World Wide Hiphop

[Equality 7-2521]

Watup

I was wondering if you guys listen to (or are interested in listening to)much HipHop from countries other than America. Sometimes i just get sick of lisening to the same kinda sound all the time. Plus, HipHop is world wide and it makes me feel good when i hear cats from different places having a go....naamean?

Im Australian and we have some pretty dope artists down under who would shit on many of the popular American artists skill wise. Artists like Hiltop Hoods, Curse Ov Dialect, The Herd, Simplex, Soloman Kleptoe, Bliss n Eso, Prowla and Delta.... to name a few.

Ive also heard some really dope Hiphop from the UK, Canada...even Japan.

dont get me wrong...im not hatin on America at all....MOST of my favourite artists are American

Hiphop came from the Bronx but its clearly a world wide thing now and good artists are not confined to America anymore. Still, it seems to me that few artist outside of America are making any sort of mark on the scene.

What is the problem here? Is it distribution? Is it the accent? Im not really sure myself but id like to hear what people think.....esp Americans

Also, drop some artists names who you think are dope (outside of America)

check these links for some audio of Aussie artists who are killin it
www.elefanttraks.com (The Herd)
www.blissneso.com
www.hilltophoods.com
www.dirtyloop.com/MH211.html (Curse Ov Dialect) ughh.com for audio

peace

 

[soundboy2]

Do you have any links to Australian aritst,

 

[MadScientist]

I'm not into listening to rap artists with accents and ones that speak in foreign languages ....... I've heard some before and it sounds corny. Kind of like when I hear a Latin rapper ..... they have this accent that makes them sound phony.

 

[DJ Excellence]

Well I'm French and I do listen to French rap. We have the second largest rap industry in the world and it keeps growing and growing.... to the point that it's becoming the best selling music genre in the country.
You guys from QUEBEC certainly know about that.
It's really sad too see that French rappers/producers have become very imitative of their American counterparts. It wasn't the case from 92 to 97 , a time period which is considered by many to be the golden age of French rap. Despite this trend , it'd say that French rappers are somewhat more utopian in their lyrics than Americans. French producers have a love affair with loops and classical samples...

If you're interested , check out the following albums :

MC Solaar "Qui sème le vent recolte le tempo" 1991
MC Solaar "Prause Combat" 1994
NTM "Paris sous les bombes" 1995
NTM "NTM" 1998
Les Sages Poetes de la rue "Qu est ce qui fait marcher les sages?" 1995
Les Sages Poetes de la rue "Jusqu à l'amour" 1998
I AM "L école du micro d'argent" 1998
2 BAL de NEG "3 X plus efficace" 1996
MENELIK " Phenomenelik" 1995

 

[Rob-Les]

Yeah, I'll listen to anything as long as it's hot. Right now, there's a lot of hot shhh coming out of Puerto Rico. Spanish hip-hop is hot, for those that understand it. It reminds me of the golden era of hip hop here in NYC.

 

[Copenhagen]

It doesn't surprise me if most Americans don't listen to any other rap than US. Only a small percentage of Americans ever travel outside the US, and only a little larger percentage ever travel outside their respective state which characterizes how narrowminded many Americans are about other countries/cultures.
However, it seems that the real evolution of Hip-Hop is currently happening every other place than USA and if you're just a little openminded you will pay attention to the flow of the rapper and the beat...I mean, I don't understand French, German, Japenese but if the beat is good and the rappers flow is nice then I'm felling it...why should the language be a barrier...as Messenger said in his title Hip-Hop is worldwide...

 

[BeatOff]

I dont listen to foreign rap becuase it sounds funny. Almost like fake hiphop or something like moching of hiphop. I look at it like coke. Original coke put new coke out of buisness. Besides most of what the people i like talk about things that relate to my people and issues around the bay or Us that foreign kids know nothing about.

 

[Copenhagen]

So what are these issues foreign kids know nothing about...???
And is "because it sounds funny" you're arguement...and how can you even say that it's almost like fake or a moching of Hip-Hop? Most people, at least in Europe, are keeping it real by respecting the culture and trying to let it grow.
You're the product of the narrowmindedness I mentioned above...

 

[MarkN]

its defintaely grwoing in other countries more so than in america, in ameraic they complain the music is dying in other coutries for example here in the UK its definately the opposite ! with uk hip hop artists even winning big prizes like the mercury music award etc !

