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Is the 'rent-a-rapper' trend here to stay? |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 253
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Is the 'rent-a-rapper' trend here to stay?
Since the mid-noughties, it seems like every other pop song sacrifices a middle 8 for a rapper to come along and add another verse. Sometimes it's done well, most of the time it's not. But I think there's one thing we can agree with... this trend has gone on far too long.
The recent release of Britney's song Make Me shows to me that the rent-a-rapper trend has well and truly passed its peak. The random inclusion of G. Eazy adds nothing to the song and never seems to end. Occasionally Britney has used rappers in a way that enhances her songs, but I can't excuse the lazy verse-chorus-verse-chorus-rapper-chorus formula anymore. It's old, tired and belongs to another era. There is nothing cool or edgy about including a rapper on a pop song anymore (especially not second-rate rappers that nobody has heard of). My fear is that the rent-a-rapper trend is here to stay. It's been going for more than ten years now. It seems to have become so ingrained in pop music that it doesn't look like it's going to die out. I really hope I'm wrong... |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,708
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I was fed up with it when Curve did it on Ten Little Indians in 1991.
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#3 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,598
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I like the inclusion of Lil Wayne on Let Me Love You.
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#4 |
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 730
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Quote:
Since the mid-noughties, it seems like every other pop song sacrifices a middle 8 for a rapper to come along and add another verse. Sometimes it's done well, most of the time it's not. But I think there's one thing we can agree with... this trend has gone on far too long.
The recent release of Britney's song Make Me shows to me that the rent-a-rapper trend has well and truly passed its peak. The random inclusion of G. Eazy adds nothing to the song and never seems to end. Occasionally Britney has used rappers in a way that enhances her songs, but I can't excuse the lazy verse-chorus-verse-chorus-rapper-chorus formula anymore. It's old, tired and belongs to another era. There is nothing cool or edgy about including a rapper on a pop song anymore (especially not second-rate rappers that nobody has heard of). My fear is that the rent-a-rapper trend is here to stay. It's been going for more than ten years now. It seems to have become so ingrained in pop music that it doesn't look like it's going to die out. I really hope I'm wrong... |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 716
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I agree with OP.
Nothing worse than hearing a song and thinking to yourself 'oh i like this ' then in comes some rapper ive never heard of with a stupid name and RUINS it. The worst was when they did it with the Band Aid 20 song with Dizzee Rascal
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#6 |
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,708
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Surely there was never a greater misjudgment than that use of Moon River in a commercial. I see they've taken that bit out now.
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 253
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Quote:
cant you just listen to music without renta rappers in it, I find them quite easy to avoid basically if a song has the word 'featuring' I tend to give it a wide berth these days.
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#8 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,423
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Quote:
Yeah, but if the main artists are artists I like, I'm not going to avoid one of their songs altogether just because of a rapper in the third verse. It's just a disappointment when it happens.
I understand that it's a trend but it's so infuriating. |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 730
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Quote:
Yeah, but if the main artists are artists I like, I'm not going to avoid one of their songs altogether just because of a rapper in the third verse. It's just a disappointment when it happens.
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,643
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I think it's a way of bolstering up pop tracks and making the main artist seem more 'cool' or 'down'. I don't usually like the artists in question so it tends not to affect me but I do roll the eyes. The rappers are often not the most credible and the paychecks are good. I love Hip Hop - the good stuff - not the current dross that receives mainstream airplay and if more critically-acclaimed MC's were to drop a verse on a pop record here and there I think it would be career damaging.
I'd compare it to the incongruous 'rock guitar' solo that turns up in the odd Soul or Reggae track: unwanted! Is it not possible, sometimes, to dig and find a cut without the rap? In the days of the CD single their used to be a variety of mixes available. Or grab some free software like Audacity and attempt a custom mix! Maybe you'll end up a record producer a year or two down the line making good £££ and you can thank me for suggesting it ...
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,643
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Quote:
cant you just listen to music without renta rappers in it, I find them quite easy to avoid basically if a song has the word 'featuring' I tend to give it a wide berth these days.
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#12 |
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,228
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Sometimes the rapper outshines the actual artist though. "Bad Blood" is a prime example of that. Kendrick Lamar blows Taylor Swift out of the water.
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#13 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 907
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I won't listen to anything with this rent a rapper nonsense on it.
Lady Gaga's Do What U Want is ruined by R Kelly's generic cameo. I hate how all the rap cameos are about the rappers themselves as if trying to get their name out there. They are always saying their own name and bragging about themselves. It's really not that hard to rap a few lines, they act like they are the highlight of the song. Scrilla, I don't now know if you are anti all guitar solos but they take skill and are often the highlight of the song. RHCP would be nowhere without John Frusciante's solos. Some solos make the song e.g. Sweet Child O Mine. |
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 253
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Quote:
I won't listen to anything with this rent a rapper nonsense on it.
