What makes...

[Appetite]

What makes you, as a listener/consumer/etc. like the music you like?

Is it "Produced By: Dr. Dre"?

Is it "featuring (big name artist here)"?

Is it "how gangsta" something is?

Is it anything that actually deals head on with the music?

I'm just wondering, 'cause as a new artist, I find it difficult to understand why people like certain things.  I'll listen to something that everyone is saying is dope and when I'm listening I'm like "wtf?  They think THIS is dope?".  I think the industry has brainwashed a lot of people.  It's a numbers game now.  It's a "what clique is he rollin with?" thing now.  It's a "if so & so said it's dope, it's gotta be dope" thing now.  It seems it's about EVERYTHING except pushing the envelope and bringing dope music.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but personally I'm tired of seeing the same rapper's I've seen for the past 5+ years, I'm tired of seeing the same gimmicks being milked.  I'm tired of a lot of shit that involves the industry, so I'm just blowing a fuse on here, and am curious as to your peoples' thoughts.

[WestCoasta]

pretty much I need a good instrumental to get my head bobbin and then I need the lyrics to not be wack at all, and flow with the beat
typical hardcore West Coast shit

yeah some fools be doin same shit, but I havent felt some shit in past couple years good enough to even care to like what mainstream doin

[Acgrundy]

very simple, it has to sound good.  I love music for music.  I don't listen to something cuz its popular or trendy or CRACKIN, I listen to it simply because it sounds good.  I love a lot of Dr. Dre's work, but I won't force myself to be a fan of everything he does.  Same with snoop, mc eiht, spice 1, etc.  I don't mind at all if the lyrics are very simple or the beat is very simple, I just have to enjoy it.  and really there is no explanation for it.  everyone enjoys different things.  Many people listen to music simply because it is the newest stuff out there, it is the popular stuff, it is all over the radio.  those people don't have real love for music tho, they are just going along with society, sheep you could call them.  they will be all over 50 cents jock for a couple of years, and 5 years later they could be all over some country singers jock, and then move onto reggae.  and the funny thing is right now while they are a big 50 cent groupie, they will say shit like how he is one of the greatest rappers ever, and how his album is one of the best rap albums ever, and of course that person probably hasn't heard 80% or more of a lot of rap albums.

I think age has a lot to do with it.  Many albums have a special place in my heart because I grew up on them, I can tie in so many memories to them.  Now I've been listening for over 10 years, and I grew up in the best era of rap ever, so you might say I was kinda spoiled.  so nowadays just about everything is disapointing to me.  I may like it at first, but it won't hold my interest for more than a week usually.  I remember back in the days, when I would be at the record store every tuesday waiting to pick up a new album, and man I couldn't wait to hear it.  now I don't even care.  I'm never in a rush to hear an album anymore.  I don't buy any new cd's, I d/l them all.  and many of them I won't get around to listening to until quite awhile after they have been out.  a prime example I can think of is AllfrumthaI.  I remember I kept going to the music store back in 97/98 on the day their debut album was supposed to drop, but it kept getting delayed.  finally it dropped, and I luved that album, still do.  last month they released their 3rd album, and I d/l it, have had it for about a month.  I've yet to even unzip the file, much less listen to it yet.  its quite sad how bad rap has fallin off.

[Mygla]

the most important thing is a dope beat.... the greatest rhymes in the world aint shit if the beat sucks ass... but a dope beat with shitty rhymes is listenable...

[Don Seer]

^ yup.. sadly for commercial success its all about the hook and the beats..
plus you need to be on a label that brown noses the media to the high heavens


- go get tried for murder, or get shot over 3 times..

- rap about a new way of getting high

- beef with someone bigger than you.. this doesnt count/work if they dont have a clue who u are or what the beef is about...

