Review of Flaw's "Through the eyes" album

Flaw is an alternative metal nu-metal hard rock band from Kentucky. "Through the Eyes" was their first major studio album released on Universal Records. It was #119 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album cover is of a child with his mouth zipped shut and silenced. The vocalist expressed this is how he felt throughout his childhood. The album is characterized by clean singing, screaming followed by aggressive guitar riffs, melodic instruments, and pure heavy metal. The album compasses a variety of emotions such as grief, anger, trauma, and so forth.

Only the Strong - I enjoyed this song particularly because it's a positively charged song about rising above your circumstances and overcoming the odds stacked up against you. I loved the build up the intro, the aggressive chords, and vocalist's nu-metal rhythm provide to the chorus.

My Letter - This song focuses on the vocalist's tragic incident where his adoptive mother committed suicide leading him to write a letter in song to her. The vocalist along with the band overall set the mood of the song very well. It sounds as if the songwriter has overcome so many obstacles in life and wants his mother to watch him grow but yet has more to overcome.

Get up again - This song has been featured on both UFC's 2009: Undisputed soundtrack and xXx. It's a positive song with a powerful message on never giving up regardless of the circumstances. It has a similar build up as in "Only the Strong" but with a more melodic chorus.

Whole - The song is another song centering on his mother's suicide and how it has affected him. As he summed up his feelings with the lyric - "I have not been whole.." The instruments themselves evoke a sorrowful mood but also a mix of other feelings.

Amendment - This song's focus on how we all seem to point fingers and destroy each other when we should be focused on ourselves before we pass judgment. The instrumentation is a mixture of anger and pity when it reaches the chorus. "Amendment" is a fitting name for this song."

Inner Strength - This song addresses all the injustices of life and encourages us to strive to make them right. The instrumentation is a mix of an uplifting tone that gradually increases as the song progresses.

Best i am - This is a song calling for people to be role models for the sake of humanity if we are to instill good morals in the world. The instrumentation is energetic throughout the whole song and also encouraging especially at the end.

Out of Whack - This is a song addressing the hypocrisy of someone who holds them as a self righteous leader who tries to control everyone's morals but not realizing that he or she is just as flawed as anyone else. The melodic instrumentation and mood evoke that of someone longing for change.

Reliance - "Reliance" is centered on an abusive relationship and how the songwriter doesn't need to rely on his partner. He is in charge of his own life. I love the aggression and anger expressed in the mood of this song.

One more time - A song expressing the songwriter's regret that he hasn't appreciated his life enough when he's on his deathbed and pleas for it all to change. The mood the instrumentation sets is depressing.

What i have to do - This song is about doing what is best for your life when everyone goes every other direction. Musically, i love the pace of this song and it's gradual explosiveness in the chorus.

Scheme - This song exposes the evils of our government and how it robs people of the lower class.

Payback - One of the most aggressive songs on the album especially the intro when the vocalist sings the first verse. It's about a man who has lost everything and is bent on leaving nothing behind.

No Time - This song addresses the moral dilemma between good and evil before our time runs out. I love the shift in moods from a sad reflective one in the verse to a more energetic one in the chorus.

Overall, this was a solid album. I loved it because it didn't focus too much on production quality. Sometimes in music, a "rough" recording can be fitting. Ultimately, this album was memorable because of the sheer passion it delivered.

My favorite singers/vocalists:

Here are a list of my favorite vocalists from various genres. I picked the following artists as some of the best vocalists because even if you removed the instrumentals from their songs, their voices alone would still



* Ryan McCombs - SOIL's lead vocalist. He's one of my all-time favorites because he packs raw energy, flaming aggression, a heavy tone, and power into his screams. He seems to fuse various styles and rhythms into his music such as death metal, groove, rock n' roll, hard-rock, thrash metal, etc. This is great for a general audience. When he yells into the mic with such emotion and enthusiasm, it's like he has a point to prove.

* Phil Bozeman - Brutal deathcore vocalist for the band "whitechapel." He screams with such fury whether he's doing low-pitched screams or high-pitched shrieks. He also changes the speed of his screams and adds variety in his songs. He makes almost every song sound so epic.








* David Draiman - I love his creative chants throughout his songs and the way he changes his voice pitch. He has a certain rhythm quickly paced as if he were rapping and it fits perfectly with the background instruments.









