You've all made your points and there wont be need to contest. personally, i condemn music for its rhythm before listening to the lyrics. most of the musics i'm in love with today, i was attracted by their rhythms. at a point, i now made out time to listen to their lyrics, thats me.

we are different people

we love different things

I M CRAZY ABOUT LYRICS!!!!!!!!!!!!

and some are crazy about beats

some are indifferent

so no need to argue too much!!!

and dere are artistes that fall into different categories

so if u want beats, go cop the album of the beat master

and if u want lyrics, u already know now

javalove:

we are different people

we love different things

I M CRAZY ABOUT LYRICS!!!!!!!!!!!!

and some are crazy about beats

some are indifferent

so no need to argue too much!!!

and dere are artistes that fall into different categories

so if u want beats, go cop the album of the beat master

and if u want lyrics, u already know now

Seconded

Bamsyle:

Eldee, you took the whole darn words outta ma mouth keyboard.

You've said all I wanna say. It's not good enough to just pen your lines on paper for all to see (how're we even sure you did not copy them from somewhere). I might sound harsh but I got no respect for so-called MCs who only pen their lines and don't spit 'em. Tell me how poetry, prose or even ghostwriting are supposed to be different from this? Of what use is your great-lyrics-but-written-only kind of rap when we have Shakespeare et al? I've read some really poorly constructed lines in the Rap Battle Thread (though with fine lyrics) that made my stomach turn. If it's all about lyrics only, I'd rather read what folks like Shakespeare write . . .

I don't care how good your lyrics are if I can only read and not hear them. And by "hearing" 'em, I mean they must sound pleasant to ma ears. Of what use is the beat if you cannot ride smoothly over it? I have a penchant for good lyrics but being a great lyricist ain't enough. Let's listen to your flows, your delivery, your rhythm.

Some artistes like Eminem and Biggie are not reverred for what they say but for how they say what they say. Tell me it's only lyrics that made stars out of Pac and Nas. Listen to Michael Jackson and tell me what you can make of his lyrics? Even poems ought to have a rhythm. How much more music? Have you ever listened to some nicely constructed poems being recited? It's like what a cold squashed drink does to a thirsty soul. And if it's Rap, forget it if you've got no rhythm. Artistes like Canibus as someone noted earlier are good on lyrics but he's not acclaimed cos his delivery is poor.

There's an artiste in Nigeria called Sage Hasson. He recites what he calls spoken words/poetry over beats. Great lyrics. But go cop his album, listen to it and come back to tell me he's a rapper . . .

The delivery of a message is as important as the message itself.

Music MUST NOT be lacking in refreshing lyrics though. I agree with the OP who said some Nigerian artistes just say rubbish. Zero lyrics and all rhythm is very disturbing and it's becoming the trend in Nigeria.

So - which is more important . . . Lyrics or Rhythm?

None. It's a tie for me.

While going through your weave, i got penchant the way you sinuous but find it difficult to believe you supedal. Next time, try and heat it where it huts

Both are important but sometimes, the lyrics might not make sense but with a good rythm. So i think Lyrics is more important.

UNLEASHED:

Both are important but sometimes, the lyrics might not make sense but with a good rythm. So i think Lyrics is more important.

Doesn't make sense!

Orilosesi Ohaechesi please re-phrase . . .

eldee:

Ever wondered why it's called 'hip-hop'??
Ever wondered why we buy CDs and download I-tunes instead of just going to azlyrics.com??

Yo El, very good point there.

Although some would argue that we ain't talkin' 'bout Hip Hop alone here, permit the lil' digression. We're just using Hip Hop as a part of the whole.

Let me attempt to break the emboldened part down like this - It's hip cos of the wordplay, the fly lyrics, the lingua, the rhymes, the metaphors, the lifestyle, etc.

It's hop cos it needs a pleasant rhythm, a proper structure, an amazing flow, an impressive delivery. Atimes it should even make the listener dance. Or hop to his feet . . .

Hip Hop should be like the hands of the clock at 12.30 or 6.00 (am/pm). Hip enough to take you to da skies. Deep enough to 'lower' your mood so you can think . . .

If a piece of news is not properly delivered, you won't get it. That's why media folks got to have that pleasant voice, that smooth delivery. The same reason a good preacher needs a good voice/delivery. Same reason a good teacher must possess a good voice/delivery.

Rhythm here ain't beat. It's got sumn to do with the voice, the flows, the delivery, the melody, the time, the pulse, the cadence . . .

"Cadence"? Princesa that's for you

Music without lyrics is a preacher without a message. Music without rhythm is a message without a preacher. Music without lyrics is an offence. Music without rhythm is drudgery . . .

So, again - which is more important - Lyrics or Rhythm?

Pray, tell me first - which is more important - your arms or your legs?