- dye your hair pink and rock a thong and bandana

[ABN]

i don´t know why i like certain shit i just like some shit. but my music taste is pretty broad coz i´ll listen to anything from Kool G Rap to T.I. to Game to John Legend. if i like what i´m hearin i´ll listen but the artist doesn´t have to fit a certain criteria for me to like them.

[Jip]

the music, first and foremost

good lyrics are an added bonus, but i dont care whos on the song as long as the music is good

[Appetite]

Thanks to everybody's replies, you all had some good shit to say.

lol @ Overseer, that was funny maing.

[Diggfinger]

What makes you, as a listener/consumer/etc. like the music you like?

Is it "Produced By: Dr. Dre"?

Is it "featuring (big name artist here)"?

Is it "how gangsta" something is?

Is it anything that actually deals head on with the music?

I'm just wondering, 'cause as a new artist, I find it difficult to understand why people like certain things.  I'll listen to something that everyone is saying is dope and when I'm listening I'm like "wtf?  They think THIS is dope?".  I think the industry has brainwashed a lot of people.  It's a numbers game now.  It's a "what clique is he rollin with?" thing now.  It's a "if so & so said it's dope, it's gotta be dope" thing now.  It seems it's about EVERYTHING except pushing the envelope and bringing dope music.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but personally I'm tired of seeing the same rapper's I've seen for the past 5+ years, I'm tired of seeing the same gimmicks being milked.  I'm tired of a lot of shit that involves the industry, so I'm just blowing a fuse on here, and am curious as to your peoples' thoughts.

I luv it when rappers do songs dat are "really real" so to speak, true shit dat I can relate to. I dont really give a fuck about how many "niggas Snoop have shoot" or how many drive-by's Eazy did...and also I bomb ass instrumental is also great!

But juss believe in yourself man and shit will go your way. Dont fall into the square traps, represent yo shit!

- Good luck with it man 

[SGV]

I listen to most everything. Alls I need is info on the artist. Origin, Influences, etc. I don't need a Dre production, Snoop Dogg feature, Gangsta Gangsta G-Funk track like most people on this board, just a little info on who the artist is and what they're about.

[Deeez Nuuuts]

Mainly I will listen in this order:

Beat
Flow
Lyrics

To be honest If the beat is hot, flow is dope, I couldn't give a fuck about the lyrical content
Sadly, lyrics come last. If they have an annoying voice that will be putting off too.

[oglocdogg]

very simple, it has to sound good.  I love music for music.  I don't listen to something cuz its popular or trendy or CRACKIN, I listen to it simply because it sounds good.  I love a lot of Dr. Dre's work, but I won't force myself to be a fan of everything he does.  Same with snoop, mc eiht, spice 1, etc.  I don't mind at all if the lyrics are very simple or the beat is very simple, I just have to enjoy it.  and really there is no explanation for it.  everyone enjoys different things.  Many people listen to music simply because it is the newest stuff out there, it is the popular stuff, it is all over the radio.  those people don't have real love for music tho, they are just going along with society, sheep you could call them.  they will be all over 50 cents jock for a couple of years, and 5 years later they could be all over some country singers jock, and then move onto reggae.  and the funny thing is right now while they are a big 50 cent groupie, they will say shit like how he is one of the greatest rappers ever, and how his album is one of the best rap albums ever, and of course that person probably hasn't heard 80% or more of a lot of rap albums.

I think age has a lot to do with it.  Many albums have a special place in my heart because I grew up on them, I can tie in so many memories to them.  Now I've been listening for over 10 years, and I grew up in the best era of rap ever, so you might say I was kinda spoiled.  so nowadays just about everything is disapointing to me.  I may like it at first, but it won't hold my interest for more than a week usually.  I remember back in the days, when I would be at the record store every tuesday waiting to pick up a new album, and man I couldn't wait to hear it.  now I don't even care.  I'm never in a rush to hear an album anymore.  I don't buy any new cd's, I d/l them all.  and many of them I won't get around to listening to until quite awhile after they have been out.  a prime example I can think of is AllfrumthaI.  I remember I kept going to the music store back in 97/98 on the day their debut album was supposed to drop, but it kept getting delayed.  finally it dropped, and I luved that album, still do.  last month they released their 3rd album, and I d/l it, have had it for about a month.  I've yet to even unzip the file, much less listen to it yet.  its quite sad how bad rap has fallin off.

i was gonna say suttin along he same line

[Elevz]

Props to acgrundy for a great post...

