My hatred for rap is pretty well-known. I don't believe it belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame because it's not really music.
It's not just the race hatred, disrespect of women and law enforcement, and glorification of drugs and violence that disgusts me...it's also the total lack of any musical ability on the part of the so-called "artists". When I was in school, I was taught that music had to have three elements: melody, harmony, and rhythm. Rap has totally disposed of the first two elements, leaving only rhythm. For that reason it shouldn't even be considered music. If you spoon-feed children nothing but shit, they will eventually develop a taste for it. That's what rap has done to an entire generation.
But it's not just rap, either, because the entire music scene is rife with no-talent poseurs. On "American Idol" the judges tell potential "stars" that they need to have "the whole package"...meaning, in addition to passable singing ability, they have to look good and be able to follow choreography. They put musical ability on the same level as marketability. Once upon a time, in order to be considered a musician, you had to be able to sing, write songs and play an instrument...not just lip-synch and look good in the video. Could Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan or even Les Paul have made it on "Idol"?
The music industry has been dumbed-down to the point where the average dumb-ass American can't tell whether someone has put in years of practice or mere weeks. Playing an instrument at a high level is no longer respected in American culture. Sometimes I think all those kids who are studying music in college are wasting their time and their parents' money...since hardly anyone pays for music anymore, why should they? Why spend all those long hours perfecting your craft, knowing that in all liklihood your songs will just be illegally downloaded for free?
But then, the Jonas Brothers, Miley, Kanye West and Ludacris probably make more in a week than I'll earn in my entire life. So who's the idiot? Maybe it's me.