DJ's, are yall still playing rap in the club?

Bsides

My man was dj'ing at lax last night and they were having him play all rap and he was hating it. That shit got me thinking though, are there any working dj's out there that still play a majority of hip hop records? I mean, are you at least blending them into some cure song? Im not even talking about UNK acapellas over purple rain instrumentals or anything, im talking about are you still playing rap music in the club? Cause im not hearing it. Granted, l.a. has never been the most up to date place for club music trends, but these days im hearing more indie rock in the club than i hear rap music. And anyways what are your choices looking like even if you do wanna play rap? Non stop lil john tracks gets pretty boring after like an hour or so. Not to mention most of the new ones suck (rich boy anybody?). ummmm.......those 2 unk songs, which i like. or an endless rotation of songs featuring either akon or T-pain. Even T-pain admits that they are basicly the same person anyways. rap music sucks right now. badly. and its losing the club. If rap music loses the club, thats really all its got left. the future looks grim. Whats working for yall though seriously? Is it all about timbaland and kellz where you are at too? p.s. r.kelly is now a better rapper than 95% of all other rappers out there. Discuss.

TREW

If rap music loses the club, thats really all its got left.

nah dude, 'club' rap just needs a makeover.

inVrs

fuck all that 808-hihat-meets-triton-rap. fuck akon, fuck lil jon, fuck kellz, fuck usher, fuck it all.
worst music ever. "this is why i`m hot, u aint coz u not" says it all.
man i hate rap music right now.


if i play some hiphop cuts, it`s all pre-95, or some madlib, jaydee, rednose distrikt or related ish.

Mr. Casual

fuck all that 808-hihat-meets-triton-rap. fuck akon, fuck lil jon, fuck kellz, fuck usher, fuck it all.
worst music ever. "this is why i`m hot, u aint coz u not" says it all.
man i hate rap music right now.


if i play some hiphop cuts, it`s all pre-95, or some madlib, jaydee, rednose distrikt or related ish.

shut up

inVrs

fuck all that 808-hihat-meets-triton-rap. fuck akon, fuck lil jon, fuck kellz, fuck usher, fuck it all.
worst music ever. "this is why i`m hot, u aint coz u not" says it all.
man i hate rap music right now.


if i play some hiphop cuts, it`s all pre-95, or some madlib, jaydee, rednose distrikt or related ish.

shut up

Mr. Casual

fuck all that 808-hihat-meets-triton-rap. fuck akon, fuck lil jon, fuck kellz, fuck usher, fuck it all.
worst music ever. "this is why i`m hot, u aint coz u not" says it all.
man i hate rap music right now.


if i play some hiphop cuts, it`s all pre-95, or some madlib, jaydee, rednose distrikt or related ish.

shut up

G_Balliando

it seems like a lot of people get so caught up on hating the music that's out right now that they miss out on stuff they might actually enjoy or consider good if they take the time to listen to it with their own ears rather than automatically writing it off because of who the artist is or what the beat was made with, etc. I'm guilty of it too but a lot of the time I catch myself. There's some dope shit out by a lot of artists who might have an annoying single or a couple shitty beats. Tons of artists have dope shit out nowadays, and yes I've been listening to hip hop for 15 years or so (I'm not an old man like some of these heads, but I've been around since what most consider "the golden era"). I listen to a lot of newer stuff by all kinds of folks from 50 Cent to Young Buck to Lil Jon to Snoop to Akon to R. Kelly to Fat Joe to Big Tuck and Tum Tum to Paul Wall to UGK to Busta Rhymes to Rich Boy to TI to Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Fabolous, Dipset, E40, Keak Da Sneak, Federation, Jay-Z, Redman, Ludacris, Trick Daddy, Chamillionaire, Pitbull, Clipse, Young Jeezy, The Game, Young Dro, etc. etc. etc., and I have found some good shit. I'm not saying all these artists can't put out a snoozer, I'm saying all of these artists do have some good shit, but most snobby music people and "golden era" hip hop enthusiasts won't even bother listening because they have a negative pre-conceived notion of this music. And yes, hearing the same singles over and over (and the fact that a lot of singles sound alike) does ruin that single a lot of the time, but my point is, if DJs would actually start to enjoy the music and delve a little deeper, play album cuts and b-sides (which don't really exist anymore I guess, the whole album is b-sides nowadays) instead of "hot singles" over and over all night, people other than Becky and Caitlin and Skyler might like the music more. It used to be the DJ's job to find the good shit and expose the people to it, but now it seems like club djs really just play what the radio plays and don't get too much further than that, with the occasional "back in the day" portion of their mix where they throw on some old Pac or Biggie or some old throwback native tongue shit or whatever. Things have definitely changed but it doesn't seem like the good music out there is getting shine like it used to, but it's still out there, and that's what a lot of people fail to realize. Or maybe it's just me. I guess I'm just glad that I don't have to get all bent out of shape about the state of rap music. More often than not, I find myself defending it. Somewhere along the line, people picked up some elitist ideals about rap music and never let them go. Gotta let that shit go people, start looking at the music for what it is instead of what you wish it was. It's not 1995 anymore. [/groggy sunday morning rant]

