these 'not so keen' people of the population, depriving you of his/her full artistic potential?

So... I thought about it…

Ultimately, I don't think it's about ‘dumbing down’ anything. I think it's about making music that is universal for the most part and perhaps having varying levels of complexity within it. But never making, ‘dumb’ music.

The term 'dumbing down' in my opinion is alternative to saying I'm releasing assembly line music that I really put in no effort to make. Countless artists have created simple songs that were not, ‘dumb’ and were extremely successful. I don’t have to run down the names. Seems to me though that the term ‘dumbing down’ in many cases, suspiciously rears it’s ugly mug when an artist is on the defensive, being challenged and or has his/her card pulled for deviating from what fans know is their original style or the sudden lack potency in their music. At times artists resort to jumping on a short lived or well established trend hoping to garner more support or so called broaden their audience. All in all, the artist is making a very huge statement about the masses that are listening to their music. He/she is saying that the majority of you all are lacking intelligence. Those of you that are capable of comprehending what he/she is saying are the minority and aren’t important enough to continue creating music for because they need to do what it takes to reach the majority (sell albums). Lastly, he or she is not intelligent enough to create music in a manner in which the populous can be reached, resulting in a jaded attitude towards making music (and the notorious, ‘industry’) and spewing forth, blanket, negative statements about those that actually support their paychecks. Yes, I do think calling your audience dumb is in fact negative and displays your not so ‘high’ level of thinking.

Next time you see your favorite artist that’s admitted to ‘dumbing down’ their music, ask him/her if they think you’re dumb, stupid or both.

P.S.

Writers, how about you lay off of the Young Jeezies, Joc's and others that you feel so strongly about, in how horrible you think their music is. Consider using that energy to illuminate a path for some of those artists that you feel are up to par and are either underrated or just plain unknown. The best way to elevate the standard is not by trying to force the lesser skilled to make music beyond their capability, but to support the efforts of those who are outstanding in their field and tell the world about them so that listeners may hear for themselves and be able to compare, contrast and make an assessment of their very own.

Don't complain, affect change beeshes!

Taken from the blog, 'Thee Review'
http://lestormanchestor.blogspot.com...-is-as-it.html

[Emzee]

Ok so because the person has an "intelligent" approach doesnt mean i'm going to absorb that bullshit. There is no complexity in "dumbing down" artists who do it do not to it for themselves nor for change but to appeal to a larger crowd to make more dollars. Fuck this post comparing dumbing down to change is just redundant. Artists who dumb down dont got my respect and whoever made this post is just tired of getting told s/he listens to garbage hip-hop and is trying to defend it by seeming intelligent in defending "dumbed down" artists. FUCK THAT

[The_Mayor]

Turn on your TV's......

take a look at the shows youre watching on network television... there's only one show called 'jeopardy'... most of the remaining bullshit programming should be called 'just parody'.... take a look at the contents on pay-per-view... look at the type of movies you watch in the theatres...dont the kids watch all of this shit too? yes they do... so before you place blame on one small aspect of what you believe is 'the problem' with American society, id say: how bout yall man up and take on the big boss? or are yall just content with tearing EACH OTHER down?

the hypocrites who criticise the music out today seem to be turning a blind eye to the big ass elephant in the room that is CLEARLY having a greater affect on our society....the television and film industry.. but you niggas just eat it up like zombies.... music just one small part - but these wanna-be-revolutionists are too pussy to attack the REAL boss.

but then again...acting tough and pretending to stand for something is what 'hip-hop culture' is all bout right? ...circle gets the square

[Emzee]

^^^ the reason we looking at one aspect is because this is a hip-hop forum, dont even get me started on the stupidity of humanity in general, i'd type till tomorow.

[G1veU$U$Free]

i can dumb down the rap for bitches and alcohol
but i'm too loud and too proud to tap dance for these crackas, dawg

Mayor... you seem to be a "i'm gonna tell these people who complain about the trash rappers that they're so wrong, if they were smart they would go to the big boss." okay, okay that's all fine and dandy... BUT! don't contradict yourself... don't complain to the "wanna be revolutionaries" complain to their big boss (or bosses, i.e. Rakim, G. Rap, Nas, etc.)...

come on Mayor, you're too smart for this... this is a never ending cycle.