* Marilyn Manson combines many different genres like heavy metal, pop, rock, hard-rock, doom/black metal, and so on. He truly revives the soul of Rock N' Roll through his music which is what separates him from most musicians. He adds gloom, sorrow, but also catchy rhythms in his singing. Overall, i love how he uses his voice to inspire insight into his lyrics and not distract viewers with excessive melodies.










* Lana Del Rey - She does various genres of music most notably Jazz. Unlike the greats (Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, etc.) Lana Del Rey sings with much more melodious power and emotional depth. She also loses herself in almost every track and it is noticeable in her voice.





* Korn's lead vocalist Johnathan Davis carries the torch of styles such as Nu-metal as he is dubbed "the godfather of Nu-metal." What sets him apart from other musicians are his wailing screams and enraged growls. Whether he's screaming or singing, i can tell he puts so much emphasis in the words he wants to express with emotion.

How to convert Youtube videos to MP3

If you've ever wondered how you can convert Youtube videos to MP3 format, this guide will help you. It's as easy as 1-2-3 and doesn't require any money:

1. Find an MP3 converter - There are several programs such as Youtube downloader that you can download and use, but there are others that are easier to use and require no downloading. One that i frequently use is Convert2MP3.com. You can find the link below

Link: http://convert2mp3.net/en/

2. Copy the URL of the YouTube video and paste to the converter - There should be a search bar allowing URL to be pasted. Once you've done that, it's time for the next step.

3. Select the desired format and click "Convert" - Simply wait for the file to finish downloading which can take a couple of seconds or minutes. You can also convert it to several other formats such as MP4.

Once you've converted your file, now you can listen to music in your headphones or through speakers and take it everywhere you go.

Most underrated rock/metal bands

Like any genre of music, talented rock and heavy metal bands receive less exposure as many mainstream artists. This could be due to being at the wrong place at the wrong time when it came to advertising their music or not being in very successful labels. For whatever the reason is, these are a list of bands whom i thought were underrated:

* Static X - The band is a blend of Nu-metal and industrial metal. First time i've seen them perform was in the animated film "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker." Static X relies on heavily distorted sounds, electronic keyboards, pounding bass riffs, heavy synths, and fast paced aggressive metal vocals. Static X has had connections with the band "Korn" so it's easy to see how they both are similar. However, Static X did not receive as much attention as Korn despite being a year older.

* SOIL - The lead vocalist of Drowning Pool was the frontman for a band called SOIL. Drawn from influences of death metal, SOIL is born as a hard-hitting, heavy, and aggressive rock band. SOIL writes emotionally charged lyrics while playing tuneful yet powerful instrumentals. While i'm not a huge fan of Drowning Pool, i do love Ryan McCombs' contributing work to the band. 

* AM Conspiracy - Ryan McCombs was also in the band "AM Conspiracy." Despite releasing only one self titled debut album, i found the band gave everything they had in that album. The album was more emotional and somehow more vocally powerful than Ryan's other projects. The instrumentals are also more melodic and slower paced.

* Stereomud - A heavy metal band full of aggressive metal vocals, hard hitting lyrics, and low-tuned rhythmical instrumentals in their album "Every Given Moment." Although they released only two albums, i believe this was all we needed. The album "Perfect Self" was softer but still a solid release. "Every Given Moment" was old school heavy metal but it did not impress critics. I imagine that the band felt discouraged and decided to go their separate ways into other bands. Either way, i loved the music they left behind.

* Earshot - This metal band has been widely compared to "Tool" but mistakenly so. For one, Earshot is a darker version of Tool. Another is that Earshot is one of the few bands managing to bring the sound of post-grunge metal into the rock scene. 

* Device - David Draiman (Disturbed's vocalist) worked on a side project known as Device. Overall, the band is much heavier than Disturbed being an industrial metal band with hard hitting guitar riffs and loud drum solos. 

These are all the bands that i can think of at the top of my head. There are many underrated and freshly tuneful bands out there that you can listen to if you did extensive research. 

