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[QuantumSquid]

I'm super white and I've always felt a little awkward about liking hip-hop and rap as much as I do.

My predominantly white friend group finds it strange that I like these genres so much, considering I usually can't relate to the subject matter at all (inner city struggles, black oppression, gang violence, etc.)

I was inspired to make this thread when I remembered this lyric I heard a few days ago when I was listening to the Vince Staples track "Lift Me Up":

All these white folks chanting when I asked 'em where my niggas at?
Goin' crazy, got me goin' crazy, I can't get wit' that

In recent years hip-hop and rap have become incredibly popular among white people, so it was kind of inevitable that these artists' concerts would end up with massive swaths of them in the audience. Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of white people think that being avid listeners of a black artist's music means they (at least somewhat) understand what it's like to be black based on their intimate knowledge of said artist's lyrics.

My position is as follows: there's nothing wrong with listening to and enjoying hip-hop and rap as a white person, as long as you recognize that doing so does not enable you to properly relate to black people and the discrimination they face every day in an unfortunately large number of the countries on this planet.

Obviously I'm biased since I'm super into these genres (to the point where I honestly don't know what I would listen to if I suddenly decided that they were off-limits for me) but I think that's a pretty reasonable stance to take.

What are your thoughts?

(I recognize that this is a total white person problem for me to have, wondering if it's okay for me to listen to certain racially charged genres of music)

 

[Andrew Korenchkin]

A huge portion of rap fans are white, and I think white people make up the largest percentage of people who buy rap albums.

 

[Mr Cola]

Why cant music just be music? Its not a white problem you have its a "Ive nothing better to think about" problem.

 

[Agentnibs]

Listen to what you like bruh, don't over think it

 

[Rentahamster]

 

[BLOODED_hands]

Listen to what you like bruh, don't over think it

Pretty much. It's like me finding a Black dude who listens and likes Hard Dance music. People like what they like.

 

[Fat4all]

im finding it hard to imagine why it would be an issue if a white person is into hip hop or rap

 

[Andrew Korenchkin]

This scene is me more than any other scene in movie history.

 

[Sunster]

as long as your not one of those white people who say, "I hate rap. but I love Eminem"

 

[Azuran]

I hate rap but I love Eminem.

 

[cackhyena]

I've loved rap all my life. I'm white as fuck. That's it and that's all it has to be. Music is music.

 

[Fat4all]

lol

 

[Lil'DigiOp]

what.... now people cant listen to hiphop without guilt??

White people are the predominant market demographic buying hip hop industry music currently. Big worldwide market too

 

[Solid SOAP]

Who gives a shit?

 

[HiiiLife]

Probably the worst genre ever. Bring back pop Gaf.

 

[Sunster]

I hate rap but I love Eminem.

I'm building a box. You won't see it until you're inside of it.

 

[Fulminator]

I'm white and I love hip hop, don't really think too hard about it

 

[Phrozenflame500]

op dont worry i think the set of white people who listen to rap for the purposes of pretending to be black is vastly dwarfed by the set of white people who listen to rap cause they like rap

 

[Perfect Blue]

I love rap but I hate Eminem.

 

[Surface of Me]

as long as your not one of those white people who say, "I hate rap. but I love Eminem"

Good, here I was afraid I would get flack for hating rap but loving Macklemore.

 

[Sunster]

I love rap but I hate Eminem.

whoops. read that wrong.

Good, here I was afraid I would get flack for hating rap but loving Macklemore.

you're already dead.

 

[ghostofsparta]

I agree with what you said, anyone can listen to it, but if you can't relate then don't pretend to. And definitely don't say the n word at concerts, people really need to chill with that

 

[Slayven]

who gives a shit as long as you are not one of those folks that say shit like "I know the struggle is real, I watched The Wire, and listen to Biggie"

 

[Luminaire]

Is it any different than black people who listen to viking metal? Good music is good music.

 

[sanstesy]

I feel guilt.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

What about black people who exclusively listen to Lonely Island?

 

[MercuryLS3]

Listen to what you like bruh, don't over think it

This. Rap gives me life and I'm a bit of a nerdy brown dude.

