What's Your Opinion of Foreign Language Hip Hop?

Malice

I just thought I'd start a topic here to gauge opinion on Hip Hop when the lyrics aren't in English. So what do you folks think? Do you like it, hate it or not care at all?

I don't tend to pay a lot of attention to lyrics in songs so the language used is unimportant as far as I'm concerned.

For those that are curious, here are a couple of bands that I was listening to that prompted this thread:

Iskaz from Belgrade in Serbia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib9d_7DaQ0E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4XQ6WMvrTc

Dubioza Kolektiv from Sarajevo in Bosnia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llBAQTw1Hdk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZk3WBlW2MU

Shapey Fiend

I think its great that people are doing hip hop in their own languages. Would i be that interested in hearing it? Not really. I used not mind a bit of French stuff because i could understand a little bit of it.

Stab*City

No, I don't like it.

Sometimes i wish i could speak proper french cuz some of the french hip hop is very good..

Boom_Bap

I'm a big fan but in small doses. I started off listening to French Hip Hop back in the day with a bit of Alliance Ethnic, MC Solaar and the La Heine soundtrack.
I spend quite a bit of time in Germany and have started listening to German and Polish hip hop. German is darn good, whereas Polish wouldnt be the greatest.
I also tend to hit the Middle East a couple of times a year and listen to some of the Arabic stuff, but it just sounds like the rappers are trying to hock up a lump of phlem.

Most of what they say is going over my head, but it generally sounds good, apart from German as I speak a bit and the missus is German so she can dip in with a translation.

Crann na Beatha

No, I don't like it.

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Crann na Beatha

No, I don't like it.

This post has been deleted.

Malice

Veles wrote: »

Puya from Romania anyone?

Let's not turn this into a thread posting up clips from YouTube without any reference to the thread topic.

Crann na Beatha

No, I don't like it.

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latenia

Can be great if the music reflects the language's country and culture to create its own sub-genre but to me some eastern european rapping over American style beats and samples just sounds ridiculous.

One of my favourite tracks, 100% hip-hop but also 100% Japanese:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NgLGmeRg9s

Malice

Veles wrote: »

What?
i gave an example of a foreign artist im listening to?

The topic is about giving your opinion not posting up videos with no discussion. By all means post up videos but wouldn't you at least try to address the thread subject?

Crann na Beatha

No, I don't like it.

This post has been deleted.

CiaranMT

Veles wrote: »

I did,I gave an example of a popular Romanian hiphop artist that i am currently listening to

And he also asked if anyone else has listened to him?

(I haven't, btw)

Malice

Veles wrote: »

I did,I gave an example of a popular Romanian hiphop artist that i am currently listening to

So your answer to the question "What's Your Opinion of Foreign Language Hip Hop?" is to post up videos? Where does the posting of videos give your opinion?

CiaranMT

Malice wrote: »

So your answer to the question "What's Your Opinion of Foreign Language Hip Hop?" is to post up videos? Where does the posting of videos give your opinion?

What? I know that we generally have to stay on the topic of a thread, but aren't you being a little pedantic here? No-one else had an issue with the post.

Hugh Cream

Przepraszam, nie rozumiem.

if i dont understand it i dont listen to it, if theres foreign rappers rapping in english id give it a listen but i cant say ive come across anyone.

im assuming you can understand those languages above?

yhtjuy

There are some Belgian, Dutch and French artists that are very good but I wouldn't branch outside that as a majority of the South and Central American rap seems to be heavily influenced by commercial North American rap and the same goes for the Middle East

Hugh Cream

Przepraszam, nie rozumiem.

i got admit the whole "explain everything in detail" is a bit ott.
theres currently 9 people on the forum, wouldnt it be wiser to just get people posting before laying down the law?

Malice

CiaranMT wrote: »

What? I know that we generally have to stay on the topic of a thread, but aren't you being a little pedantic here? No-one else had an issue with the post.