Why i love Stereomud's "Anything but Jesus"

While this might sound like just another angry rebellious anti-religious song, it's message is profound and symbolic. Stereomud's "Anything but Jesus" is a song using biblical symbolism to illustrate anger and frustration towards people who expect you to be perfect. The screams, rhythm, instruments, all paint the picture of someone having an outburst. An outburst against those who put others on a high pedestal of moral and spiritual perfection. It's an outburst that we can relate to. The lyrics are basic but profoundly speak to our emotions. 


Lyrics: 

"I'm not your savior I'm as simple as a lost sheep!
But you think I know everything!
I'm just like you I'm trying to figure out this bullsh*t!
So why ya looking up to me!

"I don't want to hear!
Don't want to hear the questions!
I got no answers anyway!
See I don't know!
See I don't know what you want!
I never said I knew everything!"

The artist opens up beautifully and powerfully. He begins by stating that he is not a personal savior. He is just as frail as any morally corrupt person. He is just as confused and ignorant as a person void of morals. He cannot be a guide or a leader who tends to your every need. He is limited.     

"I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus in your lost head!
I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus! Your Jesus I said!
Anything! Anything but Jesus in your lost head!
I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus! Your Jesus I said!"

Someone who makes another person into a being of perfection is "lost" by biblical terms. He or she fails to understand the original purpose Jesus came to the earth. The artist in his agitation, anger, and fears of criticism says "Are you listening to me?!? I don't want you to be your personal savior!" 

"There's no mistakes there's only lessons I believe that
You've got to find out your own way!
So, don't you make me into someone that I can't be!
That will never appeal to me!

I don't want to hear!
Don't want to hear the questions!
I got no answers anyway!
See I don't know!
See I don't know what you want!
I never said I knew everything!"

The songwriter doesn't believe that mistakes define you. It's the wisdom in experiences that mold you into the person you are now. How do you gain this? Explore the darkest sides of life. Discover the evil within you and realize your just as vulnerable as anyone else. 

"Strike down on me when I don't have the answers!
Don't strike out at me look for the answers!"

When someone fails to be a perfect role model, he or she get attacked for their mistakes. The wisdom in this lyric is rather than channel negative energy, use that energy for personal self growth. Meditate and find the answers you seek to life's greatest problems. Truth can be attained when a person has an open mind and soul. The song-writer ends in such a powerful note: 

"I'm not your savior i can't help you so why ya looking up to me!" 

What makes this song so great is the strong connection it builds with it's listeners. Society will often hold many people to such a high degree of perfection that they leave no room for mistakes. The symbolic usage of Jesus in this song reminds us that he came to cover human imperfections, not bring a "holier than thou" attitude. To break away from the moral expectations and the stigma of being a scapegoat. This is genuine rebellion against society.  

Dissing your foes in battles

Dissing your opponents can be a fun, challenging, and exciting in battles. I'm going to give you some tips on creating powerful disses in rap battles.

1) Feel the fire - You have to be passionate about rap battling. Don't give weak bars, but take pride in them. Be aggressive with the intention of obliterating your foes to the point of no return. This is a rap battle and you are a warrior. Be crazy and wild with your lyrics, dissin' anyone in your way. Be energized to land some bone crushing punch lines. Once your on fire, you will be able to perform at your fullest potential.

2) Diss yourself - Be comfortable with the idea of laughing at yourself and pointing out your own flaws. When you are disciplined in this area, you are ready to take on your enemies. This will mold you into a person who isn't scared of what people think. Do not hide weakness, but use it as an advantage.

3) Be original - Do not make generic disses that everyone already has used. Be original and unique in your disses as you use your own creativity.

4) Study your enemies - Before you do anything, know your enemy. Pay attention to their clothes, style, what kind of person they are, how they walk, how they talk, how they carry themselves, everything. Take these kinds of people for example:

Male players - These guys dress nice, flirt with women, look good, have jobs, and are arrogant. They may brag about how many girls they've slept with but their weaknesses in my perception is that they don't love themselves. They're insecure so they need approval from others to feel better about themselves. They feel they're in control of women when the opposite is true. Their arrogance is their downfall.

The wanna be gangsters - These people act like they want to be in a gang but in reality, they're not. They want to fit in a place where they don't belong because they dislike themselves. They want to prove they're hard and top dog when they're probably deceived by the media.

Popular guys/gals - These people may seem popular and have many friends when they have few to none at all. Most likely, they're faking it to please everyone and are afraid to admit who they truly are.

