What's the real problem with rap music?

[Chad]

This is an open subject for everyone to speak the mind about.  What would you say is the biggest problem, or just a problem in general with rap music nowadays?  Here is my opinion:
      I think there are 2 problems. 1. I don't think that rappers nowadays have a consistent sound on their albums.  There was a time in hip-hop when albums were produced by one, maybe two producers.  Remember Doggystyle?  One producer.  Doggfather and every sub-par album from Snoop since? 3, 4, 5 producers, maybe more.  Amerikkka's Most Wanted?  The Bomb Squad.  War & Peace?  3, 4, 5 producers, maybe more.  See the difference?  On those two classic albums, there was one producer, or producing crew.  On the albums that are viewed as sub-par, there's a gang of producers.  There was no consistent flow of music in those latter albums.  Sure, there were some good songs, but for an overall album sound, there was none.  Is Dr. Dre really that busy that he can't produce whole albums any more?  Remember "No One Can Do It Better" by D.O.C.?  All produced by Dre. Too $hort's best albums had one producer/producing crew (The Dangerous Crew) behind them.  Now?  He's got Lil' John, Quint Black, Jelly Roll, Meech Wells, Daz, ANt Banks, etc, all on one album.  There's no consistency.  All those producers are good, but not slumped together becuz they all have a didferent sounds. There needs to be more artists willing to stick to consistency.  Not be stuck to a particular sound or era, but just to quality.
      2. There are too many producers & guest spots on everybody's albums.  Sorta similar to the first opinion, but this is more to the guest spots.  What happened to representing your crew, or showcasing your crew?  Instead of Snoop featuring Warren G, Nate Dogg, Daz, Dre etc, he's getting down with Chingy (?!), Ludacris, Pharrell (??!!), Method Man, etc.  WTF??!!  Why is no one anticipating 213???  Cuz Warren G (Mr. 213) has no production on it (as far as we know).  Wouldn't 213 sound so much better with Warren G producing it all??  It's not like he's busy, cuz Snoop won't let him produce for his albums when he can't get Dre, Nate had 0 production on his albums from Warren.  But yet, both these artists will chop it up with the Neptunes, P. DIddy, Hi-Tek, Jermaine Dupri, Master P, etc.  It's like rappers nowadays are too scared to make an album by themselves.  They have to throw everybody and their momma on an album.  I want an album by Too $hort (with maybe 2-3 guest spot songs) produced by the Dangerous Crew (Ant Banks, Shorty B, PeeWee)...I Want an album By Snoop (with guest spots by Warren, Nate, Dre, Tha Eastsidaz, Xzibit even) produced by either Dre, Daz (if he can still make a tight beat), Warren G, or all 3 even....I want Cube by himself produced by Dre or Sir Jinx...I even wanna hear Eminem over an all Dre composed album, or 50 for that matter.  Stop garbaging up albums with shit music, and get back to saying something with your songs/albums.  Somebody (Snoop, Dre, Em, 50, X, Nate, Warren, etc) make a statement that quality is better than quantity.
       Peace!
     

[Gangstauu]

I agree wit you on both problems

problem 3: They only talk bout killing, bitches, drugs & alcohol
I sitll like that, but most people don't like it anymore after a few albums

[Nima - Dubcnn.com]

man both of yall hit it on the nail

im gonna add some more later

[ZILLA THA GOODFELLA]

OVER SATURATION.

There's just too many muthafucaz doing the same shit....U don't have to be ORIGINAL per say, because EVERYTHING has pretty much been done before....but in order to stick out, U have to be unique, U have to enhance some of the already perfected styles, U have to have substance, U have to have REAL concepts....

In this day and age, U have to step your GAME up....That is why artists like Eminem, Kanye West, Immortal Technique, Murs, Dead Prez, E40, T.I, Mista CaNE, Savage C, Cali Agents, Mac Dre, Andre Nickatina etc etc are sticking out to me....They are not ALL necessarily coming original, but they are enhancing some of the already established "perfection"....catch my drift? Dats what we need for rap to survive....if the saturation continues, rap will die a slow death....

[SGV]

For one, there's too many artists, not enough fans. Everyone wants to rap. Everyone wants to produce. Everyone got a crew. Everyone is a CEO. It's wack as fuck now.

Another thing, too many dickriders who are afraid of the truth and are afraid to let go. Too many people stuck in the past. If people could seperate themselves from the music, it'd be a lot better. More artists would have a chance, not just select artists.

[hector]

there is hardly any heart and substance in rap anymore.  its just mostly a bunch of bullshit made strictly to make a quik buck.  It's like most movies today- where their main focus is special effects, and that is what they use to sell the movie.  so there may be a bunch of great special effects, but the overall movie has no plot and substance.

thats how rap albums are to me today.  shit is boring, these days.  they have a lineup of guests and producers like yall said, to be a big selling point.  so many albums nowadays got damn near at least one guest on every song.

to me, many albums that have came out in the last few years have been extrememly boring.  last year was probably the worst year ever for rap for me.  So much shit comes out nowadays, and it just all sounds damn near the same.  

[Hatesrats™]

Jimmy Iovine

Hatesrats 2oooIV

[Juronimo]

I agree with the original poster on this subject. I've discussed the same issue o other hip hop message boards. I think this whole "production by committee" trend that has come about in the last few years just ruins the consistency of albums. I think only Kurupt's "Streetz is a Mutha" is the only album that did that and pulled it off. If you think of the better albums that have come out lately, think of OutKast's LP, think of a DJ Quik lp, there is just one producer or production crew. If you think of the classic albums from the past, they were produced by just one person or crew, like Doggystyle, Ice Cube's early albums, Cypress Hill's early albums, Warren G's debut, WC's older work, Too Short's older work, they all had that in common.

I also agree on the whole guest appearance thing. It is completely out of control. Maybe rappers feel like they're not good enough to hold an album down on their own? I don't know.

[white Boy]

Jimmy Iovine

Hatesrats 2oooIV

so true...

[Dre-Day]

bump: with all the hiphop is dead talk, this never gets old