[The_Mayor]

how is it a contradiction? im saying that music is NOT as important as yall make it seem....its just a small part of entertainment....

now what im about say may piss off a few ladies in here, but who gives a fuck...

the issue is that FAR too many ppl in 'hip-hop culture' believe its an actual culture whose patrons and followers feel that they actually owe something to each other... that they must always prove how dedicated they are to it... how knowledgable they are of its history.... how much they uphold its 'traditions'

well... i don't.... which is why i always put the phrase in quotations... the word 'culture' should be reserved for phrases such as Black culture or Japanese culture because these are real cultures where the individuals are born into each of them without request....

on the other side, in 'hip-hop culture' - ppl like what they see or hear, and then choose hop on board the bandwagon... which is fine... but for those same ppl to judge how others respond and behave in it, makes it akin to a fraternity INSTEAD of an actual culture....some other nigga made the choice to join the club just like me, so who the fuck is HE to judge how I act in it? there is no commissioner or overlord in 'hip-hop culture'... just those contributors who came before, those who now inhabit the land, and those who'll will inherit it in the future... but no one answers to anyone and thats how it SHOULD be since we all made the conscious decision to fuck with this thing called rap music....

everything else is just a matter of the fans and artists taking themselves and the entertainment genre, in general, much more serious than it & they actually are

[G1veU$U$Free]

i don't think it's correct to NOT take a multi-billion dollar industry seriously and one that produces something that makes billion's of people happy.

with that said, i believe that everyone has a responsibility in the industry. Everyone has to stick within their genres of rap and they should be taken for what they're worth.

But it's so easy for people to forget that there is a difference in skill level between genres, having to do with lyricism, that makes people upset when people don't give a shit... Lil' Bow Wow and Justin Timberlake could play in the NBA if an owner really wanted them to even though they don't posess the skill that Josh Howard and Shane Battier have. They would be way more publicized than Howard and Battier, while tons of people would watch and think it's "cool" only because they are more famous than Howard and Battier.

damn! I'm not doing a good job of expressing this.

BOTTOM LINE: There will always be people who listen in for the lyrical skill more than anything else and there will be those who would rather listen to the simplest beat that knocks and lyricist that doesn't overwhelm the track making it harder to dance to. We all know who has more skill and skill is not something that should be left in the past.

this is of no ill intent to anyone... i'm just trying (probably in a terrible way) to get a valid point across

[The_Mayor]

i don't think it's correct to NOT take a multi-billion dollar industry seriously and one that produces something that makes billion's of people happy.

the revenue in 'hip-hop culture' is huge when compared to some other businesses in the world... but we're STILL only talking about entertaiment... if we were talkin about something more vital to society, like health care, then those type of numbers would have more weight in your argument... i hate to sound like a swagger jacker, but im my best Iverson-voice: "we talkin about music...not the war, not the government, not the president... we talkin about music"

if you wanna talk about numbers: its cost upwards of $1,000,000 or more to obtain a 30 second spot of commercial time during the Super Bowl (a one-time event in February) and companies climb all over each other to grab the slots...television and film have an affect on American society that 'hip-hop' could only dream of....

yall brag about the money that 'hip-hop culture' is seeing, but sit back and calculate the money that 'hip-hop' ISNT seeing.... the direction of music is important to some extent, but not enough to blame the demise of society on it... the impact of the television and film industries dwarf 'hip-hop' and music in general in almost EVERY single category....and thats no bullshit either

Viacom paid $3 BILLION to bob johnson to buy the BET network... anyone in media studies knows full well that BET is NOT a major network at all, but merely a successful independant one.... when you think about the other MUCH larger networks that Viacom already owned before even approaching bob johnson, youd realize small how 'hip-hop' really is when youre talking about REAL revenue in this country

in reality, 'hip-hop' culture has its own market and its seeing a good amount of financial success in that market... but throwing numbers out against what other industrial juggernauts are reeling in is like comparing the LA lakers franchise success to that of the detroit pistons... respectable, but cmon now

[Conscious]

I happy to see some dialouge...
Now what has to be worked on is the way we interact with one another regardless of if we agree or not...