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Hip Hop Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: Headwarmaz on September 23, 2009, 05:06:21 PM

Title: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: Headwarmaz on September 23, 2009, 05:06:21 PM
Greetings all,

I was browsing the internet and used a popular search engine to find 'best conscious hop hop'

The names that appeared most frequently included the following...

Talib kweli
Immortal technique
Dead prez
Common
Mos def
The roots
KRS ONE
Public enemy


The artists on this list have very different ways of expressing. Up until now i've always considered Technique, Dead Prez, KRS, and Public enemy to be political/social commentators. Common, Mos Def, Talib and the roots... were more hiphop artists who dabbled with elements of funk/soul.

How do we differentiate between conscious hip hop and political hip hop. Are they one and the same? Is one a subdivision of the other. Is it even necessary to separate the two.

What do you think?
Title: Re: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: rob_one on September 23, 2009, 05:08:31 PM
Greetings all,

I was browsing the internet and used a popular search engine to find 'best conscious hop hop'

The names that appeared most frequently included the following...

Talib kweli
Immortal technique
Dead prez
Common
Mos def
The roots
KRS ONE
Public enemy


The artists on this list have very different ways of expressing. Up until now i've always considered Technique, Dead Prez, KRS, and Public enemy to be political/social commentators. Common, Mos Def, Talib and the roots... were more hiphop artists who dabbled with elements of funk/soul.

How do we differentiate between conscious hip hop and political hip hop. Are they one and the same? Is one a subdivision of the other. Is it even necessary to separate the two.

What do you think?

Erm, correct me if I'm wrong, but Talib Kweli and Common are very much poster boys for conscious rap. I don't think it's a question of style (i.e. elements of funk and soul) but rather of lyrical content and direction, which in this case would be necessarily both introspective and thoughtful and outwardly politically concerned.
Title: Re: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: The Angry Hand of God on September 23, 2009, 05:17:27 PM
Erm, correct me if I'm wrong, but Talib Kweli and Common are very much poster boys for conscious rap. I don't think it's a question of style (i.e. elements of funk and soul) but rather of lyrical content and direction, which in this case would be necessarily both introspective and thoughtful and outwardly politically concerned.

He may be a Jew, but he knows stuff.
Title: Re: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: TATEguru v.2K9 on September 23, 2009, 05:26:35 PM
Up until now i've always considered Technique, Dead Prez, KRS, and Public enemy to be political/social commentators. Common, Mos Def, Talib and the roots... were more hiphop artists who dabbled with elements of funk/soul.

How do we differentiate between conscious hip hop and political hip hop. Are they one and the same? Is one a subdivision of the other. Is it even necessary to separate the two.

What do you think?

...I don't think it's a question of style (i.e. elements of funk and soul) but rather of lyrical content and direction, which in this case would be necessarily both introspective and thoughtful and outwardly politically concerned.
Couldnt have said it better. Its about lyrical content more than musical style. Rhymes not beats.

To expound: 'Concious rap' would be the general umbrella of which Political rap is branch concerned with extrospective macro-social commentry (my block/ city/ country/ continent/ people).
Title: Re: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: rob_one on September 23, 2009, 05:28:39 PM
Erm, correct me if I'm wrong, but Talib Kweli and Common are very much poster boys for conscious rap. I don't think it's a question of style (i.e. elements of funk and soul) but rather of lyrical content and direction, which in this case would be necessarily both introspective and thoughtful and outwardly politically concerned.

He may be a Jew, but he knows stuff.

I know stuff about the Jewish New World Order that would make your skin crawl. Mandatory circumcisions. Gefilte fish available to the ma**es. A tax on air.

Conscious hip-hop, according to my rabbi (not rebbi), gets a pa** though.
Title: Re: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: Dpleezy on September 24, 2009, 09:39:57 AM
Ben Sharpa is conscious and political but there's not a jazz, soul or funk element to be heard. So yeah, what they said above.
Title: Re: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: Mad on September 27, 2009, 08:29:04 PM
Greetings all,

I was browsing the internet and used a popular search engine to find 'best conscious hop hop'

The names that appeared most frequently included the following...

Talib kweli
Immortal technique
Dead prez
Common
Mos def
The roots
KRS ONE
Public enemy


The artists on this list have very different ways of expressing. Up until now i've always considered Technique, Dead Prez, KRS, and Public enemy to be political/social commentators. Common, Mos Def, Talib and the roots... were more hiphop artists who dabbled with elements of funk/soul.

How do we differentiate between conscious hip hop and political hip hop. Are they one and the same? Is one a subdivision of the other. Is it even necessary to separate the two.

What do you think?

i personally think that dude is the best political rapper alive
Title: Re: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: 1kind on September 28, 2009, 01:24:38 AM
I guess we need to clarify what conscious means...

Sure, Common, Talib and the Roots may seem to be 'poster boys'...but when you dissect or unpack the lyrics the content is often scattered and not based on fact.

For me consciousness means awareness. It is easier to see the consciousness in people like Immortal Technique because 80% of their centre around factual political which he wants the world to be more conscious or aware of.

I enjoy listening to Common, Talib and Roots as much as anyone else. But i think that the appeal of their music comes more from the style  than the content. The 'introspective' thought. The jazzy/funky leanings.The 'indie' status. All these have played a part in making us a**ociate the abovementioned acts as 'conscious' hip hop. For me content is what 'consciousness' or awareness.

When looking for factual/researched content. I would go for Immortal Tech, Lost Children of Babylon, and often times KRS ONE.

Title: Re: Conscious hip hop versus Political hip hop
Post by: Mad on September 28, 2009, 10:50:40 AM
I guess we need to clarify what conscious means...

Sure, Common, Talib and the Roots may seem to be 'poster boys'...but when you dissect or unpack the lyrics the content is often scattered and not based on fact.

For me consciousness means awareness. It is easier to see the consciousness in people like Immortal Technique because 80% of their centre around factual political which he wants the world to be more conscious or aware of.

I enjoy listening to Common, Talib and Roots as much as anyone else. But i think that the appeal of their music comes more from the style  than the content. The 'introspective' thought. The jazzy/funky leanings.The 'indie' status. All these have played a part in making us a**ociate the abovementioned acts as 'conscious' hip hop. For me content is what 'consciousness' or awareness.

When looking for factual/researched content. I would go for Immortal Tech, Lost Children of Babylon, and often times KRS ONE.



they should arrest for talking so much truth