Are you just looking for an argument?Whether anyone else had a problem with the post is irrelevant. I didn't, and still don't want the thread to turn into post after post of YouTube videos with no discussion or offering of opinion. Now, admittedly this is the first thread I've started in this forum so maybe that's just the way things are done here. If so then apologies all round.

Malice

Hugh Cream wrote: »

i got admit the whole "explain everything in detail" is a bit ott.

Offering an opinion is not explaining everything in detail.

Hugh Cream wrote:

theres currently 9 people on the forum, wouldnt it be wiser to just get people posting before laying down the law?

I'm not laying down the law at all. It's not as if the charter's been broken and warning and stuff need to be handed out.

Hugh Cream

Przepraszam, nie rozumiem.

you pulled him up after one post, maybe he was looking to see had anyone heard of him before giving an opinion.
i dont know tbh, im just saying, this forum is quiet unfortunately, maybe the explain everything method is not the best way to get it going.

in any how, the videos you left, you understand the words?

CiaranMT

Malice wrote: »

Are you just looking for an argument?Whether anyone else had a problem with the post is irrelevant. I didn't, and still don't want the thread to turn into post after post of YouTube videos with no discussion or offering of opinion. Now, admittedly this is the first thread I've started in this forum so maybe that's just the way things are done here. If so then apologies all round.

I'm not the one arguing.

gargleblaster

No, I don't like it.

I do like it, particularly the stuff with Tejano beats and Latin flavor in general.

Malice

CiaranMT wrote: »

I'm not the one arguing.

If you say so. The evidence would suggest otherwise.

Hugh Cream wrote: »

you pulled him up after one post, maybe he was looking to see had anyone heard of him before giving an opinion.

I dunno, I thought I was being tacful about it. As I said, if I'm alone in my desire for the thread to take a certain direction then so be it.

Hugh Cream wrote:

i dont know tbh, im just saying, this forum is quiet unfortunately, maybe the explain everything method is not the best way to get it going.

As I've already written, I didn't say "explain everything".

Hugh Cream wrote:

the videos you left, you understand the words?

If you mean the ones I linked to in the first post, no I haven't a clue. I actually assumed Dubioza Kolektiv were Polish until I asked one of my friends to translate some of their lyrics and he hadn't got a clue .

mufcboy1999

No, I don't like it.

Iv always liked the french hip hop scene, i don't understand a word but its just the flow and rhythm that attracts me.

i first took up and noticed french hip hop with this song by missy elliot ft mc solaar its a class song, i think when american/british rappers collab with french/foreign rappers its quality and the music just breaks the language barrier down.

Also the latin rap scene is pretty good aswell and its comercially huge, rappers like 50 cent have noticed this and are getting in on it for a good few years now. 50 and t pain won a latin grammy for the below song.

some examples :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISy8ta10exg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgFhAUnV4Bo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVJCJ5-Ljwo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SMaJBw1as0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t0Ui7WxzZw

Undergod

My cousin gave me this CD many years ago, I never really liked it until I was a bit older- 93 j'appuie sur la gachette by Supreme NTM. I think French is a great language for rap and though I don't understand a word of it, I really enjoy this track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd1mvvhnBuk

Makaveli

I like quite a bit of French stuff, I can't speak French but I can still appreciate the flow and good production is good production regardless of the language being rapped over it. I haven't really kept up with what's being released though so I've I don't know what the scene is like now.

Other than French I've listened to German, Japanese and some Spanish language rap. Cypress Hill's Spanish album is decent and because it's their own English songs done in Spanish I at least know what they're rapping about.

Eastern European rap holds very little interest for me. I've never been inclined to seek any of it out but I might try out a few tracks.

Malice

Makaveli wrote: »

Eastern European rap holds very little interest for me. I've never been inclined to seek any of it out but I might try out a few tracks.

Interesting . Any idea why that is the case given that you have listened to French, German and Spanish rap?

weemcd

No, I don't like it.

Makaveli wrote: »

I like quite a bit of French stuff, I can't speak French but I can still appreciate the flow and good production is good production regardless of the language being rapped over it. I haven't really kept up with what's being released though so I've I don't know what the scene is like now.