 

[Extollere]

White hip hop fan here... never thought listening to anyone's music made me more relatable to them... if anything, it might help you understand another person's perspective, or to understand ideas and opinions you may not even agree with sometimes. Music and art are powerful tools for that, and hip-hop, one of the most expressive forms of art out there is no different. There's a lot of rap music out there that when I listen to it I think "this isn't really for me", but I can still look at it from a creative standpoint and just enjoy it or view it objectively. Anyways... to be honest, I think you can just like what you like. I don't think there's much reason to explain yourself for nodding along to some beats while an emcee does his thing.

 

[t hicks]

i love eminemien but i hate rap

 

[Choppasmith]

Funny, I've had the same dilemma but with my recent love of classic Funk music. I'm physically unable to NOT overthink things. But yeah, I keep telling myself just to enjoy the music, and I do.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

So?

My black-ass listen to Rock sometimes.

 

[Fat4all]

What about black people who exclusively listen to Lonely Island?

i was gonna go with Bread, or Steely Dan

 

[Gordon Shumway]

I'm gonna try to keep this short.

Dude..nothing wrong with it. It's a bizarre question, to be honest. Man, look..I used to roll with dudes who worked on K St that blasted Jedi Mind with Jewish interns in the car/at corporate cook outs just to be dicks lol.

As a kid, I was, mostly, into Rap. I was also all about Poison, Ratt, Kiss..whatever. It's music..just enjoy the shit.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

i was gonna go with Bread, or Steely Dan

But I don't listen to those two.

 

[Pulgo1]

A little anecdote- My fiance and I were at a Schoolboy Q show in Nashville last year. It was pretty much a sea of white faces. I can't remember the name of the song, but there's a lyric with a call and response of "fuck that nigga". I had to cringe at seeing all these kids screaming that at the top of their lungs. I really wonder what Q must think about that.

 

[Khaos Kontrol]

Listen to what you want. Who gives a shit about what race listens to what music?

 

[Fat4all]

But I don't listen to those two.

get whiter

 

[Angelus Errare]

Nothing wrong with being white and liking hip-hop

who gives a shit as long as you are not one of those folks that say shit like "I know the struggle is real, I watched The Wire, and listen to Biggie"

This basically.

 

[OrangeGrayBlue]

There's a certain breed of white hip-hop fan that seems to emulate black trends in a way that can certainly come across kind of tone deaf (think of any white guy wearing a XXL FUBU shirt and you have an idea of what I'm talking about), but for the most part I don't think the average white hip-hop fan fits that mold and I don't think anyone really cares about white people enjoying hip-hop in general.

 

[Widdle Puppy]

question for white people: when listening and feeling a track you like and you're singing along out loud do you say nigga when you're alone or what?

 

[PdotMichael]

White guilt doesnt't help anyone.

 

[Sunster]

A little anecdote- My fiance and I were at a Schoolboy Q show in Nashville last year. It was pretty much a sea of white faces. I can't remember the name of the song, but there's a lyric with a call and response of "fuck that nigga". I had to cringe at seeing all these kids screaming that at the top of their lungs. I really wonder what Q must think about that.

totally against white people using that word in any situation. but why would he do a call and response involving the n word to a "sea of white faces"?

 

[Fat4all]

question for white people: when listening and feeling a track you like and you're singing along out loud do you say nigga when you're alone or what?

no, i just dont say it

 

[Basileus777]

What decade is this?

 

[MiketheBSG]

I'm down with it.

 

[DogDude]

A lot of the hardcore ones are racist for their use of the n word or it's variations.

 

[gun_haver]

totally against white people using that word in any situation. but why would he do a call and response involving the n word to a "sea of white faces"?

maybe he couldn't really make out the crowd. it tends to look very dark when you're under the bright lights of a stage. or maybe he didn't care.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

question for white people: when listening and feeling a track you like and you're singing along out loud do you say nigga when you're alone or what?

i dont really sing out loud but normally i consider direct quotes fair game

 

[Makki]

What decade is this?

The one where using a black emoji is racially charged apparently.

The only conflict with rap and race is the lyrics, but my take on it is that if you are chanting the lyrics then you should be able to match the artist without being labeled as a racist.

 

[Andrew Korenchkin]

question for white people: when listening and feeling a track you like and you're singing along out loud do you say nigga when you're alone or what?

Nope. Never.

Don't say it.