Religious people - Talk about how there are contradictions in their religion and/or how they fail to live up to their moral code. Expose the fact that they care more about winning converts than about souls.

5) Be disrespectful - Don't be afraid to trash talk in their face. Disrespect their values and anything they hold dear. Call them out on their weaknesses while being mindful of your own.

A few final words, be yourself and no one else. Love yourself for who you are and learn from both your victories or defeats.

Responding to a rapper who admits their weaknesses

When i watched this one scene in 8-mile, i had to admit it's cleverness and uniqueness. Admitting your weaknesses is a great way to completely rob your opponent of pointing them out and it almost assures that you've won the battle. I hardly know of any rapper other than Eminem who would outright do this, but in the case that someone does--don't panic. You can still win the battle no matter how difficult the position you are in. How do you respond to a rapper who admits weakness? I can't explain exactly how, but i can give you a few ideas. 

1) The best way to counter is to come up with some harder punchlines and disses. Rap something around the lines of "You thought i was gonna point out that your a piece of white trash? Gee, your something less of a lyrical genius, your really a _____" Be sure to also point out some other weaknesses your opponent has never noticed or thought of. 

2) Laugh it off - Say something around the lines of "Screw battling with me, this should be you versus you." Let them know that you can still bring up many more ideas than they can and that you haven't given up yet. 

3) Be confident in yourself and your abilities. Do not look intimidated or worried. More importantly, be sure to admit your own weaknesses as well before your opponent does. If you can keep the pressure up by demonstrating yourself to be the dominant lyricist then it will be alot harder for your opponent to make a comeback. 

These are only a few of many ideas to counter this. The key is to never lose the art of being creative.   

Being the best rap battler you can be

I've done a few rap battles in person and they were terrible lol. My mind went blank several times and my rhymes were not as good as they could have been. For a long time i often wondered "What's wrong with me?" You may have felt the same or currently do. After much reflection and meditation, i decided that this method should work to help everyone be better at battle rap.

1) Before you do anything or even talk about rapping, you have to love yourself. Appreciate everything about yourself and love your voice. Love who you are as a person and accept that you are unique. Once you love yourself then you can trust in yourself to create awesome freestyles and battle lyrics.When you make the choice to love and accept yourself then you have taken the very 1st step to reaching your potential.

2) Know yourself from the inside out. Know your strengths and weaknesses. What are you good at? What are you terrible at? What do you love about yourself? What don't you love about yourself? What would you like to change? Take a pen or pencil and a piece of paper to write about yourself. Be genuine and appreciate yourself as a human being. Don't rap about being someone your not. This helps shape your identity as a rapper in general. Knowing who you are enables you to know the flaws of another person and expose them.

3) Freestyle - Start rapping outloud or write on paper. It doesn't even have to rhyme. Just start rapping whatever comes to mind. The point of this exercise is to be comfortable with flowing at a consistent pace. Look at your surroundings and rap about them. The key is to adapt to your environment.

4) Practice writing raps - Everyone has a unique way of practicing their raps. Personally, i like to write whatever comes to mind for about 5 minutes then i do drills. I write a limited number of similes, metaphors, bars of alliteration, merism, parallelism, word play, analogies, multis, internal rhymes, etc. I try to master various literary devices daily. It would be helpful if you familiarized yourself with poetry. Having a unique writing style dramatically helps you reach your potential.

5) Be passionate about rap - Love your work. Love your bars, voice, and talent. Don't make trashy lyrics then say "I suck at this.." Make every bar count.

6) Know your enemy - Observe them, What are they wearing? What flaws do they have? What are they rapping about? What do they sound like? This is your chance to incorporate what you already know about poetry.

7) Know what it takes to win a battle - Always keep in mind that there's always a way to win. Dissing your opponent's looks, personality, personal flaws, lyrics, reputation, etc. are key in defeating him or her. You may think that in order to win a battle, you need tons of clever disses. While that may help you win a battle, it is not the only way to win. Battles can also be won by who has the most clever lyrics or creative flow. Complimenting yourself is also a good way of winning. Be familiar with rebuttals or taking an opponent's verses and flipping them around. For example, people might want to diss my long hair by saying that i'm feminine. In response, i could say that their feminine in thinking of me as the opposite sex if they're male. One of the greatest strategies used by Eminem is to admit your weaknesses first then diss your opponent. It's also a great idea to With the quality of your raps, you can turn the tide of battle.

