Some GREAT stuff being talked about in the 'Most Divided Scene In The World' Topic. Please read that and then post your thought related to the Hip Hop thing in here :)
The last reply from Tocsin::: >>>
As for hip-hop, in my opinion, it has never been implemented in a manner where it becomes one with the techno sound. There have been some occurrences you've mentioned that complimented each other. But, it wasn't really one cohesive unit. That being said, a 4-on-the-floor thump does not define techno either. At least, not for me. My definition for "techno" is probably a lot more liberal than most since I consider it music made with "technology." There is no reason to revisit the house/hip-hop or house/electro sound. But, what about using harder edged sounds that aren't all samples, play with time signatures more, involve some possible live instruments, and then involve a number of vocalists with a different message than what is being sold? Take into consideration as well that good musicians play off of each other and influence the over-all sound. If you get a number of people together with different influences who aren't ego-maniacs (and that can be quite dificult), the results can be great. Usually,
at that point, the biggest limitations will be what you can physically do. If you guys have the impression that I'm talking about the techno you listen to now that would get discussed in here with Nelly over the top, you got the wrong idea. Ideally, it won't sound like either. It certainly wouldn't with me. So, Mark, I think the reason nobody is trying it is because it appears that nobody is trying it. There certainly isn't any reason for hip-hop labels to take a risk with a sound that wouldn't quite fit what has been a working formula. The same would go for techno labels. But, as has been heard in some mainstream elements of hip-hop, and as some have pointed out here, hip-hop producers are looking for techno sounds now. So, for all you know, there's a new growing underground, if not already existant, with newer ideas and sounds hatching out of it that just isn't quite old enough to have been discovered by all the vultures to pick clean through exploitation. While it's just my gut speaking, I see a
possible future exploitation here which is completely removed from the bigbeat vs. hip-hop trainwreck of collaborations that were marketed here in the past. I've seen a general warming up to techno sounds from the hip-hop community again which, for awhile, appeared quite closed despite the fact that production tools and techniques were so similar. So, personally, I just think it would be crazy not to get in with some new heads and see what everyone can come up with before that sound gets snatched up in the jaws of the mainstream industry where, rather than doing your own sound, you have to play to their formula. For me, news sounds with new people iswhat makes music fun. If it's a financial failure, so what? The music that I have out on vinyl/CD is Terrorcore so I've never exactly been worried about sales. But, if it worked out, it would be something new and fun. "New and fun" is not something I've felt come out of the techno scene in my neck of the woods in a long time. Attitude seemed to take over.
A pseudo-punk attitude where, rather than rebelling, the focus seemed to be rebellion through conforming to the techno underground. It's stifling as all hell at that point. But, I'm not really going to be able to explain what I'm talking about here. If I meet the right people and it works out, I'll post MP3s here. If I'm lucky, years later I can come back here and bitch about people swapping my MP3s as keeping food off my table. :p
