Dancerev889 said:
If I don't know any better, I would think that the 3 6 Mafia track is some rap played over a techno beat. Should we call it "techno-rap"? Maybe that's the secret. Take out the "word" but keep the "beat".
I don't know. I mean, deep down I know that rappers never needed dance or electronic music to sell. They've done well for so long with artists like Dr. Dre, Public Enemy, KRS One, Salt n Pepa, etc.. Just because some rappers think it's OK to experiment with dance doesn't mean that would be a long-term trend. Rap and hip-hop has done fine without dance and will continue to do fine without dance. Ghetto culture has become so ubiquitous, especially here in the big city as to warrant at least one pure hip-hop/rap station in the city. If anything, hardcore rap fans and hardcore dance fans are united in that their interests aren't being tended to by Corporate Radio. Corporate Radio has this idea that going fully in one direction or the other isn't good business. The result is that both groups are unsatisfied with the music on the radio. Hot 97 and Power 105 play around with their listeners by not going full-out rap. KTU plays around with their listeners by going CHR and pushes out pure dance listeners by playing some R&B. Pulse was basically a glorified CHR with more emphasis on freestyle and house. If there's any group that should feel happy it is CHR listeners and urban music fans. They basically have everything set down on a silver platter. Dance fans have to go underground not because they have this anti-corporate attitude but because the mainstream doesn't care less about the music. It is only via the Internet and the mp3's that they have a home and that's going to continue for the near future.
My point is I wouldn't jump on these new records like the Guetta, Tiesto collaborations with rappers as some part of a big trend. For every Tiesto, there are a ton of techno/trance/house/triphop/drumn'bass Djs who will never get mainstream recognition but are deeply revered by the true dance fans. European Djs, Chicago House Djs, etc, etc.. I won't name names but you know who some of them are.
May the dance and hip-hop cultures remain separate! They have their own world. The dance fans must build up ours.
Back to the topic of this thread, I like the Vibe station. They are bold enough to play the dance that the New York don't want to play. I admire that. I hope that they get enough support to continue.