I see that some posters clamour for a definite pick between Lyrics and Rhythm. No middle-point. No 'sitting on the fence'.

As for me, I have erected a 'fence' in this argument.

And I'm sitting coyly on it . . .

I am a fan of N.E.R.D. (Pharrell Williams band)
I think the beat/rhythm is more important because it brings you into the song/lyrics
a good song is nothin without a good beat/rhythm

its funny arguing which is more improtant rythym or lyrics, who is more important, ur mother or ur father
what do u tink differentiates a rapper from a poet, the beat, the beat holds the rythym, and helps the rapper weave his lyrics within that rythym, most times at least,

its not even a tie, they r not two options to choose from,

It goes both ways. I believe eldee has said most if not all of what i'd like to say. it's more or less mutual. One can't do without the other.

lyrics-more important than rhythm, wen u flow with the lyrics u automatically flow with rythm regardless of how it goes

@Bamsyle

There's an artiste in Nigeria called Sage Hasson. He recites what he calls spoken words/poetry over beats. Great lyrics. But go cop his album, listen to it and come back to tell me he's a rapper . . .

Maannnn I love sage oooooooooo. I , crazy about the guy. The to me na more of poet sha. He did good jobs on Green Passport, and Things Fall Apart tracks with modenine,


because m flourish and i'm green,
u choose to be mean/
why can i see what u have seen/
why can i not go where my heart is beat/
white being . . .i m just a green being/

. . . .

give me more than facebook and myspace/
the green in ur eyes is making me blue/
its cruel/
trating me like a fool/
Am i strange. . .?/
Do i look like a yellow dog, ?/
Or a strange horse . . .?
An orange man perhaps/
dark soul, rough skin . .
why can u not see the rainbow within . .?
Life is not just black and white?
Let me see the grey area . . ?
IS IT because I M NIGERIAN, U CALL ME AN ALIEN?


Cant remember tha last word but i really gbadun the guy!!!

and things fall apart too

[b]
Things fall apart like a pack of cards/
Like waterloo on napoleon Bonaparte/
Line hompidompti on a war/

. . and so on
[/b[

the things fall aprt track was fly too

@Bamsyle
I'm not telling you to get off the fence, I just want you to agree that in this 'Lyrics Vs Rhythm' argument;

One of them is what coined the term 'hiphop'
One of 'em is the reason why we recognise hot ish
One of 'em is responsible for the careers of 8 out of people we rank top 10
One of them is the reason why Hiphop is a multi-million dollar industry
One of them is what makes hiphop music
Hell . . . one of them is the reason why music is a universal language!!!

You think Hiphop is dead?? Hiphop will be confined to the streets of Brooklyn if it were not for the rhythm.
Do you know hiphop, like grime originated from parties??
I read of how sum smart bloke just started mixing words over beats praising the DJ

~Sauron~:

Please do that and i will tell you Canibus whups anyone with his pin-point delivery.
How can anyone say Bis' delivery is not on point. . . . . The fact that majority of hip-hop listeners are illiterate does not make Canibus wack.

Beasts from the East bruv . . . Beasts from the East
Listen to my argument first bro, I said, the only reason Eminem is rated higher than Canibus is because Em's delivery is superior, c'est fini
Prove me wrong!!!

eldee:

Beasts from the East bruv . . . Beasts from the East
Listen to my argument first bro, I said, the only reason Eminem is rated higher than Canibus is because Em's delivery is superior, c'est fini
Prove me wrong!!!

I disagree with that.

The only reason Eminem is rated higher than Canibus is DR. DRE.
Canibus was unfortunate he never worked with a clever beatmaker and as potent his lyrics are. . . .the production was crap.
The only time he worked with Jedi(The enemy of mankind). . . .His album was critically acclaimed as the best drop in the whole of 2003.
Besides that. . . . .The lack of promotion was obvious. . . .
He got lil radio airplay, posters and commercials were rare so a lot of people didn't even know him.

@Javalove

Yeah I like Sage too. I just wanted to point out that he's more of a poet than a rapper - like you also noted. He just speaks over beats.

@Eldee

I know you're not telling me to get off the fence. Wasn't referring to you bro

I agree with ya - I think we're on the same page here. None is more important than the other.

@post

I think a definition of Music would help. Chambers Dictionary defines Music as:

"The art of expression in sound, in melody, and harmony, including both composition and execution"

Key words: Expression in sound, melody, harmony. Composition. Execution.

Among these words, let me ask - what word immediately comes to your mind when "Composition" is mentioned? I'm sure I heard you say "Lyrics"?

Now, what word immediately comes to your mind when "Execution" is mentioned? If you're not being naughty (thinking "killing", I'm sure I heard you say "Performance". And I'll tell you that's where "Rhythm" comes in.

Lyrics are like the ingredients for a meal. Rhythm is the cooking of that meal.

