Rap and Hip-Hop at the game table?

[evildm]

For fantasy games I primarily use instrumental music (as of late it's been E.S Posthumus and Apocalyptica), and some rock here and there. I find that hip hop would likely break the mood I'm aiming for, but that's just me.

On the flip side, I would probably use quite a bit of rap and whatnot for a modern or cyberpunk campaign, along with my rock. In fact, I've been thoroughly addicted to Buck 65's Talkin' Honky Blues (go get it, now. It's great stuff) lately and I would love to use it as mood music for a modern campaign.

 

[Revenge of the Bjorn]

I've never used music at the gaming table, cause the group would get way too distracted (a bunch of huge music fans) and it would likely degenerate into me doing an (awful) Axl Rose impersonation. But that said my gamer friends are predominantly fans of rock (in any form). It'd take me too long to list everything so I'll just list the ones that sound least right next to each other: The Darkness (I'm gonna have no friends for saying that, but I don't mind) the White Stripes, Queen, Tenacious D, Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Tool, The Cult, Therion (The only death/black/grind metal band I'm certain I like. The others its hard to tell. And besides a penchant for keyboards in the black metal realms I can't tell the three apart by sound therefore I consider them all the same). And after all that I like some country and bluegrass although I haven't yet admitted this to my friends. Also on the subjec of relating AC/DC to today's more...shall we say extreme forms of metal, the biggest Death(and all similiar forms) metal fan I know is a big fan of stuff like AC/DC, Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin, so you never know.

I have to wonder though any of you out there Rainbow or Dio fans or would that put you to far over the geek-line? (no offense to anyone. I happen to love Man on the Silver mountain, so who am I to talk anyway?)
Wow, that was long winded.

 

[Desdichado]

I have to wonder though any of you out there Rainbow or Dio fans or would that put you to far over the geek-line?

Devo yes. Dio no.

 

[Mirth]

I've never used music at the gaming table, cause the group would get way too distracted (a bunch of huge music fans) and it would likely degenerate into me doing an (awful) Axl Rose impersonation. But that said my gamer friends are predominantly fans of rock (in any form). It'd take me too long to list everything so I'll just list the ones that sound least right next to each other: The Darkness (I'm gonna have no friends for saying that, but I don't mind) the White Stripes, Queen, Tenacious D, Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Tool, The Cult, Therion (The only death/black/grind metal band I'm certain I like. The others its hard to tell. And besides a penchant for keyboards in the black metal realms I can't tell the three apart by sound therefore I consider them all the same). And after all that I like some country and bluegrass although I haven't yet admitted this to my friends. Also on the subjec of relating AC/DC to today's more...shall we say extreme forms of metal, the biggest Death(and all similiar forms) metal fan I know is a big fan of stuff like AC/DC, Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin, so you never know.

I have to wonder though any of you out there Rainbow or Dio fans or would that put you to far over the geek-line? (no offense to anyone. I happen to love Man on the Silver mountain, so who am I to talk anyway?)
Wow, that was long winded.

Huge fan of the White Stripes here I've got just about every vinyl and cd release they've ever put out. Their version of Dolly Parton's song "Jolene" is beyond great. Saw them three times live, too. Totally frickin' amazing live act.

Also I love (in order ): Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Tenacious D (get the DVD!), The Darkness (don't be ashamed, they roxxor), Guns N' Roses and Tool (although I really only like AEnima and afterwards). Not familiar with Therion (gonna check 'em out now though, thanks) and can't say that I dig Rainbow or Dio very much.

I'm also a big country and bluegrass fan. I've seen Doc Watson about 10 times live and every time I cry. That man is a living saint. His version of Gershwin's "Summertime" is by far my favorite.

Man, I could talk about music all day. I love, love, love it.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Wow.

I just find some of the responses to hip-hop in this board just amazing boardering on offensive.

Banned from the table?

PsudoEbonics?

I understand and respect it if people said that they don't get hip-hop or if it's not to their liking but some of the venom here is just incredible. I'm pretty sure that there are a fair amount crap bands or groups in whatever genres that you like so please don't take the stuff that they show on BET or MTV as the best of the genre, it's just the most popular. There are plenty of good hip-hop crews and MC's out there. Dismissing an entire group of anything is just ignorant and wrong. I'm not a metal head but there are some songs that I like that some gaming buddies of mine introduced me to.

I remember that I'd just finished reading THE STAND and i was at a friends house, a song was playing in the background called Among the Living by Anthrax. I remember listening to the words and going "Oh snap, theyre talking about Randall Flagg!" I know that they did a song about Judge Dredd as well and liking that song too. From there I got introduced to Metallica and Iron Maiden as well. On my ipod the only metal songs that I made sure to put on are from Anthrax, Iron Maiden (run to the Hills is AWESOME) and Metallica (There a b-side of theirs called THE PRINCE that just gets me amped).

But getting back to the hatred of hip-hop thing, the lack of respect for lyricists just kind of baffles me. I guess poets and bards get the same level of disrespect because there are Mc's out there that can craft stories and twist words around with the best of them. And Metal getting a bad rap? Ninja Please... Hip-Hop is a predominately black art form and we all know that parents (especially parents off impressionable white children) don't want negroes in their childrens heads or in thier homes unless theyre the help. Trust me on that one. To those parents metal may be noise but at least it's not darkie Jungle noise.

Metal was an out growth of rock and 70's Hard rock so you can say that metal has been around for a long time and has had it's spot in the sun. Hip-hop has been around since the early 70's and has really just recently gotten accepting in the mainstream over the past 5-7 years. Not just because you can see it on MTV, but when you see it become part of the culture. Mostly though you can see it when Madison Avenue and the predominately white owned record labels can make money off of it by making sure that it's everywhere.