faux_rillz

My man was dj'ing at lax last night and they were having him play all rap and he was hating it. That shit got me thinking though, are there any working dj's out there that still play a majority of hip hop records? I mean, are you at least blending them into some cure song?

Im not even talking about UNK acapellas over purple rain instrumentals or anything, im talking about are you still playing rap music in the club?


Cause im not hearing it. Granted, l.a. has never been the most up to date place for club music trends, but these days im hearing more indie rock in the club than i hear rap music.


And anyways what are your choices looking like even if you do wanna play rap? Non stop lil john tracks gets pretty boring after like an hour or so. Not to mention most of the new ones suck (rich boy anybody?).

ummmm.......those 2 unk songs, which i like.

or an endless rotation of songs featuring either akon or T-pain. Even T-pain admits that they are basicly the same person anyways.

rap music sucks right now. badly. and its losing the club. If rap music loses the club, thats really all its got left. the future looks grim.

Whats working for yall though seriously? Is it all about timbaland and kellz where you are at too?

p.s. r.kelly is now a better rapper than 95% of all other rappers out there. Discuss.

White people losing interest in rap? I think this has been going on for awhile now.

Scratch_n_Sniff

I know people of many shades who have hung up their backpack in favor of house music, but not rock.

faux_rillz

Also:

p.s. r.kelly is now a better rapper than 95% of all other rappers out there. Discuss.

Bring the big boy out!

Kells is clearly the greatest artist--in any medium--of the twenty-first century.

Mr. Casual

It used to be the DJ's job to find the good shit and expose the people to it, but now it seems like club djs really just play what the radio plays and don't get too much further than that, with the occasional "back in the day" portion of their mix

I get what your saying... the end of the b-side and viturally record purchasing.. mostly when it comes to "Hot New Singles" does effect this. I feel like nowadays I am looking for a remix or mash up more and going even further... my set consists of no less than 120 BPM's

That is just where things are going now. Music has cycles... remember before hyphy got popular.. or before Shadow made it exceptible for some "music snobs" to appreciate dirty south shit..


I appreciate heads that still take their club shit in different directions.. Diplo was doing his thing in Philly WAY back before it was popular...

elise

White people losing interest in rap? I think this has been going on for awhile now.

Faux...its always great to read what you have to say.

33thirdcom

rap music sucks right now. badly. and its losing the club. If rap music loses the club, thats really all its got left. the future looks grim.

I disagree... If it loses the mainstream its the best thing that could happen to it. Lack of interest = lack of ALOT of money = the only people doing it are the ones that want to make music = Labels being more careful about what they release in the genre.

The shit thats in the bigger clubs now is not rap, its pop and thats fine. Let the Beckys have their radio tracks. The independent scene is just starting to kick in for hip-hop, and its beginning to look better every day.

noz

"music snobs" made it acceptable for Shadow to appreciate dirty south shit..

keithvanhorn

i still have the most fun at clubs when the dj is playing hip-hop. Microwave, as great as it is, has sorta been a buzz kill in that djs (myself included) get caught up in trying to play every banger (from all genres) and while the "ohhhhh" factor might be higher, it disturbs the groove for people trying to dance. an entire night of music at 120 bpm's and higher is , imo, unless you are at a tiesto type party.

ayres

I play about half rap and half other stuff.

