Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Of the 25+ some odd songs that appear in that film, exactly THREE can be classified as rap or hip hop. FOUR, if you consider Santigold to be a rap artist. Other than those 3 or 4 songs, the rest of the soundtrack is a (delightful) eclectic hodge podge including everything from The Hives, Boston, and Ted Nugent, to Journey and Air Supply, to Parliament Funkadelic and Bill Withers. It even randomly has a couple of retro Bosnian/Serbian tunes on there. The soundtrack spans all genres and eras. Yes, rap...AND ALSO rock, classic rock, alternative, dance, funk, soul, electronic, adult contemporary, and novelty one hit wonders. Three or 4 out of 25+ songs counts to you as pushing rap in America's face?
This is a comedy flick from the same guy that brought us Bridesmaids. Most of the songs in The Heat were used for irony and comedic effect, especially the rap numbers which also served to contrast and play up the goofy & uptight or goofy & bumbling qualities of the good cop/bad cop schtick of the lead characters. It's not for "no apparent reason" or to "promote" rap or to "push" it on you.
I'm guessing I'd find the same mix of rock music, rap music, and random music on the soundtracks for We're The Millers and Identity Theft.
If you consider the presence of a couple of rap songs in a movie to be a full on assault on your senses as well as the sensibilities of sensible Americans...I'm guessing your issues lay deeper than merely your dislike of a genre of music.
They are probably being pressured by the media companies to give it credibility as a real music style.
Rap is not only a credible and "real music style", it is a mainstream music style. There are genres of music that I'm not particularly a fan of, but I don't deny their existence or question their credibility.
The only thing more tiresome than close minded people crowing about rap music not being a viable form of music, are the close minded people who dismiss the entire genre of country music as "sucking". "Country music sucks! "
Really? Please name one country song. Honorable mention goes to the poseurs who watched Walk The Line and all of a sudden became Johnny Cash fans, deciding that "some country" is OK. Fool, Johnny Cash would exhale a thick cloud of Camel smoke directly in your face and guffaw at your dumb ass.
Just because YOU don't like rap music doesn't make it not "credible". Millions of people for decades would disagree with your assessment of rap.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd
Why do people feel the need to write this kind of useless comment? It is happening more and more on this and other forums. Why be negative?
....
Obviously MiamiRob who probably wasn't even alive to witness the birth of hip hop didn't like the idea and didn't care to comment with something intelligent.
Aren't you being negative yourself?
MiamiRob had a completely valid point when he posted, "The "hip-hop" generation started about 30 plus years ago." Kind of, um, NEGATIVE, isn't it, to be calling into question the intelligence and utility of his comment?
He was responding to your vague generality of "the hip hop generation" currently being "shoved" in our faces, as well as your implication that rap music is some new upstart phenomenon that has only now found its way to the mainstream.
When you say "hip hop generation", are you talking about 20 year-olds, like a lot of people in this thread seem to be implying? 20 year-olds who like T.I. and Lil Wayne?
Or 35 year-olds who are fans of Tupac, Wu Tang Clan and Beastie Boys?
Or 45 year-olds that look fondly back on the days of Run D.M.C. and Public Enemy?
Or 60 year-olds who pine for the days of The Sugar Hill Gang and Kurtis Blow?
Rap has been a mainstream genre for a long while now. It's not just NOW being "pushed" on you.
Yes, now I have that Irving Berlin tune in my head, haha!
I wasn't too keen on that version either. Of course, that's the trouble with movies based on books...you're always gonna find something that you don't think is faithful to the book. I don't know...just wasn't into Mia Farrow as Daisy (although she is the most stunning looking, beautiful Daisy to date). This wasn't Robert Redford's best work either. I loved Sam Waterston, though.
There was a TV version in the late 90s. It had Paul Rudd as Nick (which I can't believe now because I only really associate Paul Rudd with Judd Apatow comedies) and Mira Sorvino as Daisy. Can't remember who played Gatsby. Both that TV version and the 1974 movie version were straightforward interpretations that stayed historically accurate to the 1920s, but both were, at times, inadvertently reflective of the decade they were made. The 1974 version looks and sounds very 1970s to me (the makeup, hair and even the wardrobe looked specifically like 70s interpretations of the 20s. Actually, there's a Daisy ensemble I distinctly remember from the film...very chiffon-y and purple with matching floppy, crinoline hat...I have aunts that wore the same getup multiple times as bridesmaids in various 70s weddings, hahaha. And the TV version from the 90s? OMG. Mira Sorvino as Daisy had long hair that was flat ironed at times. She looked more like a character on Friends, lol.
There's also a black & white version that was made in the 40s. I have yet to see that one, but it's supposedly very film noir as per the popular cinematic style of that time. I'd just like to see Shelley Winters as Myrtle (I love Shelley Winters).
I'm still holding out hope for a proper PBS version one day.
Why do people feel the need to write this kind of useless comment? It is happening more and more on this and other forums. Why be negative?
I noticed in 3 current movies that snippets of rap music were being blasted at the audience for no apparent reason other than to promote... rap? Or maybe the "artist" if you can call them that.