Any suggestions for some French material? I quite like the French language, it suits rap and hip hop in general, poetic for lack of a better word.

Crann na Beatha

No, I don't like it.

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MoyVilla9

No, I don't like it.

This summer I've been working with a lot of Mexican guys. This morning one of them was playing some Mexican Rap and I have to say I was really impressed with the sound - Hard & grimy, 90's Eastcoast style while having some modern elements in there. Will have to ask him the names of the songs tomorrow.

Coincidentally I was listening to a Romanian Rapper when I came across this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXvkhA2WBQI

Decent.

HalloweenJack

No, I don't like it.

I'll give any music a try, once I like the track to it.

I've been to Germany a few times and there's a massive hip-hop scene there. This was playing on the telly all the time the last time I was there. I can make out bits of it but I really like the tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OohUCKHQKyA

I like the Beatnuts and they tend to mix English and Spanish on some tracks and did this one mostly in Spanish. I speak Spanish so I get most of what they're saying in it, the tune's class too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFstk-dz18Y

This is the only Brazilian rap song I'm familiar with, I think it's really good. It is not quite as old as it sounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlJ2AZxIOiM

I can't really explain why I like something, I just do. Also, language isn't a barrier for me. I speak fluent Spanish. I'd like to go back and improve my German and I have been trying to teach myself Portuguese so listening to music in those languages helps me. Even if it's from a language I'm not familiar with, I'd still give it a go. I really liked that Panjabi MC song, though it's not really rap.

ItsNugget

I can't understand it

Da Shins Kelly

There's some good Spanish hip-hop/reggae music out there. Morodo springs to mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7WPx-YX48

Some French stuff sounds good, but lyrics are the main reason I like hip-hop, and I don't understand foreign language stuff so I wouldn't listen to much of it.

Makaveli

Malice wrote: »

Interesting . Any idea why that is the case given that you have listened to French, German and Spanish rap?

They've always kind of struck me as Jedi Mind Tricks wannabe types which I've very little interest in. Granted that's fairly ignorant on my part having never listened to any of it but I don't think it will be that far removed in terms of sound. I'd imagine it's similar to German stuff which I don't think is all that great. I will check some of the stuff in this thread out though.

weemcd wrote:

Any suggestions for some French material? I quite like the French language, it suits rap and hip hop in general, poetic for lack of a better word.

I like a lot of MC Solaar stuff, IAM, KDD, Shurki'n, Supreme NTM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hh-liBF2qk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB3_ILQqzcU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q021fwGCyAw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BilFJB3H10s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biYdUZXfz9I

Malice

Makaveli wrote: »

They've always kind of struck me as Jedi Mind Tricks wannabe types which I've very little interest in.

Sorry but I've no idea what this means. Do you mean they're like a bunch of old men in hoodies or something?

MoyVilla9

No, I don't like it.

Undergod wrote: »

My cousin gave me this CD many years ago, I never really liked it until I was a bit older- 93 j'appuie sur la gachette by Supreme NTM. I think French is a great language for rap and though I don't understand a word of it, I really enjoy this track.

Yeah, NTM are good. This is a favorite of mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inyq9rqeqGA

It's the same beat as 2Pac used for Out On Bail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiubB9awJUA

HalloweenJack

No, I don't like it.

I recently moved to Brno in the Czech Republic and last night I went to a hip hop show by a Mexican rapper called Bocafloja. I speak Spanish so I could understand most of what he was on about. He was pretty good.

The warm-up act was a local Czech duo called 4021. I don't speak Czech so I was able to step back and focus more on the guys' stage presence and energy. The more captivating rapper was more of a hypeman. He was bouncing around the stage, throwing his arms about, he threw his hat into the crowd. At one point, he jumped into the crowd and jumped around with the people there. I got the impression the other guy was more of an introspective, conscious rapper, but he had zero stage presence. He was a cross between a zombie and a statue. The contrast was incredible.