I know everyone's entitled to his/her opinion 'neways. But I just want to believe most times, we get instantly attracted to a song cos of its melody/rhythm. I mean - how can you even call a song by its name if it has little or no rhythm?

Music is for performance.

Now to Hip Hop. A definition goes like this:

"Hip Hop Music, also referred to as rap music, is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip Hop Music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans. Rapping, also referred to as MCing or emceeing, is a vocal style in which the performer speaks rhythmically and in rhyme, generally to a beat

The words "rhythmic" and "rhythmically", in a definition, could not have occurred by accident.

I think the reason a lot of peops might vote for lyrics when Hip Hop is concerned is that rap music consists mainly of spoken words. And to excel in that genre, you must possess an amazing degree of vocabs, wordplay, rhymes, quotable quotes et al. In other genres, we most times love or adore our fave artistes. But in Rap Music, the overriding feeling is that of respect. There's this awe/power aura around them. They're like the Martin Luther Kings, the Malcolm Xs, the Ghandis of Music. Just like great orators, they're respected for what they say . . .

Well, quite understandable. But then one ain't more important than the other. I keep referring to acts like Biggie. He's more known for delivery, wordplay, rhymes, flows than for lyrics. And some rap fanatics would argue that he's the best rapper that ever lived . . .

Think about this.

'Lyrics' and 'Rhythm' are like your right ear and your left ear.

Which is more important

Rhythm catches your attention first before lyrics

U can enjoy a song i dont understand the lyrics (eg makossa) but there is no way you can enjoy a song that dont rhyme.

lyrics! lyricz!! lywics!!!

@ every1

I'm of the opinion it is a choice btw lyrics and rhythm regardless of the genre of music , I wonder how this turned to a hip hop debating thread.Whatever happened to R&B , New age ( ma favourite ) , ethnic , jazz , rock , metallic and a host of others.
If a music doesn't have vocals it doesn't mean it has no lyrics.Some tunes are played to suggest certain sceneries like pastoral music which suggest green fields and a calm atmosphere.
Overall I would choose lyrics to rhythm anyday, ( if it is possibble to seperate the two ) because it keeps you addicted to the music for a long time unlike rhythm which fades each time you listen to it.


Please this post is not subject to debate as it is my own view.

@Bamsyle

I know everyone's entitled to his/her opinion 'neways. But I just want to believe most times, we get instantly attracted to a song cos of its melody/rhythm. I mean - how can you even call a song by its name if it has little or no rhythm?

Not for me sha. Lyrics attracts me to a song. If party rockers or club goers hear the melody or rhythm of Contradiction by modenine, it just would sound too broing to them but on the real the track is heavy on lyrics. That to me is the best real hiphop track out of nigeria, IMHO

So for me, its lyrics ooo anyday anytime

The lyrics of Enigma gets my goat anyday , they are deep.

Return to innocence
Sadeness ( pronounced as sadness )
Gravity of love
Turn around
Silence must be heard
TNT for the brain
Beyond the invisible
I love you , I'll kill you
Modern crusaders
Shadows in silence

These songs are just tight . For the more conventional listeners , Lighthouse family and Madonna would do just fine

Nas is beta lyrically than Jay-Z, but Jay-Z got beta rhythm n more fan acceptance, 2pac lyrically is beta than biggie but i prefer the rhythm of Biggie, game is lyrically beta than lil wanye but lil wanye is more accpted for his stupid rhythms.

Lyrics is for peeps more inclined to music on the intellectual levels but for normal average peeps rhythm is wat they looking for. Ask RuggedMan or just listen to his rugged baba track.

zhiggy:

Lyrics is for peeps more inclined to music on the intellectual levels but for normal average peeps rhythm is wat they looking for. Ask RuggedMan or just listen to his rugged baba track.

God bless u and ur parents !!!! You spat me mind!!!

I prefer rhythm, if i need lyrics, then i will be reading poems.

rhymth touches my soul and makes me want to hold my head.
but lyrics, just feel like "yea, thats true" or "i like that flow"

and the arguement goes further

A very good question . Good music comes with your ability to balance the script , the rite lyrics with the rite rythms else you wont make the sales cut . having said that i would go for LYRICS anyday cuz thats what keeps your song relevant and timeless. 1lov

zhiggy:

Lyrics is for peeps more inclined to music on the intellectual levels but for normal average peeps rhythm is wat they looking for.

[size=26pt]MINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/size]

@ Sauron

U's a Biz fan now?Lol!!! Always get ur facts right, It's aight.

kaydee:

@ Sauron

U's a Biz fan now?Lol!!! Always get ur facts right, It's aight.

I have always been a Bis fan. . . . .
The reason i'd rate Eminem above him is cos Eminem's beats are better and the production is top draw.
However, lyrics versus lyrics. . . . . . . .There's no one iller than Canibus.