I thought it would be a topic for debate; Have you noticed it in other movies? and How do you feel about it?
Obviously MiamiRob who probably wasn't even alive to witness the birth of hip hop didn't like the idea and didn't care to comment with something intelligent.
At least many other posters agree with me. If I'm watching a "Boyz in the hood" type of movie I expect to hear some rap but if I'm watching "The Great Gatsby" then no.
Hollywood are you listening?
His comment wasn't useless. It actually inspired me to write this one. What is the difference? Rap exists as a music medium. Just because it doesn't sound "appropriate" to you when it comes on when you expect to hear hard rock doesn't mean that other people aren't looking to create or experience the unexpected. These are new times.
Why do people feel the need to write this kind of useless comment? It is happening more and more on this and other forums. Why be negative?
I noticed in 3 current movies that snippets of rap music were being blasted at the audience for no apparent reason other than to promote... rap? Or maybe the "artist" if you can call them that.
I thought it would be a topic for debate; Have you noticed it in other movies? and How do you feel about it? Obviously MiamiRob who probably wasn't even alive to witness the birth of hip hop didn't like the idea and didn't care to comment with something intelligent.
At least many other posters agree with me. If I'm watching a "Boyz in the hood" type of movie I expect to hear some rap but if I'm watching "The Great Gatsby" then no.
Hollywood are you listening?
yes I was around when hip-hop started 30 years ago hence my comment. It was tongue in cheek but I guess sarcasm doesn't translate well over the Internet. By the way I do agree with your remarks regarding the Great Gatsby.
Hip-Hop/Rap is an form of music genre so I would consider them "artists" regardless if it's not to your liking.
Over the weekend our local Drive In had a double feature that my wife wanted to see so off we went.
The movies were "Were' the Millers" and "The Heat" then last night we watched "Identity Theif'. Yeah I know poor me being forced to watch these but my wife wanted to see them and they were not that bad.
I did notice a disturbing trend in all 3 movies. Now I consider these to be average comedies aimed at a generally white audience with a median age of 42. I am sure the producers, director and everyone else involved in bringing these gems to market knew who their target audience was so why put in obnoxious rap music? In many clips the movie is moving along and suddenly rap was blasted at us for no apparent reason. Music should be appropriate and used to convey emotion or strive to make us feel something. One good example in "Were' the Millers" is when the main character goes into the strip club and Motley Crue is playing. It conveyed a message. Who doesn't think of strippers when they hear the Crue?
So to the movie score editors do we really need to be blasted with a unkown rap song or at least unkown to anyone over the age of 22 while we watch Mellisa McCarthy walk across the street?
Just who is trying to shove the hip hop generation in our faces? probably the same people sho told Miley it would be cool if she got creative with that foam finger.
Good to see someone speaking up about this.
This is a key reason why I (almost) never go to the movies anymore. Because I will not listen to rap/hip-hop and by that I mean I will walk out of the theater in the absence of overwhelming other redeeming qualities in the film. Got tired of wasting my money.
Sorry MiamiRob your sarcaasm didn't translate well and I didn't get it.
It is funny how people still seem to be attacking me for casual remarks meant to create a conversation. Maybe I'm not clear enough or maybe they are reading between the lines?? I do like rap when it is appropriate. I grew up in a time when rap was becoming mainstream, remember DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince? or how about LL cool J, Run DMC? Queen Latifah? All these people/groups were great with their sampling and their clever lyrics about observations of life and usually positive things. The groups from the 80's and even Eminem from the 90's were just good and dare I say classic. The rap people/groups today seem to have little talent but what they do have is talent for hype. In my opinion Kenye West has one good song, Chris Brown has none, Rhianna? At least she looks good in a bikini.... They are all a bunch of made product. Think about the rappers from the 80's that I mentioned above, most of them have gone on to acting and bigger things because... they have talent.
There is a running joke in the black community where all the acting jobs go to rappers who cannot act just because the studio wants a somewhat known black face to sell tickets. I think Hollywood is getting away from that a bit now thank goodness.
I stand by what I said in the original post that rap music doesn't belong in a predominantly white movie that is aimed at a 30+ crowd.
One question. Who the hell is Motley Crue and what the heck do they have to do with strippers? Maybe I'm not getting it cause I'm a black guy in my mid-20s, but that makes me think of the strict definition of, "Motley Crew."
As for Gatsby, people have already addressed this, but when F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote the novel, he wrote it without any type of regard for nostalgia. It was all about what was modern in the fast changing world of the 1920s. Of course, everything that was once cutting edge becomes nostalgic. The Jazz Age is no exception. Therefore, the director thought the addition of Hip-Hop music seemed to fit.
As for the Heat and We are the Millers. Those movies are marketed to everybody. They have very simple an mainstream plots that all audiences can enjoy, despite the race of the actors. Personally, I enjoyed them because of Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Anniston. Very well put together ladies for their age!
I'm still trying to get used to seeing rap music featured (complete with the "gangsta" hand gestures) in just about every back-to-school ad these days.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
" 
) in just about every back-to-school ad these days.