As for myself... There's a couple things that should really matter. I like it when a song or album actually has a real topic. I'll take The Game's "Like Father Like Son" over any other track on that album any day. Dead Prez - Let's Get Free album... Classic imo, great concept... It really is the lyrical content that makes me like music like that.

Another thing. I don't care what the fuck a rapper's been through, as long as he's real about what he's rapping about. You don't have to be a professional gangbanger talking about rough shit in the streets for you to catch my attention. Talk about shit that you're really about. Spit knowledge rather than spitting mass murder. LL Cool J got some great tracks on his "Mr. Smith" album, but why the fuck's he trying to sound cool, saying "knawmsay'n" all over the record? FAKE. Does my head in. That's just not him, it's a fake image.

Beats? I don't give a flying fuck WHO produced it, as long as it's fiyah. It doesn't even necessarily have to be fire for me to love the track, because let's face it... The production on Dead Prez - Let's Get Free isn't always top notch. It sure is some innovative shit, but there's no way I'll rate that straight A's all over. Production really can do much to a track, but an album can be great without having to spend 90% of the budget on beats by popular producers. Actually, popular producers often make me dislike their records because of their sellout sounds. On the other hand... Dr. Dre kinda did a nice job with the beat to "Ass Like That", then Eminem came and wrote some kinda funny lyrics to it (admit it, they're not that bad)... Next thing you know, is Eminem really screwed up the track with his fucked up sound and flow. A true waste of the production.

The raps? Flow and rhyming techniques sure can do a lot to the music. However, if the raps have no content at all, just a bunch of nice punchlines, I won't really feel satisfied listening to it. A track really needs a topic for me to be interestered. Fuck the car you drive in, fuck your gun and fuck the bitch who sucked your dick last night. Is that all you can come up with? However, if it goes with a good flow and nice rhyming techniques, I'll be allright with it, but in that case you'll need some real good production. R.A. The Rugged Man got some great flows going on on his latest album, but he ain't got no real topics to rap about. He's been in the business for so long without getting much respect, he's being hated on and he likes to fuck bitches. That's all he's got to tell in 18 tracks. It's basically his flow and lyrics that make me still love the album, along with some really nice production work.

The voice? Not that important to me, as long as it's not hella annoying. I don't even consider Tony Yayo's voice annoying - he seems to be a great one getting himself hyped up for tracks most of the time. And fuck big names for guest spots, I'd rather see a rapper trying to put some new talent on the map. I'm done with all the platinum artists filling up guest spots.

Summary... What really matters to me, in the right order:
Concept / lyrical content
Production
Realness
Flow & rhymes

[Appetite]

Thanks again to everybody's replies.  Lot of good shit being said.

I have to be honest too, I first thought this board would be all typical West Coast music talk, and there wouldn't be no real conversation/dialogue going on, but I'm glad I gave it a chance, 'cause some of you cats are real cool and put thought into what you type.

I guess I've just came across a lot of ignorant heads and close-minded people in the past when it comes to music.  Or actually it's more just that hiphop/rap heads are dick-riders, generally speaking.  So they have no interest in fucking with something new, innovative, etc.  Not to mention--most peoples attention span is the size of a peanut.

I think originality is key to a new artist.  It's like why the fuck would you wanna build a career off of flows and styles that have already been done?  Why would you wanna rock over a played out sample or beat?  I'm all for doing what you gotta do, but after a while of the same ol' shit, I just start losing hope.  Fuck it, gotta keep it going, bitching doesn't solve shit.