Did rap take the place of funk?
138150
No it didn't. When I hear something that sounds like old school funk now it's most often called Neosoul. I love the sound of it & it's coming back more & more. It reminds me of Chaka Khan, the Gap Band, Earth, Wind & Fire, etc.\n\nI have to disagree with you some on rap though. When I was listening to it (back in the day) much of it had some great, dancable music, & carried social & political messages. It was groundbreaking in the urban culture, poetry to music. Much of the rap I hear now is very angry, or over-sexed, & profanity-laced. I miss old school rap, & I love gospel rap (yes it does exist & yes it is tight)!
526614
Well originally rapping over old music was a form of street showmanship. It's an integral part of hip/hop for the mc to brag about himself, because ordinarily he/she would be competing in front of people with another mc.  When gangsta rap became popular they took that same formula and started pretending that they actually have some criminal persona.  It is all for show, and really ruins a lot of otherwise good music. Current rap music is all smoothed out and over proccessed into this homogenized featureless sound product, which is why the radio all sounds the same. Go check out a real hip/hop show in your area, like an mc competition, and you might get a chance to hear some real hip hop.
210244
When it no longer appeals to the masses who purchase this art form. Because Rap sells and Sells big, music producers will continue to produce and sell this art form. If you wish to eliminate rap, try replacing it with an alternative form of music. Much as Rock n Roll replaced most pop music of the fifties, Rap can be replaced when the next wave of music appeals to the masses. It will probably never completely go away as there may always be a portion of the buying public willing to buy this art. After all Vic Damone, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin are still selling records even though their time has come and gone.
144722
i think that Rap is music for those who just dont have melody in them because what they do is generaly talk and the point about amost of them talking about the same thing is true.I LOATHE RAP MUSIC!!!
606328
Are you a child of the 80's? Well then I am with you. The music started going downhill when the 90's began. All it about these days is hip-hop and rap. Sad, isn't it?
667048
Tupac Amaru Shakur was more than a rapper....Try ultimate reality entertainer. This means he transcended entertainment onso many levels to include poetry, acting, documentaries, and above all his political/street saavy. Tupac gave black music a new face and a new voice. Unfortunately he used vivid negative  images that are real but not very digestable by mainstream media or middle america. He most certainly influenced the largest entertainers today, black or white. Just ask them because they've said it in so many interviews. My point is of course He was the biggest influence in hip-hop, but more importantly Tupac began to influence the world!!!
141426
Rap is over-rated. It is too commercialized to make money, and there is no heart in it.
1138815
Im not a huge rap fan but everybody has their own musical taste.  If there was only one kind of music the world would be boring.
807676
i've only heard it very briefly on TV for a promo it was HELLLLLLA annoying!\nwhy does it seem that rap music these days are biting off of children's music?  it's so unoriginal and retarded.  i love rap & hip-hop, but this is just pathetic!
1150896
you forgot hip hop and r & b
766812
He's become more and more mainstream with time.  I had his one CD, Kirk Franklin and the Family.  Remember  "Why We Sing?" .  That was music that stirred your soul.  Everything is so funky and R+B now.  I'm not saying that funky and R+B are bad, it just ain't gospel music that takes you to another level.  He's become more worldly than spiritual.  So to answer the question, no, I'm not surprised.
453239
Rap does not exist anymore. Only commercial hip hop and they all suck these days. Not like the good ol' days with Dre, Tupac, and you know the rest. All we have these days are horrible artists like D4L, Crime Mob, and sell outs like Eminem and 50 Cent.
1044327
I used to like rap-but now all it is is swearing & talking about killing & beating women etc I know old school stuff was like that too but todays stuff hurts my ears & Im only 25!
1059566
ROCK is the best. RAP is cRAP.
610309
exactly! rap hip hop and r and b for me too! everything else is worthless like that emo stuff
931423
There are generally two views that are accepted:\n1. Hip-hop is the culture which rap is merely a part of.  In that sense, the hip-hop culture consists of rap, break dancing, etc.\n2. Some refer to rap as the deragatory, idiotic music that tends to go mainstream (like practically anything by Lil Jon, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, etc) and hip-hop as the less popular/less mainstream music that focuses on political issues, love (actual love, not hoes, prostitutes and what-have-you), etc.\nOh and examples of good artists  (IMO) are:\nThe Roots\nTalib Kweli\nMos Def\nBeatnuts\n\nAnd here's an exerpt from one of my favorite songs, just to reinforce that while mainstream rap music is oversaturated with derogatory, disgusting, dumb songs, that there are quite a few rappers that have songs that focus on respectable topics:\n"Keepin' your head above water, hustlin' to survive\nSome people chasin' a dream, others just chasin' a high\nSome people blind leading the blind, they chasin' a lie\nSome people chokin', backs broken, barely makin' it by\nBut still they workin' all they live, they pushin' for the light\nGivin' everything they got to stitch them swishes on ya Nike's\nPuttin' pockets on our jeans, mining diamonds for them rings\nRewarded with small change and bullets in the brains\nAnd it makes me feel strange everything we take for granted"\nFrom "Why (What's Going On)?" by The Roots\nI hope that clears things up.
1172164
I think its something by Geoge clinton something about funk...damn im not too sure but give that a shot