Executive Steve

Makaveli wrote: »

Eastern European rap holds very little interest for me. I've never been inclined to seek any of it out but I might try out a few tracks.

I actually think Romanian is a savage language for Hip Hop, sonically speaking... You have those big plosive rounded Slavic sounds married to the flow of a Latin language (and Romanian is basically descended from Latin, being one of the last outposts of the Roman empire).

Would help if I actually spoke any, mind you...


The Dutch often get a raw deal in threads like this, because their language usually sounds really stilted and awkward, this tune is a gem though, probably because it's more of a lexicon of Amsterdam / Yiddish street slang being interpreted into Dutch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxz04H2xS3c

Executive Steve

On a French tip, this one's an absolute belter, subtitles aren't greeeeeat on this, but they help you get the general idea. It's also worth pointing out that even having pretty good French isn't much of a help with a lot of French Hip Hop since the speech patterns and wordplay associated with the so called "Verlan" are pretty much impenetrable:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verlan

But the sorts of internal rhymes and holorhymic wordplay you can do with the French language add a whole other dimension of possibilities to French rap that would be a lot more difficult to do with English too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holorime

conor.hogan.2

No, I don't like it.

MC Solaar is pretty much the only foreign language hip-hop i could understand and its better than a lot of crap out before and after it.

Makaveli

Malice wrote: »

Sorry but I've no idea what this means. Do you mean they're like a bunch of old men in hoodies or something?

Jedi Mind Tricks are a duo/group from the east coast. Some good stuff in their catalogue, Violent By Design in particular but I find Vinnie Paz to be a fairly crap rapper and just a bit too over the top with his delivery.

Malice

I liked my answer better

Jordans n Timbs

lol if its not in english i dont give a f*ck about it......


im white myself but seeing a bunch of germans or polish guys mad as f*ck for no reason in their videos rappin is f*ggot sh*t to me....lol f*ck off....when i used to smoke heavily id look at those videos and piss myself laughin......like these tards here.....



ill admit though some of that UK sh*t is cool...klashnekoff(sp) terra firma...its in english but still its foreign.....i dont mind that



i think what ppl outside the U.S. should really focus on is production.....theres a few french dudes that got hooked up over in america....some germans etc.....but as far as rappin wtf would i wanna hear some cornball from lithuania rap for ? lol

Jordans n Timbs

Makaveli wrote: »

Jedi Mind Tricks are a duo/group from the east coast. Some good stuff in their catalogue, Violent By Design in particular but I find Vinnie Paz to be a fairly crap rapper and just a bit too over the top with his delivery.

vinnie paz is dope.....i dont like that stupid ass muslim sh*t he's on when hes italian american, but his ear for beats is second to none

Malice

I've got a few minutes to wait for my dinner to defrost so I might as well tackle this .

Jordans n Timbs wrote: »

lol if its not in english i dont give a f*ck about it......

Any particular reason why apart from xenophobia?

Jordans n Timbs wrote:

im white myself but seeing a bunch of germans or polish guys mad as f*ck for no reason in their videos rappin is f*ggot sh*t to me....lol f*ck off....when i used to smoke heavily id look at those videos and piss myself laughin......like these tards here.....

So what if those Poles or Germans weren't white? Would their music suddenly become better then?

Jordans n Timbs wrote:

as far as rappin wtf would i wanna hear some cornball from lithuania rap for ? lol

Along the same lines why would you want to hear what some black American has to say either?

Jordans n Timbs

lol does this site not like bold font or somethin....



about the germans an sh*t u know thats not what i mean bruh.....anyone of any colour rapping in anything other than english is not going to be heard by me.....same sh*t applies to some guy out in ghana.......


and as far as why id want to hear what some ''black american'' has to say....well..... americans in general are the standard when it comes to hip hop yeah ?......u think those queers in germany or wherever grew up in a culture of hip hop.....no......they studied it...lol like an anthropology class....... and tried to emulate it in an extremely limp d*ck yet hilarious way.......its just corny to me.....


lol u see them in the videos FURIOUS as f*ck rappin away in some f*ck ass language.......lol i dunno......im good on all that but im not downing anyone who likes it.....