 

[DJ Excellence]

Originally posted by MadScientist
I'm not into listening to rap artists with accents and ones that speak in foreign languages ....... I've heard some before and it sounds corny. Kind of like when I hear a Latin rapper ..... they have this accent that makes them sound phony.

get some mp3's of MC Solaar (French MC) , He was featured on a GURU track (on the first Jazzmataz project "Le bien le Mal") ... He's killing him ! (quite a feat !)
His diction and the way he places his voice on the beat is just amazing.
He has a very litterate approach when it comes to rhyming and refuses to use English words every two bars unlike so many non-english-speaking rappers. I think that makes him "authentic"....

I think this would make you change opinion ...

 

[BeatOff]

Originally posted by Copenhagen
So what are these issues foreign kids know nothing about...???
And is "because it sounds funny" you're arguement...and how can you even say that it's almost like fake or a moching of Hip-Hop? Most people, at least in Europe, are keeping it real by respecting the culture and trying to let it grow.
You're the product of the narrowmindedness I mentioned above...

Hmm Racism in america for one. There's stuff said by bay area artists like E-40 that even people in other parts of the US wont understand. When I say moching, its becuase whenever i hear some rappers from oversee's trying to rap in english, they use All this new york slang with the, "What up yo, word god, you son" what is that? Is that not moching? If my point of view upsets you, too bad.

 

[DJ Excellence]

beatoff : racism also exists in other parts of the world .... You wouldn't believe the cultural/racial diversity of the Paris area....and minorities are somewhat facing the same adversities as in the States. Actually a lot of themes in rap songs are really universal themes : violence, hard times, partying, reminiscing, etc ... For all these reasons I think this is a false debate ...

 

[MadScientist]

Originally posted by philsiarri
get some mp3's of MC Solaar (French MC) , He was featured on a GURU track (on the first Jazzmataz project "Le bien le Mal") ... He's killing him ! (quite a feat !)
His diction and the way he places his voice on the beat is just amazing.
He has a very litterate approach when it comes to rhyming and refuses to use English words every two bars unlike so many non-english-speaking rappers. I think that makes him "authentic"....

I think this would make you change opinion ...

I doubt it! ..... I'm hard headed and stubborn ..... not narrow minded!!
belive me I have a open mind but when it comes to this .... I can't agree.

 

[Copenhagen]

Beatoff, as Phil pointed out, racism is everywhere, themes are universal, as is music in general, where foreign rappers might not use the same words or talk about the exact same thing, their feeling can be the same, you just need to listen past the actual words sometimes.
Even with songs I don't understand the language, if the beat and flow is great and you can feel what the rapper went through whilst writing the lyrics, then you don't always need to understand what they are actually saying, at least in my opinion.
Most of us non-US people can't always relate directly to the theme of an american song, but we can see it as metaphoar for something similar and transfer the meaning of the song to be about that e.g.
I'll agree with you on one thing though, even the the "language/slang" of Hip-Hop is universal too, foreign rappers who rap in english should stay away from totally biting e.g. New York slang, however, not everbody does this.
Madcientist, that you're already doubting it doesn't make me think of you as stubborn and hardheaded but narrowminded, sorry. Take a listen and give it a chance...at least for the beat's sake...

 

[MadScientist]

Originally posted by Copenhagen

Madcientist, that you're already doubting it doesn't ake me think of you as stubborn and hardheaded but narrowminded, sorry. Take a listen and give it a chance...at least for the beat's sake...

I have my opinion and you have yours ...... If I remember correctly this thread is about Hip Hop artists from other countries. NOT beats from other countries. My comment was based on the topic. I lived in Sicily (Europe) for a period of time, so I'm speaking from experience. I listened to it and I don't like it. UNDERSTAND? So if I don't agree with you I'm narrowminded?????? Get real.

I gave it a shot. It sucks, its corny. Its my opinion and my taste in music. If I ask you to try tuna and you say no or I don't like it. I'm not going to say your narrowminded. Even if you didn't try it before. Its all a matter of taste .......... and these buds don't like it. Respect it.