JacobWizzle

I'm not a real dj or anything but I play 80% rap late in the night. I usually play late 70's early 80's r&b when I start out though. I don't really dj at the super hipster spots. Seattle is hella behind on trends as well.

Bsides

Yeah, i guess its pretty much the white people spots im talking about. I mean these clubs are pretty much in the paris hilton set. Which everything has started to sound like what vinylrichie is talking about 120bpm mashups and alot of 80's worship.


Now back to kellz,

empanadamn

when i have to play to the typical, straight-forward, party crowd, 70% hip-hop/r&b/dancehall / 30% not

if not playing for them, then the inverse. i won't play a total hip-hop set. it's borrr-ring, especially if you have to DJ 6 hrs straight.

inVrs

i still have the most fun at clubs when the dj is playing hip-hop. Microwave, as great as it is, has sorta been a buzz kill in that djs (myself included) get caught up in trying to play every banger (from all genres) and while the "ohhhhh" factor might be higher, it disturbs the groove for people trying to dance. an entire night of music at 120 bpm's and higher is , imo, unless you are at a tiesto type party.

seems like for you there`s either rap at 95bpm or tiesto at 120bpm.
tiesto my ass. learn about house music mate. REAL house music. no fucking madonna bootlegs or electro bullshit.

keithvanhorn

i still have the most fun at clubs when the dj is playing hip-hop. Microwave, as great as it is, has sorta been a buzz kill in that djs (myself included) get caught up in trying to play every banger (from all genres) and while the "ohhhhh" factor might be higher, it disturbs the groove for people trying to dance. an entire night of music at 120 bpm's and higher is , imo, unless you are at a tiesto type party.

seems like for you there`s either rap at 95bpm or tiesto at 120bpm.
tiesto my ass. learn about house music mate. REAL house music. no fucking madonna bootlegs or electro bullshit.

seems like you didn't bother to read what i wrote.

but...thanks for the tips.

REAL HOUSE MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!

batmon

If rap music loses the club, thats really all its got left.

bassie

I play about 1/3 rap at one of my nights and try to keep it current because everywhere you turn there is an old school night in Toronto.

Fatback

I try to play less and less rap/hip hop at both my weekend nights. That's because there are a zillion other places in this area where you can hear good new and old school rap. Nontheless, people bother me all night for rap--especially the new stuff. Even though we advertise exactly what I am playing. And there is no cover. (Read: go somewhere else. You are not being forced to endure my awful music that nobody knows, can dance to or is just "weird".)

HarveyCanal

Is soulstrut actually asking for yet another Texas rap post?

Fatback

Is soulstrut actually asking for yet another Texas rap post?

Mexican rap.

I looked Saturday and all I had was the Spanish versions of Cyprus Hill's hits lp and a few Delinquent Habits 12s.

The_Hook_Up

luckily, with local news articles and our new radio show there is "brand recognition" now with "Buck Wilders and The Hook Up" gigs...so we are not bothered with rap requests anymore...not that we ever played it, but the requests have stopped completely. There will always be an assumption that seeing two 1200s in a bar means there is going to be rap played...but doing your own thing and not giving in to playing stuff you dont like pays off eventually.

Donger

I've been playing this mostly white spot for over a year now, and when I first got booked it was because I was playing quite a bit of hip-hop mixed with 80s, and r&b spanning from the 70-2000s. Lately though, it seems like they want less hip-hop. The manager even asked me to tone down the hip-hop. So now early on in the night I'll play some dub and reggae, mixed in with Brazilian stuff (walk in music), then bring in some recognizeable classics mixing up rock/soul/r&b, then sprinkle in the hip-hop mixed in wtih 80s and newer dancey rock. Uuuggghhh so predictable!

djkingotto

i play new rap and old rap, no southern shit though. it gets mixed with lots of other things, but they still love the old stuff and they still love the (non southern) new stuff. i refuse to play ignorant club jams that people hear all day on the radio anyway and no one has requested that bullshit so.... granted the downtown party crowd is not too sophisticated. there is a gig i do where i play mostly rap, i guess thats mostly older shit though. there is a ton of new stuff out though that is really nice. check the nature sounds releases or even koch puts out good shit that doesn't have the crowd chanting "ballinnnnn!"

HarveyCanal

i play new rap and old rap, no southern shit though.

deej

maybe try a different club