Jordans n Timbs

Executive Steve wrote: »

I actually think Romanian is a savage language for Hip Hop, sonically speaking... You have those big plosive rounded Slavic sounds married to the flow of a Latin language (and Romanian is basically descended from Latin, being one of the last outposts of the Roman empire).

Would help if I actually spoke any, mind you...


The Dutch often get a raw deal in threads like this, because their language usually sounds really stilted and awkward, this tune is a gem though, probably because it's more of a lexicon of Amsterdam / Yiddish street slang being interpreted into Dutch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxz04H2xS3c

lol......like look at this video....u cant tell me this is not the saddest sh*t.........

Boom_Bap

Malice wrote: »

I've got a few minutes to wait for my dinner to defrost so I might as well tackle this .

totally off topic....what did you have?

Jordans n Timbs wrote: »

lol does this site not like bold font or somethin....



about the germans an sh*t u know thats not what i mean bruh.....anyone of any colour rapping in anything other than english is not going to be heard by me.....same sh*t applies to some guy out in ghana.......


and as far as why id want to hear what some ''black american'' has to say....well..... americans in general are the standard when it comes to hip hop yeah ?......u think those queers in germany or wherever grew up in a culture of hip hop.....no......they studied it...lol like an anthropology class....... and tried to emulate it in an extremely limp d*ck yet hilarious way.......its just corny to me.....


lol u see them in the videos FURIOUS as f*ck rappin away in some f*ck ass language.......lol i dunno......im good on all that but im not downing anyone who likes it.....

Just curious, the 'queers' you refer to in Germany and thier upbringing, have you ever been to Germany and seen the culture there? Or any other country?

Malice

Jordans n Timbs wrote: »

lol does this site not like bold font or somethin....

The site itself has no likes or dislikes. I edited your post to remove the bold text because it made it hard to read.

Jordans n Timbs wrote:

about the germans an sh*t u know thats not what i mean bruh.....anyone of any colour rapping in anything other than english is not going to be heard by me.....same sh*t applies to some guy out in ghana.......

So it is xenophobia then?

Jordans n Timbs wrote:

and as far as why id want to hear what some ''black american'' has to say....well..... americans in general are the standard when it comes to hip hop yeah ?

That doesn't answer the question though. The current Hip Hop scene is quite different to the one that originated in New York or wherever in the 60s/70s. Just because someone came up with the sound surely doesn't mean that other people's take on it isn't worth checking out purely because of where they are from.

Jordans n Timbs

Boom_Bap wrote: »

totally off topic....what did you have?



Just curious, the 'queers' you refer to in Germany and thier upbringing, have you ever been to Germany and seen the culture there? Or any other country?

they look gay to me alright.

Jordans n Timbs

Malice wrote: »

The site itself has no likes or dislikes. I edited your post to remove the bold text because it made it hard to read.

So it is xenophobia then?

That doesn't answer the question though. The current Hip Hop scene is quite different to the one that originated in New York or wherever in the 60s/70s. Just because someone came up with the sound surely doesn't mean that other people's take on it isn't worth checking out purely because of where they are from.

well ill put it this way then......the type of music im into would be saigon, cormega, jadakiss, styles p, tragedy khadafi, capone n noreaga, old mobb deep, trife diesel, beanie sigel, freeway etc.......u get the idea.....


lol......i mean come on bro.......u know what i mean....the f*ck would i wanna sit around listening to some d*ckhead rapping in polish...lol what kind of braindead idiot does that?......i know u guys like to be ''open minded'' or so it seems and thats cool......but me ?....i just dismiss that sh*t off top as f*ggot sh*t.......its like that comedian paul mooney said ''such a waste of white skin''.........


but like i said at the top i do like some UK artists....but these weirdos like in these videos posted, lol id feel like an asshole supportin that sh*t