Settle a dispute . . .

[Narz]

When I ask which of the two I could dispense with and still retain the better part of the genre, my answer is the lyrics.*

This song has over a quarter billion listens, are you saying people listen to this for the poetry? Of course not.

 

[Gori the Grey]

And the instrumental version 47k. You keep making my point for me, Narz.

 

[Narz]

Another example (aprox 400 million views)

Who knows the lyrics except "baby tonight, DJ got us falling in love again"? Maybe pre-teen girls from a decade ago with Usher posters on their walls? It's the beat baby, makes you bob while you're brushing your teeth. It's catchy but it sure ain't very good poetry & don't get me started o Lil John

 

[Narz]

And the instrumental version 47k. You keep making my point for me, Narz.

Hardly, here's Shania Twain, 100+ million views

Instrumental version (top hit search on YouTube) 5,000 views

 

[Gori the Grey]

Uh, Narz, that says people listen to it for the lyrics. (3.9k for a capella version)

I mean, of course it's the combination.

Besides, we've moved away from rap. Even the Usher you posted no one would call rap.

 

[Narz]

Uh, Narz, that says people listen to it for the lyrics. I mean, of course it's the combination.

It's both, people like to hear a voice, it's more interesting than just some tunes, that doesn't mean they necessarily care about the lyrics. How many people who's heard Nevermind (nirvana) can even understand wtf he's saying but they still like his voice

Even the Usher you posted no one would call rap.

R&Bish but still in the hip-hop family

 

[Gori the Grey]

Yeah, with most pop, I would reverse and say the lyrics are inane and one listens for the music (including the singing of the voice).

With rap, it's the opposite. The lyrics matter most and the music plays a subservient role.

A singing voice can be saying "Hey Nonny Nonny" and it can be worth listening to. A speaking voice has to be saying something worth listening to to make it worth listening to.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

It's speaking. I don't care what was removed. We were asked to evaluate a video, and the portion I saw is clearly speaking, not singing.

A speaking voice has to be saying something worth listening to to make it worth listening to.

Does it? Carl Sagan could have recited his shopping list and I'd have listened. My ears found his voice very pleasant to listen to.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Yeah, with most pop, I would reverse and say the lyrics are inane and one listens for the music (including the singing of the voice).

Not for me. Lyrics are more important than the music generally.

 

[Gorbles]

Can't vote, because while it's not singing, it plays with a bunch of things in the artist's voice to fit the overall music. Therefore it's not speaking, either.

I guess if that qualifies for "speaking"? But I'm not subverting the vote or hedging my bets. The vote options are inadequate

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

So that's hedging, Moff. Which you were forbidden to do. The first is just the second with the tune stripped out.

Understood. Then he's definitely speaking.

 

[Broken_Erika]

Is this rapping, singing or both?

 

[amadeus]

Not my taste in music so I skipped around in the track to listen to more than just the first part and I voted singing.

 

[Broken_Erika]

Not my taste in music so I skipped around in the track to listen to more than just the first part and I voted singing.

I mainly know it from Weird Al's parody of it, Amish Paradise.

 

[amadeus]

I mainly know it from Weird Al's parody of it, Amish Paradise.

I was talking about the OP link.

 

[Hygro]

Another example (aprox 400 million views)

Who knows the lyrics except "baby tonight, DJ got us falling in love again"? Maybe pre-teen girls from a decade ago with Usher posters on their walls? It's the beat baby, makes you bob while you're brushing your teeth. It's catchy but it sure ain't very good poetry & don't get me started o Lil John

I used to sing that song full blast.

But that song isn't rap, it's like a disco ballad that was cashing in on the electro house flavored EDM nascence.

Is this rapping, singing or both?

Coolio's part is rapping.
LV's part is singing.
The song has rapping for the verses and singing for the chorus.

 

[Birdjaguar]

I used to sing that song full blast.

How's your hearing?

 

[amadeus]

How's your hearing?

That’s one thing kids today will never get the chance to experience: comically large ear trumpets.

 

[Hygro]

How's your hearing?

Pretty bad.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Hearing loss is not much fun.