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Originally Posted by Rob Instigator
Chuck D used to tell people who asked him how to be a better MC that they needed to read and learn as much as possible, for you can only put out through your mouth what you put into your brain. Sadly, education and learning are not important in pop music or in much of today's pop-hip-hop.
(there have been linguistics studies done that compare the word usage in current songs to previous decades, and they show that most songs on today's radio use the vocabulary of a 7th grader. Most songs on radio 30-40 years ago used the vocabulary of a 11th grader...)
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Hey, I'm a big fan of reading really long boring scientific studies and research hypotheses. (Seriously.) I haven't read anything about this particular finding, but I'd like to. Link me that dhit.
Also, I find it unsurprising that most popular music uses simple language. But while this is certainly the case with a lot of popular artists from all genres, I don't think hip-hop is a specifically major offender by any means. Yes, the hit songs need to be relatable to most Americans (so hence the seventh grade vocabulary) but hip-hop is not less verbally sophisticated than modern pop, country or rock. Ever heard a 3 doors down song that didn't sound like it was written by a 10 year old? (And when I say 3 doors down, I mean every pop-rock group since 2000, including Nickelback, Daightry and blah blah.)
Also I want to say that lyrics do not have to use advanced vocabulary to be complex and interesting and to tackle larger subjects. Look at a song like "Norwegian Wood (this bird has flown)" ... All very simple words, but the story between the words is in the way those very simple words are paired. In other words, the substance comes from the song as a whole, not from a coded breakdown of the complexity of the individual lyrics. If high vocab meant better music, Aesop Rock would be the best rapper in the world.
Still, yes most music is dumb as hell.