I'll be he first to admit that 90% of the stuff on MTV and BET is garbage, but to me that "hip-hop" is as good as Pop music. That's not real hip-hop, those are just some cats who are in it for the fame, the money and to floss. Most of the good stuff in any genre you have to hunt for. Whether it be metal, gospel, hip-hop, Rock, R&B, Dance, whatever. Dismissing an entire genre due to limted exposure (and MTV and BET are limited) is just, well limited thinking.
It would be just as messed up if I dismissed gamers based on the guys that show up at the Complete Stratigist here in NY or at the cons that I've been to. And being a minority (black man) within a minority (gamers) and hearing this kind of venom is just disconcerting...

 

[Zoatebix]

[Metallica]... Along with Megadeth, Slayer, Queensryche, Saxon, Motorhead and 100's of others. What do YOU see on MTV more or hear on the radio more, metal or rap?

Don't forget about Judas Priest and the suicide/subliminal message lawsuit. I had to watch a documentary on that back in 10th-grade comparative politics. The band members were all really sweet British guys... with tatoos and stuff.

[almost ringo-starr-parody liverpoolish accent]
"So then the attourney brought out the ghetto" with the accent on the syllable 'to,' "blaster, and started playing one of our songs"
[/almost ringo-starr-parody liverpoolish accent]

Those poor guys... I'm really glad they won the case.

So closer to the original topic - banned from the group for carrying a CD to the table ArthurQ!? Say it ain't so!

Look, let's go back to the first group I sugeested - Blackalicious.

Like a few other West Coast rap acts, including the Pharcyde and Jurassic 5, Blackalicious has generally favored what hip-hoppers call the "positive tip"; in other words, its lyrics have often been spiritual and uplifting rather than violent or misogynous. Like a lot of experimental alternative rappers, Blackalicious can be quirky and eccentric; nonetheless, spirituality is a big part of the group's music.

Quirky, funny, spiritual! Not about money, women, cars, sex, drugs, etc.! One of the tracks on Blazing Arrow samples from the Nighmare Before Christmas, for crissakes!
(well, I think that's what it's from...)

Back to mixing musical styles for effect in general - I'd like to get back to the films I mentioned in my really long post (from page 2, maybe?). Has anyone else seen the Terrence Malick films, or listened to the Escaflowne or Cowboy Bebop soundtracks and care to comment? Do they think the low-key pop distracted from the warsaw philharmonic tracks on Escaflowne, or that the Melenesian Chorus jarred against the orchestra in The Thin Red Line, or that the Jazz and the Metal and the Choral didn't go together in Cowboy Bebop?

Okay, I guess Escaflowne is more 'on topic' because it's fantasy... but they're all pretty diverse mixes. I'd have to say that "The Unanswered Question" vs Faure's Requiem (both classical music) is more jarring than rap vs any other kind of pop.

Okay, that's it - no more longish posts for me - only short ones.
-z

 

[Zoatebix]

...Speaking of rap since the 70s, Blackalicious works with Gil Scott-Heron on Blazing Arrow.
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB040403101629100404&sql=Bqj9us33ya3vg

And of course fans of the Darkness have friends here! Just don't call them a joke-band.

Ah joke bands. Tenacious D has almost filled the void in my heart formed by the breakup of the Dead Milkmen. More ironic and deadpan then the already ironic and deadpan punk music genre they worked it. <Sigh>

 

[Mirth]

But getting back to the hatred of hip-hop thing, the lack of respect for lyricists just kind of baffles me...

Just to be clear from me, I only suggested DJ Shadow and other turntablists because I thought they would make great background noise for gaming. I'm all about a good MC too -- Mos Def, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, The Roots, Talib Kweli are current faves and Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Kurtis Blow, UTFO, LL Cool J are old school faves (I'd throw Milk and Whistle in there too, but I'm afraid those are too obscure ).

As for close-minded attitudes towards rap, there are close-minded attitudes towards anything so don't let it get you down.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

ITs more of the 90's rap i hate.....

listening to some old 80s cartoons and watching old tv shows there is some really good lyrical rap.

Back when it was the words that was important and not the "bling bling" or the women wearing fishwire for clothing.

Today rap and hip/hop is one huge euphamism for hate, abuse of women, and sex (well not that music isinst almost always about sex, its just negative sex here), violence, etc etc.

I'll allow some older Run DMC (with Aerosmith ) and Beastie Boys at my table. who doesnt love Beastie Boys' brooklyn song. Or Girls Girls Girls (which was very funny).

Rap is not music. Its just hate and greed that happens to rhyme.

And Tenacious D rules.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Just to be clear from me, I only suggested DJ Shadow and other turntablists because I thought they would make great background noise for gaming. I'm all about a good MC too -- Mos Def, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, The Roots, Talib Kweli are current faves and Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Kurtis Blow, UTFO, LL Cool J are old school faves (I'd throw Milk and Whistle in there too, but I'm afraid those are too obscure ).

As for close-minded attitudes towards rap, there are close-minded attitudes towards anything so don't let it get you down.

Don't worry, that comment wasnt aimed at you in particular, just toward some of the more venomous responses on the board. Personally I agree with with you on the turntablist stuff but for only for games with a modern setting. I run (or used to) a fair amount of Supers games so when my PC's run into a NPC I usually have that NPC's theme music in my head to try and get his/her/ it's character right. That music can vary from the aforementioned THE PRINCE to John William's IMPERIAL MARCH, to DELTRON 3030 to Company Flow's END TO END BURNERS to At The Drive-In's ONE ARMED SCISSOR.

I guess it just upset me a little that my attitude seems a little more diverse than that a lot of the people here, which makes me right in a sense to be leery of any new people that I find to game with.