Coldham: Too much R&B in hip-hop

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By Ben Coldham

Monday, October 26, 2009

Hip-hop is too sweet these days. Originally emerging as a gritty, authentic reflection of the streets that gave it life, hip-hop has gradually evolved into a genre dominated by R&B hooks and occasional verses, most noticeably in the mainstream.

What concerns me most, however, is that singing seems to be making its way into the underground ranks of the hip-hop world as well. More and more newly released “underground” songs may have decent, even stellar verses, only to be irritatingly interrupted by a lengthy R&B chorus. All too often these hooks distract from the tempo of the song and, in my opinion, generally lend a softer tone to the piece.

Don’t get me wrong, of course I am aware of how impressive and enjoyable the R&B genre can be, and there are irrefutably plenty of great hip-hop tracks perfected with just the right vocal chorus. The issue I have with R&B and its relationship with hip-hop is when a chorus or vocal verse disrupts the flow of the emcee, and consequently disrupts the flow and the feel of the song. Often I find myself dreading the upcoming choruses of many recent hip-hop releases, yearning for them to come to an end as soon as they begin.

This is not the way hip-hop should be. Hip-hop should keep me nodding my head to the beat throughout the entire song. At the risk of sounding overly insensitive, hip-hop should not involve artists singing about their feelings or any issues of this nature at all. Hip-hop is the product of an unforgiving and very real environment, and is at its best when this street-smart, genuine nature comes through in its music.

The genuine nature of hip-hop, for the record, is not singing. It is obviously in rapping. Rappers should act accordingly when producing new so-called hip-hop material. Artists proving how real and fly they are is what real hip-hop is all about, and what it has always been about. Vocal choruses, on the other hand, can often leave the listener with a slight sense of vulnerability, and vulnerability is certainly not what hip-hop has historically been about when at its best.

I have always preferred the method used by most old school and old school-inspired artists when needing a bridge between verses: An abstract twist on the chorus known as a “scratch hook.” This is when, instead of a sung chorus, a compilation of scratching and cut portions of other song’s verses are mixed together to create a break derived from and much more representative of the hip-hop culture and lifestyle.

Scratch hooks are routinely used by the most prolific and influential producers and DJs in the game, the most notable example of these being legendary producer DJ Premier, who was among the first to introduce and perfect the scratch hook in his Gang Starr years.

Hip-hop became what it is today by reflecting the harsh reality and lifestyle of the streets because that is the essence of the genre in its most raw and unadulterated form. Hip-hop is too sweet these days, but much of this can be remedied simply by removing some of the sugar from its production line.

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