[March 2016] Talib Kweli responds to Gene Simmons saying he's 'looking forward to the death of rap'

[CareBear08]

Rapper Talib Kweli has hit back at Kiss singer Gene Simmons, who recently said that he is "looking forward to the death of rap" in an interview.

The rock frontman recently spoke to Rolling Stone when he referred to rap as "just talking". Kweli has now responded by tweeting "Would it be unfair of me to say I'm looking forward to the death [of Gene Simmons] or nah?"

After Simmons suggested he was just stating that "everything is cyclical, even music", the hip-hop artist added: "Pointing out everything is "cyclical" is different than "looking forward" to things dying. Do better Gene."
 

Click here to view the Tweet

 

Click here to view the Tweet

 

Click here to view the Tweet

 

Click here to view the Tweet

 

Simmons had previously told Rolling Stone: "I am looking forward to the death of rap. I'm looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I'm concerned, is by definition lyric and melody… or just melody."

"I'm all for anybody talking," he added. "'Wild Thing' was talking: 'Wild thing, she makes my heart sing/ she makes everything … .' There's no melody there. That's cool. Napoleon XIV, 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' That's a funny song, but those are novelty records. So was Dickie Goodman and 'Mr. Jaws.'

 

These were all hits, by the way. But predominantly, music is about melody and lyric, whether it's rap or doo-wop, or yeah, even rock."

 

Asked why he never connected with rap music, Simmons replied: "I don't have the cultural background to appreciate being a gangster. Of course that's not what it's all about, but that's where it comes from. That's the heart and soul of it. It came from the streets".

He continued: "Rap will die. Next year, 10 years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along. And all that is good and healthy."

 

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/gene-simmons/92403#zkpx1ylJsKTW1kCD.99

[ryokonicheiress]

 

 

"I don't have the cultural background to appreciate being a gangster. Of course that's not what it's all about, but that's where it comes from. 

 

[swiftswitchsurf]

Technically Gene, you don't have the cultural background to appreciate Rock's origins either. But you do all the same.