8) Have a developed flow - You should have a flow or a voice when you rap. Putting emphasis on certain words, having an aggressive or a light tone, rhythm, and melody in your voice are all essential to having excellent flow in a battle. It shouldn't stay the same, it should be dynamic. Try double time rapping in which you speed up the tempo or "rap fast." Practice breathing techniques daily and when you freestyle, try to  be fluid with your flow. Once you make the crowd go wild with flow, it's going to be very difficult for your opponent to win.

9) Be confident and energetic - Most of all, have confidence in yourself. Trust in yourself that you can win the battle. Never look defeated or frustrated. If what your opponent says angers you, don't lose control because when you lose control: you lose. Channel that energy to come up with strong disses to help you win the battle instead. Take deep breaths before the battle. If you need to come up with something to say, take a moment to do so.  

My interpretation of "The gift" by Seether

I've been thinking on the meaning of this song and while most people have a secular view, as a Christian, i see it in a different light. It completely reminds me of my faith in relationship to Jesus Christ. It brings me back to a place of despair and heavy depression.

"Hold me now i need to feel relief, like i never wanted anything..i suppose i'll let this go and find a reason i'll hold onto, i'm so ashamed of defeat..and i'm out of reason to believe in me..i'm out of trying to get by..."

I fought for perfection, tried to be good and tried to fit in a world where everyone would accept me by follow religious rules until life became burdensome as i failed in my efforts. I found no joy and lost the motivation to continue living because there was nothing that made me whole. I came to a point where i needed a reason for living, but i was ashamed of admitting my failures and weaknesses. I had lost faith in myself and was tired of pretending that everything was fine. I had received forgiveness, redemption for my soul, and the gift of salvation, but eventually, i practically cried out to God from inside:

" I'm so afraid of the gift you give me..i don't believe here and i'm not well..i'm so ashamed of the lie i'm living..right on the wrong side of it all..

I can't face myself when i wake up and look inside a mirror, i'm so ashamed of that thing...i suppose i'll let it go till i have something more to say for me..i'm so afraid of defeat..and i'm out of reason to believe in me..i'm out of trying to defy.."

Days passed like shadows as i sunk into depression and felt guilty for being selfish, arrogant, and prideful. Where once i was proud in front of all of my self-righteous attitude, now i had felt so much shame. I could not accept myself for who i was. I thought i had forgiven myself, but i was afraid of failing God by sinning. I no strength to get out of the ditch of despair that i had fallen into to find grace by looking at the cross where Jesus had died for my sins. I had lost the will in trying to deny who i was.

"Hold me now i need to feel complete..like i mattered to the one i need.."

I needed someone to save me from all the pain and loneliness i had felt. I needed to fill the gap of emptiness and be whole and i needed to be accepted for being imperfect. Without God, i would have nothing to live for because there is nothing in the world that could replace the emptiness that was killing me.

"Now i'm ashamed of this..i am so ashamed of this..Now i'm so ashamed of me..i am so ashamed of me..."

I had faced the shame of these problems, these inner struggles. In the end, i was left with guilt of being exposed for who i tried so hard not to be.

My thoughts on P.O.D and reggae music

I was shocked and disappointed at a young age when Sonny Sandoval cut his dreadlocks. When asked in an interview about why he cut his long hair, Sonny said that he "felt God tell him that it was time for a change and a new level of maturity." Before i give my own opinion on his drastic change in musical style between "When angels and serpents dance" and "Murdered Love", i will take the time to give some background to some of the Rastafarian elements involved in P.O.D's music. 

Emporeror Haile Selassie was believed by Rastafarians to be the incarnation of Jesus Christ who would one day return to the earth for his people, the Rasta's. He is seen as conquering lion from the tribe of Judah and hailed as God. He was believed to be immortal until he died. Rastafarians attempted to give explanations to still uphold his divinity though his mortal body is gone forever. 

It is easy to get confused by some biblical terms used by Rastafarian Reggae musicians. Titles such as "Jah" and "I and I" or the oneness of persons have been used in reference to Haile Selassie, not Jesus.

 Bob Marley was seen as a great prophet of Haile Selassie as he spread the message of Rastafarianism and called for the unity of people to turn to Haile Selassie and leave Babylon, the western world. Bob Marley has popularized Reggae music before his death. Wearing dreadlocks in Rastafarianism symbolizes a dreadful fear of God. Smoking weed was also considered to be spiritual in the mind of Bob Marley and other Rastafarian's. 

What is a Rasta? There is no set standards, definition, or beliefs. You can wear dreads, smoke weed, and listen to Reggae in Jamaica and be considered Rasta just as you can have short hair, avoid weed, and live away from Jamaica while still being also Rasta. On the other hand, you can wear a rastacap, smoke weed, wear dreads, listen to reggae, etc. and not be Rasta. This is a very small movement in the world. 

In my view, i suspect that Sonny did not realize all of this as he said that they believe in Jesus Christ just as the Rasta's do, thus part of the reason he cut his dreads and drifted away from Reggae is because he realized some of the influences and anti-Christian lifestyle he was representing. Rasta's worshiped a black man, whereas Christians did not. While i respect his decision, i don't think that he had to go that far. 

The name "Jah" is found in the Bible:

Psalm 68:4

" Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him." 

We as Christians should know that it never belonged to Haile Selassie. The same biblical references to Zion, Babylon, and Jesus Christ all belong to the true son of God who lived years ago, never to Ethiopia and any other black, white, or red man. Even Haile Selassie hailed Jesus Christ, the true conquering lion of the tribe of Judah as king of kings and Lord of Lords. The rightful crown belongs to Jesus and not to any other man. To the creator God, we are all made the same which define the term "I and I." With spiritual discernment, we can wisely separate truth from falsehood. 

This is my opinion on P.O.D's change in musical influence and style. Worship dedicated to God does not restrict itself to one genre of music, but is open to all kinds. 

Gangs and rap music

When i was in high school, there were a lot of kids who were very fascinated with gangs and being a "thug." This typically tends to come from rap music more than any other genre of music and i find it very disappointing at how young teens are given many opportunities and a future are being influenced by the lives of Chicago rappers such as Chief Keef, Fredo Santana, lil Reese, and by the media in general. Many people i knew in high school were still young, immature, and most probably depended on their parents. They think being a gangster and fighting is cool, but they are in reality posing a false appearance. The most likely reason they act tough is very simply because they are easily influenced by a "gangster" attitude. They don't have a strong mindset or attitude of their own. People like this don't realize how gangsters actually live and especially rappers like Chief Keef. When i hear people holler "GBE", "Oblock", "Three hunna", it makes me think they speak in ignorance. From what i hear, gangsters really have no regard for human life and truly do kill in cold-blood. The personalities that young high school teens show are too fabricated and if they truly saw exactly how these rappers live, they wouldn't support that kind of life-style because they never grew up in that kind of environment.

The media tends to glamorize sex, drugs, violence, and most rappers i listen to tend to make gangs seem cool and they're your "friends" when nothing could be further from the truth. Perhaps i'm wrong, but from what i hear from some former gang-members, they won't help you progress as an individual and if you are honest with yourself, you would not want to live their kind of life-style. Honestly, i was a bit shocked to learn that Chief Keef was actually a gangster rapper ever since he released his famous song "I don't like" and a bit surprised that many high school teens were listening to him, already behaving as if they were gangsters by saying things like "Free my n-gga such and such.." When they weren't even imprisoned. A simple word of advice, don't throw up the blood sign if you have never killed anyone or went to prison, don't act like your in prison if you've never been in prison, and don't rap about being a gangster if your not a gangster. I know of a couple of real gangster rappers and they are nothing like many people who use the label "O.G" like a fashionable trend.

At the end of the day, gangs really have nothing to do with any kind of music, but i think you should always rap about your life experiences, struggles, and inner emotions. Don't ever rap about being someone you are not because people will appreciate you more for who you truly are.