 

[Copenhagen]

The thread is/was about Hip-Hop from other countries, not just artists, so it could be about beats only too I guess.
Anyway, had I known that you had lived in Italy, and via your stay there listened to European Hip-Hop, then I wouldn't have written as I did...my comments were based on the impression that you had only listened to a couple of songs. There are many different styles in Europe, depending on especially country, wherefore if you had only only listened to a couple of songs then you wouldn't have gotten a clear view of European Hip-Hop

 

[vitaminman]

Hey,

This is a common thing with Americans, not enjoying anything that is foreign, especially if it is not in English. Just look at the amount of films which make it into the states; when Amelie and Beautiful Life did so well, it was a real phenomenon here as NOBODY likes to sit through a film when they have to read subtitles.

Did anyone watch La Femme Nikita? Not really, most people only know about Nikita. La Totale? Nope, it's True Lies. Did anyone know that The Itallian Job was originally an English film, starring Michael Caine? Probably not.

A dubbed version, perhaps? Certainly not, the words don't line up with the lips...

The one exception is with Japanese animation, and I think that's because the population interested in this has a higher level of appreciation (and probably intelligence) of all things foreign.

Sure, foreign rappers sound corny when they try to mimic their American counterparts...for the record, EVERYBODY sounds corny (especially Americans) when they mutter ridiculous things like 'ughhh', 'wut?', 'killa', yo', etc. The foreigners are just trying to play follow the leader; but what excuse do the Americans have for sounding like idiots?

I'll speak up for foreign rap. I used to live in Calais, all the kids there were into groups like IAM and Nique Ta Mere, as well as the American groups. The beats the French did were amazingly good, they had a completely different twist on music production, a lot of Northern African music made its way into tracks.

Can't speak for Australian rap, but I love a lot of the bands they've produced over the years.

Yo

Nick

 

[Equality 7-2521]

Mad Scientist......Yeah i know what your saying about phony sounding accents but I dont think the phonyness is in the accent, I think its in the expression. There are lots of American rappers who sound phony and lots of artists from other countries who sound genuine. I dont find them that hard to find either. I think you are truly missing out on some really good music. You say you tested European music but i think you have to look a little further....did you check any of my links?

Phillsiari.......France has the second biggest rap industry in the world? Thats news to me. Where did you get this statistic from? Also, are any of those albums you listed in English or are they all in French? I cant dig anything that is not in English cos i cant understand it.

Copenhagen......i agree, you can definitly tell if a rapper has skills even if the language is different. But as i said above, i cant completly dig it. This is because i cannot intellectually appreciate the rappers lyrics which he probly spent ages thinking about and writing on paper. Though I cant completely appreciate it, I still respect it.

BeatOff......you are another who thinks the different accent sounds fake. But is this just because it is something DIFFERENT? Surely you couldnt be suggesting that these rappers you call fake would be more suited to a different genere of music......these guys have been perfecting their flows for as long as any other rapper. BTW saying "yo" and "word" etc is not moching. Its merely the adoption of slang. Everybody uses some form of slang these day which they did not invent themselves.
Also, if i was constantly listening to a rapper spitting about the region i live in, id quickly get bored. I mean, i fucking live in my own area and i dont need somone to make a beat and then tell me in double time what they think of the area too. Also, racism is not confined to your area. It is a world wide problem. Check out Curse Ov Dialect (mentioned in my original post). They are peace/ multiculturalism/anti-racism advocates. Shit brother.....look outside the square you live in.

MarkN......i agree. If anyone over here in Australia is into Hiphop and claims that Hiphop is dying, they will recieve a reply similar to "pft, your an idiot" Wheras I have seen people on American Hiphop boards start "Hiphop is dying" threads and there are actually a bunch of people who agree. Hiphop is not dying at all and it never will. The movement and culture is too strong and the positivity of it will always attract people to participate in it. At the same time, there will always be those TV rappers who exlpoit the culture but hey, dont listen to them and they wont have anyone to sell music to.

vitimanman.......word up. its like America has a ego to big to give anything else a chance. i agree....even Americans sound stupid with their crappy "hardcore" style slang.

HAS ANYONE CHECKED OUT MY LINKS AND HAVE ANY COMMENT ON WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD???????

 

[DJ Excellence]

Mr. Messenger : the listed albums are in French ..... stats are from Newsweek .................

 

[BeatOff]

I dont understand why some of you are preacing to us why we should like foriegn hiphop. Its not like i'm talking out my ass, i've heard it hella times. From going to hiphop in the park in berkley and hearing Japanese rappers and swedish ones come on stage. From them playing some of that on the wake up show. Its wack to . period.