How different cultures tend to musically present badassery - General

I'm listening to this hip hop/R&B song: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWuF-J8s1Z4[/media] And thinking about how different cultures generally present badassery in their different kinds of music. I don't think one way is better or worse than another; I just find all of them really interesting. For example, the above song is presented in an extremely smooth and lush production setting, with a really laidback syncopated drum arrangement and soft synthesizers providing the backdrop for the very smooth vocal style (in terms of both tone and rhythm) of Nate Dogg. If you didn't really pay attention to the lyrics, you wouldn't even realize the song is about a gun, murder, and suicide. It's some pretty dark stuff considering what it's being sung on top of. Many other genres often associated with black American culture are also the same; consider this oddly mellow funk track about drug dealing from the era of Blaxploitation movies: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP-7bhrh0PU[/media] And then, on the other side of the spectrum, rock, punk, and metal, often associated with white American culture, tend to take the complete opposite approach, where distorted guitars and rhythmically dense drums match the aggressive lyrical content. Here's one of my favorite examples: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTrNQCYh70Y[/media] I'm sure all of you can think of even more br00tal examples ;) Of course, there are just as many exceptions as there are trends. The soothing guitars on Opeth's acoustic tracks? The harsh hyper-aggression dance club sounds of Lil Jon? It goes on and on. Still, these are just some observations I've made as a musician, listener, and analyzer of culture :) Do you prefer one or the other?

[QUOTE=Mane;26061677] I'm sure all of you can think of even more br00tal examples ;) [/QUOTE] just for that im going to disregard everything you said.

I prefer classic rock

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfbn_VtC7KU[/media]

[QUOTE=Sparkwire;26061863]just for that im going to disregard everything you said.[/QUOTE] Jokes on your internet? Impossible!

also [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6hL6fkJ1_k[/media]

It's a shame that the person who uploaded that was so uninformed to consider that Bhangra song "Indian hip hop." It would be just as ignorant as a person from India uploading a Justin Bieber song and calling it death metal. Infected Mushroom is awesome, but this is probably my favorite track by them when it comes to badassery: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVWW6wVEmJA[/media] A really great mixture of "smooth" and "rough" sonic textures.

[QUOTE=slippp22;26061880]I prefer classic rock[/QUOTE] I'm so sorry

Thing is, nobody makes music with the sole intention of sounding or being "badass", except only for a large group of Metal bands... those artists you mention don't do that.

True stuff, bro. Jazz was, and still is amazing. With or wthout white people.

[QUOTE=Pretiacruento;26062124]Thing is, nobody makes music with the sole intention of sounding or being "badass", except only for a large group of Metal bands... those artists you mention don't do that.[/QUOTE] When did I say anything about it being the sole intention of anything? Even so, how do you know what motivates every hip hop, rock, punk, or whatever artist out there? Do you read minds?

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X70VMrH3yBg&feature=related[/media] Badass enough for ya?

[QUOTE=Mane;26062154]When did I say anything about it being the sole intention of anything? Even so, how do you know what motivates every hip hop, rock, punk, or whatever artist out there? Do you read minds?[/QUOTE] Well, your thread is titled "How different cultures tend to musically present badassery" so I kinda expected examples of artists whose selection of vocals and melody invoke a "badass" feeling inside of you :P And, I'm sure many, many artists out there aren't motivated by "badassery" when it comes to think about lyrics or melodies... except in Metal, of course

[QUOTE=Pretiacruento;26062321]Well, your thread is titled "How different cultures tend to musically present badassery" so I kinda expected examples of artists whose selection of vocals and melody invoke a "badass" feeling inside of you :P[/quote] Read the actual original post instead of just listening to the songs. It covers [b]exactly[/b] why your expectations don't match up with what you listened to. The entire point is that different cultures have different ideas on how they tend to present badassery. Some do it with smooth instrumentation and vocals, and others go with very rough and aggressive instrumentation and vocals. [quote]And, I'm sure many, many artists out there aren't motivated by "badassery" when it comes to think about lyrics or melodies...[/QUOTE] Again, how do you know? Or maybe you're right. This Japanese guy was thinking of totally kawaii teddy bears and marshmallows when he wrote this song: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnfFTVjRpLI[/media]

The answer is quite obvious for Scandinavia. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-UbViuK4fY[/media]

[QUOTE=Mezmer;26062432]The answer is quite obvious for Scandinavia. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-UbViuK4fY[/media][/QUOTE] Typical metalfag ruining threads with people who sound like frogs

Hip hop song. I'll clarify this, since people keep forgetting. Hip hop, R&B and rap are not music.

[QUOTE=nikomo;26063034]Hip hop song. I'll clarify this, since people keep forgetting. Hip hop, R&B and rap are not music.[/QUOTE] It's funny because I'm a classically trained musician and to my apparently uninformed ears and mind, it's music. It's also music to my old professors who all hold positions at one of the best conservatories in the world. But I guess I'll just have to take your word for it. Right, hip hop isn't music, despite possessing rhythm, melody, and harmony. It just isn't music. [i]If only it was made by white people.[/i]

[QUOTE=Mane;26061903]Jokes on your internet? Impossible![/QUOTE] It's not a joke.

[QUOTE=Funnycat;26063141]It's not a joke.[/QUOTE] I guess I just don't know my own posts. Thank you for telling me what I actually meant.

you're welcome

[QUOTE=Lemonator;26062924]Typical metalfag ruining threads with people who sound like frogs[/QUOTE] Call me a fag as much as you want, but I'm from Scandinavia and you're not. I think I could know the answer a little bit better.

Well I think there are some better examples like Billy Preston's Slaughter [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0tIEj17BXw&feature=fvw[/media] To the metal arena [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1b_9A2EFyA[/media]

[QUOTE=Lemonator;26062924]Typical metalfag ruining threads with people who sound like frogs[/QUOTE] typical bigoted judgemental idiot

[img]http://75.101.147.23/image.php?u=350171&dateline=1287100662[/img] Wat. Those are women's earrings.

[QUOTE=Mane;26062406] Or maybe you're right. This Japanese guy was thinking of totally kawaii teddy bears and marshmallows when he wrote this song: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnfFTVjRpLI[/media][/QUOTE] But the majority of stuff Japan makes is like this [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tYi4cNhQZw[/media]

[QUOTE=NessTea;26062151]True stuff, bro. Jazz was, and still is amazing. With or wthout white people.[/QUOTE] Nina Simone :buddy:

Indeed, but I never said that guy was representative of all of Japanese culture. [QUOTE=Mobon1;26063429][img_thumb]http://75.101.147.23/image.php?u=350171&dateline=1287100662[/img_thumb] Wat. Those are women's earrings.[/QUOTE] Gucci makes a lot more than women's jewelry. But the company isn't what my avatar is referencing.

Rammstein made me want to learn German. Not a good idea.

I think England had some great bands that in the context of this thread would be considered 'badass' by OP's definitions. Elbow being my most recent favorite example. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlHGGKgzgzI&feature=related[/media] and everyones favorite Grounds for Divorce [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSNttZECoiI[/media]