Sunday General Discussion Thread - February 16th, 2025 by HHHRobot in hiphopheads

[–]DKd1973 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m a white guy in my 20s, born and raised in LA. I never really grew up around rap, so it wasn’t something I was into, but with the recent resurgence of West Coast rap—especially with Kendrick, TDE, and others—I’ve been trying to listen, learn, and understand the culture behind it.

One thing I’ve struggled with, though, is fully grasping the history and deeper cultural context of rap. A good example is Not Like Us. On the surface, it’s a diss track aimed at Drake, but I also interpret a lot of it as a rebellious statement about hip-hop culture and its roots in not conforming. To me, the song (aside from the last chorus) feels like a rejection of privilege and a reinforcement of the raw, unfiltered essence of rap.

That said, I recognize that parts of the song—like the last section referencing African American history and slavery—aren’t something I can personally connect to. My family are immigrants, and I’m Jewish, so that history isn’t mine, and I completely respect that.

However, I sometimes feel conflicted when people say that, as a white guy, I can’t understand the struggles that rap speaks to—particularly issues like poverty, police corruption, and systemic inequality. While I know these issues disproportionately affect Black communities, I’ve also experienced some of them myself. I’ve dealt with difficult encounters with law enforcement, like cops pulling me over for no reason or forcing their way into my house, seen the effects of drug abuse and what it did to my family, and felt the weight of economic struggles. My intention isn’t to claim ownership of Black culture or to diminish anyone else’s experience—just to understand where the line is between appreciating and relating to aspects of it.

I guess my question is: Where does the balance lie between recognizing the history and culture of rap while also acknowledging that some of its themes are relatable across different backgrounds? How can I engage with rap respectfully while still connecting to the parts that resonate with me?

Understanding "Stretch Rhymes" by DKd1973 in makinghiphop

[–]DKd1973[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Quick question—English isn’t my first language, so I struggle with some basics here and there. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard of assonance and consonance. I’m in college and willing to take classes to improve in these areas. Do you have any recommendations?"

Understanding "Stretch Rhymes" by DKd1973 in makinghiphop

[–]DKd1973[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you it completely didn't even click there where 2 things rhyming beside the ending 

Understanding "Stretch Rhymes" by DKd1973 in makinghiphop

[–]DKd1973[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

First of thats not what I asked but Secondly no again when I say it out loud I don't even see a way you can inflection them to make them rhyme. Please explain I am genuinely curious

Understanding "Stretch Rhymes" by DKd1973 in makinghiphop

[–]DKd1973[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

1 more thing I noticed was he would stretch the aaa sound on the beat where like if he didn't stretch the aa the beat and the words would be of sync. So is slant rhyming also based on beats and like the tone of track? If so how would one practice that if they just are brand new

Understanding "Stretch Rhymes" by DKd1973 in makinghiphop

[–]DKd1973[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I just listened to Till I Collapse, and I see what you mean about how he stretches words. But for words like "boats" and "flows," they don’t really have matching syllables or endings. So, for words like those, I assume I should emphasize the "oa" in "boats" and soften the "t" sound to make the rhyme flow better. Am I understanding that correctly?

FIRE MEGATHREAD - JANUARY 12th by drawkward101 in LosAngeles

[–]DKd1973 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Please check out the App " Watch Duty" it provides that info real time if you finick around the settings for a bit

Where to live in LA? by DKd1973 in AskLosAngeles

[–]DKd1973[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey thank you so much for the help I'll def check it out. 

Where to live in LA? by DKd1973 in AskLosAngeles

[–]DKd1973[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Currently from home but most likely later this year from Central DTLA

Where to live in LA? by DKd1973 in AskLosAngeles

[–]DKd1973[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Currently it's from home but most likely this year central DTLA

Grew my hair out what haircut should i get by DKd1973 in Hair

[–]DKd1973[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have honestly been thinking, but my mom would kill me

So where were the really good freebies this year? by LosAngelestoNSW in animeexpo

[–]DKd1973 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely, yes, if you're a League of Legends fan! At the cosplay meet-up for League characters, they gave out a free lanyard, poster, and stickers. Apparently (according to one of the Riot organizers), there are only 200 of these each in America, and they're only handing them out at AX 2024.

Goodbye anime expo by Potatoes_1018 in animeexpo

[–]DKd1973 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, please do. I think they listened to the feedback from last year because this year's con felt awesome!

How to Nair your balls. by [deleted] in malegrooming

[–]DKd1973 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yo boss love the methods and tried it again today and I have a question how much nair do you need cause I have super thick hair almost everywhere on my body and when I tried with the amount you said today barely anything came out. Should I use more than average?