Why certain genres of music shouldn't be overly criticized

Music has apparently always been treated with more concern than any other form of entertainment. Many musicians are the targets of parents, teachers,the media, and society in general. Based on my observations, it is usually rock and rap that are often criticized more than any other genre of music. I believe that the media has shown music genres such as rock, rap, heavy metal, etc. in a negative light because these kinds of genres are not widely accepted among the general population. Where is the criticism against pop, jazz, reggae, country and other such genres? I hardly hear of any country singer or reggae artist being given a bad reputation, so why target some genres and not others?

I have reflected on arguments against listening to "gangster" rappers and "obscene" metal bands because of a certain image projecting negative influences. People refuse to listen to their albums because they feel no connection or anything "positive" within the music itself, however i see no reason why there should be a restriction on only those kinds of musical genres. The Beatles played ballad's, but their song "Helter Skelter" was focused on being loud, noisy, and ridiculous. It was originally intended to be heavy metal and made to demonstrate that they did not only play ballads. Remember that musicians like Elvis Presley along with other musicians of whom now in our modern society look very modest, but in their own respective time were considered to be obscene. For these reasons, music should not be treated as a trend, but rather an art to express individuality and sense of character.

I've heard it's been said before against my choice in music "Listen closely to the music you are listening to..do you see any positive influences? Do you see anything which you can relate to?.." That is not necessarily the goal of music, music does not pick sides, so that is a rather overly judgmental statement. When we were kids, we may have watched superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Spiderman, etc. use violence for the greater good, should we then follow their example? Should we then be against them because they use violence? Why not stop watching violent action-adventure movies simply because they promote violence? More importantly, no one in our society is obligated to fully disclose their personal lives simply to satisfy your requirements of a good role model. Businessmen are there to sell and market products, policemen are present to protect citizens, and doctors are there to help the sick, not to be judged by your standards. Furthermore, musicians are expressing their view and life-experiences, so if i can't relate to it, that's not of much relevance because understanding is the principal goal being set in focus.

With these things in mind, music should never seen as only an instrument for self-improvement because that's not the essence of art in general. Art is the expression of the self whether it expresses positive or negative feelings, thoughts, and emotions. What you want to incorporate into your music or the music you listen to is up to you. In conclusion, the personal lives of musicians should not affect your joy of listening to a particular genre of music.

What makes you a good rapper?

It seems like nowadays, people who listen to rap would rather listen to lyrically, well-versed rappers such as tu-pac, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Eminem,tech nine, etc. at least from my personal experience. While i do agree that rappers today have utterly terrible lyrics and more creative verses are preferred, i do not agree that having great lyrical skills is the only thing which essentially makes you a "good" rapper.

For example, many people I've encountered dislike rapper "Chief Keef" because of his horrible lyrics and flow. First of all, I've watched one of his interviews and he clearly stated that he is not a lyrical rapper. He hardly uses metaphors, but prefers to literally "get to the point" which is fine by my standards as long as there is some creativity to it. He's not necessarily a bad rapper, his lyrical content is repulsing to me, but i do give him credit for creating catchy songs such as "I don't like", "everyday", "Love Sosa" etc.

He did have a smooth and very rhythmical flow in many of his songs. Even in his latest album, although it wasn't as rich in creativity as earlier works, in some songs, his flow was still smooth and a bit melodious. I don't think it's sound judgement to dislike him just because you simply don't want people to think you have "bad taste" in music.

Which brings me to my next point, art has become more of a fashionable trend than an actual practice and beautiful expression of the self. Often, people criticize more than appreciate artwork and see it as an achievement to be made by "positive" people who are good role-models for citizens advocating for humanist values. Many have criticized him for his lifestyle and hence they dislike him as an artist. I find it to be quite absurd. Music is music, it's an art, not a lifestyle that deals with gangs, drugs, sex, women, etc. A person's art should not be ridiculed by their "negative" values, but you should look at it as their story, their way of expressing themselves through their art.

Comparing it to rappers such as Tu-Pac and Eminem, they have great lyrics and more quick-paced flow, but at times, i can't enjoy some of Eminem's songs since they sound a lot more like he's talking than actually rapping. Variety of flow is just as important as lyrical creativity.

What makes a good rapper? It's when you have an agenda to be heard, to have your own unique character reflected by your rapping voice and lyrics. Success is the key focus in expressing your life, beliefs, and values, even if your from the hood. From that point on, it doesn't matter if your a fake "gangster" or real or even what you rap about as long as you stay real to the art of music.