Lady Gaga's Do What U Want is ruined by R Kelly's generic cameo. I hate how all the rap cameos are about the rappers themselves as if trying to get their name out there. They are always saying their own name and bragging about themselves. |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 907
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Quote:
To be fair, R Kelly is a singer and that song was more of a duet than a feature. I personally like that song, although I can't say I'm not disappointed that she's also had 'rent-a-rappers' in the past. She's so much better than that.
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,643
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Quote:
Scrilla, I don't now know if you are anti all guitar solos but they take skill and are often the highlight of the song. RHCP would be nowhere without John Frusciante's solos. Some solos make the song e.g. Sweet Child O Mine.
The thing about 'chart acts' is that they'll do what they need to do to 'chart'. I'd see the Chilli's as a group who'd be there doing their thing for their audience, regardless of massive popularity or not, whereas many of these popstars are doing what they're told because they are in it for the money over and above creating music / expressing themselves. They probably don't even know there'll be a guest rapper on the track when they record it much of the time. The accountants/committee will decide that - if you get my (rather cynical) drift... |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 730
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Quote:
I've read this "featuring" viewpoint before on here. It can mean anything though. Could be an original artist who has been sampled, a vocalist (often the case with dance genres) or an instrumentalist. It's really just giving a significant credit (I've records by males where the singer is a female and the credit is nowhere or buried in small print) but I suppose it's being used as a marketing tool now. Maybe all the collaborations are supposed to drive up sales i.e. fans of both artists will buy...?
![]() Which again is away to sell them to US radio as a band that can be played on Modern rock stations even though they use synths, all marketing. Although I think Lauren was/is a Paramore fan. |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 258
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I'm a big rap fan, but I agree that a random rap verse in the middle of a pop song often doesn't really fit.
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#19 |
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Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,643
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I'm reminded of Mantronix, a Hip Hop producer / MC duo who came on the scene around 1985. Kurtis Mantronik had been producing R&B acts like Joyce Sims anyway and moved the Mantronix band/brand towards R&B/Club music eventually when the MC left.
He discovered a singer called Wondress and they had a hit with "Got to Have Your Love" a club track with a featured rap on it which was later covered by Liberty X. I guess I'm mentioning this because it's an example of someone who works in Hip Hop producing songs with featured rapping that integrates really well with the track rather than someone shoving a rapper on for a few bars due to it being fashionable. The 12" is sublime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RCZ0KMZik4 It's quite common in Reggae to have a track that features a singer alongside a 'toaster' (MC) in combination style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a2PQ134jag |
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 26,181
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I don't mind Make Me, even the rapper section. I have no idea who on earth G-Easy is though. Discount Drake?
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#21 |
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 9,858
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Quote:
Mantronix[...]discovered a singer called Wondress and they had a hit with "Got to Have Your Love"
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 30,200
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I always wonder whether the rent a rapper thing is a ploy to try and get on Urban radio in the US.
Jessie j got played on Urban radio purely thanks to BoB and Nicki Minaj being used on Price Tag and Bang Bang, |
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,414
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The question should be, why is rap still popular? It's been around far too long.
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: derby
Posts: 14,765
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Quote:
Since the mid-noughties, it seems like every other pop song sacrifices a middle 8 for a rapper to come along and add another verse. Sometimes it's done well, most of the time it's not. But I think there's one thing we can agree with... this trend has gone on far too long.
The recent release of Britney's song Make Me shows to me that the rent-a-rapper trend has well and truly passed its peak. The random inclusion of G. Eazy adds nothing to the song and never seems to end. Occasionally Britney has used rappers in a way that enhances her songs, but I can't excuse the lazy verse-chorus-verse-chorus-rapper-chorus formula anymore. It's old, tired and belongs to another era. There is nothing cool or edgy about including a rapper on a pop song anymore (especially not second-rate rappers that nobody has heard of). My fear is that the rent-a-rapper trend is here to stay. It's been going for more than ten years now. It seems to have become so ingrained in pop music that it doesn't look like it's going to die out. I really hope I'm wrong... |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: derby
Posts: 14,765
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Quote:
I'm reminded of Mantronix, a Hip Hop producer / MC duo who came on the scene around 1985. Kurtis Mantronik had been producing R&B acts like Joyce Sims anyway and moved the Mantronix band/brand towards R&B/Club music eventually when the MC left.
He discovered a singer called Wondress and they had a hit with "Got to Have Your Love" a club track with a featured rap on it which was later covered by Liberty X. I guess I'm mentioning this because it's an example of someone who works in Hip Hop producing songs with featured rapping that integrates really well with the track rather than someone shoving a rapper on for a few bars due to it being fashionable. The 12" is sublime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RCZ0KMZik4 It's quite common in Reggae to have a track that features a singer alongside a 'toaster' (MC) in combination style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a2PQ134jag
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making good £££ and you can thank me for suggesting it ...
