Post by Burke on Mar 19, 2016 19:03:06 GMT -5
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Gene Simmons took shots at the entire genre of rap and said he is looking forward to a time when the genre dies off.
He said: “I am looking forward to the death of rap. I’m looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I’m concerned, is by definition lyric and melody… or just melody. I’m all for anybody talking. ‘Wild Thing’ was talking: ‘Wild thing, she makes my heart sing/ she makes everything … .’ There’s no melody there. That’s cool. Napoleon XIV, ‘They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!’ That’s a funny song, but those are novelty records. So was Dickie Goodman and ‘Mr. Jaws.’ These were all hits, by the way. But predominantly, music is about melody and lyric, whether it’s rap or doo-wop, or yeah, even rock.”
I don’t have the cultural background to appreciate being a gangster. Of course that’s not what it’s all about, but that’s where it comes from. That’s the heart and soul of it. It came from the streets. Rap will die. Next year, 10 years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along. And all that is good and healthy.”
Talib Kweli didn’t seem to enjoy Simmons’ comments and responded on Twitter. He wrote:
He said: “I am looking forward to the death of rap. I’m looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I’m concerned, is by definition lyric and melody… or just melody. I’m all for anybody talking. ‘Wild Thing’ was talking: ‘Wild thing, she makes my heart sing/ she makes everything … .’ There’s no melody there. That’s cool. Napoleon XIV, ‘They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!’ That’s a funny song, but those are novelty records. So was Dickie Goodman and ‘Mr. Jaws.’ These were all hits, by the way. But predominantly, music is about melody and lyric, whether it’s rap or doo-wop, or yeah, even rock.”
I don’t have the cultural background to appreciate being a gangster. Of course that’s not what it’s all about, but that’s where it comes from. That’s the heart and soul of it. It came from the streets. Rap will die. Next year, 10 years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along. And all that is good and healthy.”
Talib Kweli didn’t seem to enjoy Simmons’ comments and responded on Twitter. He wrote:
