15 comments

1. 

   Comment by Darqwon 2010 [Ahead Of The Game] on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   I see I am in the minority here, but I believe the beat is actually a tab more important than lyrics when it comes to hip-hop.
   You said it yourself; it IS music.
   For me, if the beat isn’t listenable, I could give a rat’s ass how hot the lyrics are.

   Lyrics are crucial to quality hip-hop, but to be honest, I have many times found it easier to listen to a dope beat with pedestrian lyrics than the dopest rhymes over a weak track.

   Bullsh!t beats tend to irk me after a while.

2. 

   Comment by DUBYA: Let the Sugar Lo Flow! on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   The beat should matter but it should not make or break the song. It should help enhance the lyrics but not outshine it.

3. 

   Comment by THE SAVIOR HAS LANDED. on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   To people that speak Punjabi.

   Beats will never be as important that lyrics.

4. 

   Comment by L.Y.R.I.C on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   well making beats is a talent, don’t get me wrong, but it’s mostly computerized and i think writing lyrics is much harder considering they come from the mind and the soul and its not as easy to write all those clever rhymes and amazing lyrics as it seems. I’m not saying making beats is easy, it’s really hard to come up with the right beat, just lyrics are more important.

   If your asking are good lyrics more important or good beats, i would say good lyrics by far. I’d rather listen to a song with a bad beat but amazing lyrics rather than an amazing beat with horrible lyrics.

5. 

   Comment by diggy64 on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   It’s gotta be a complete package for me, although if they are mutually exclusive then the quality of one can still be revered without the other.

6. 

   Comment by Dom T on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   they are because alot of time ppl listen to a song just for the beat

7. 

   Comment by stoev8 on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   lyrics to a bad beat is a waste
   a good beat with crap lyrics is a waste

   they need each other

8. 

   Comment by Nikki (visit my new blog! Now!) on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   Cosign Dubya. The beat is there to enhance the listeners experience. Thats what they are there for. TO give cadence to an emcee’s words.

9. 

   Comment by subtlebeauty on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

   I don’t think beats should be equal to lyrics, but beat is definately important! Regardless it takes mad skill to be good at either one.Thats why I appreciate rappers who can do both, rap and produce, i.e J dilla, Kanye

10. 

    Comment by SHELLTOE(cant afford to be rich) on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

    i think there both equally important. for me beats are a little more important but thats just me. also with lyrics the delivery has to be good. i mean you can have great lyrics but if your delivery sucks well it kinda ruins everything.

11. 

    Comment by SwaGs_TasTic on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

    Its a packaged deal I believe. Noone wants to listen to a song and the lyrics suck or vice versa. The lyrics are the core of the song and the beats are the dressing that gives it that extra flavor.

    But at the same time there are instrumentals that are just so good by themselves that lyrics and words just aren’t needed. Those are the songs that evoke some type of feelings that only the listener can descriibe

12. 

    Comment by Dominic on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

    Absolutely. I will refuse to listen to a song, no matter how great the lyrics are, if the song has a horrible beat.

13. 

    Comment by WeHigh420 on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

    i dno bout u ppl, but wen i listen to a song i cant even concentrate on da lyrics cuz im soo absorbed by da beat !

    mannn, im frkn addicted to da beats, especially some sickass onez like da beginning part of "the reincarnation" by lil wayne or any lil wayne song at all

    ahh<33 music iznt only lyrics, ya kno? i dont even pay attention to da lyrics, cuz for me its da beat dat makes it music.

14. 

    Comment by Kevin D (D. Original) on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

    I need a good beat. Of course lyrics are important but if I had to choose between wack lyrics over a hot beat and hot lyrics over a wack beat I choose the former.

15. 

    Comment by Professor Anthrax [Ph.D] on September 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

    Generally speaking no.

    Depending on what you prefer in your music period, Beats may be equally important.

    For me personally…apart from cases where an MC has shown REPEATEDLY that he can outshine or amplify a BAD beat, The second i hear a weak loop or a pattern that sounds erratic, My brain switches off.

    Plus, If you consider all the people who are sucked into songs with awful lyrics that have catchy beats. Beats are probably MORE important than lyrics in this day and age.

    Beats unto themselves are important to me..that’s why i love my instrumental albums. But i don’t think they are half as important as people like to make out.

    A good lyricist can make an established force in hip hop of themselves in hip hop with no beats. (at least critically, if not commercially) A bad lyricist with great beats will always do well commercially. (Depending on what’s "Important" to you. You can make up your own mind on that idea.