Weekly Question #21! by the girl who made an icon especially for it...
So I thought long and hard about the question I wanted to ask this time, and I know it will probably confuse you, but it's been on my mind lately, so why not aske here?
So here's this week's question?
Why do you think that Sho is the 'designated rapper', and how do you react to 'Sakurap'?
So I suppose I should start this off with a story. I bought My Girl, the single, (8D) and I was listening to it while procrastinating, and I'm sure you all know that Tokeijikake no Anburera is the second song on there. I happily listened to the song, and when my little brother came by I offered him an earbud. He was so into it he started trying to dance XD he made me play it over and over, and he took the earbud out of the computer. My mom was also in the room, and Tokei is guilty of hosting Sakurap. She gave me an incredulous look and asked: "you're listening to rap?"
This was the basis for the second part of my question. I hate rap of nearly any form, and yet Sakurap is an exception. I told my mom that it was different than American rap, but she only returned that it sounded the same to her. And it's true, rap is rap, and to most Americans that means you're either black or Eminem/Jamie Kennedy. (kidding O_O) So really to me, Japanese rap is a bit of a joke, and again I find myself rather enjoying Sakurap. WHY!?!?! I'm completely contradicting myself! But I think the reason I can is because of what Sho raps about. I know that Sho didn't start writing the raps to the songs until they were a couple of years in, but that just astounds me more, that he was dedicated enough to think about what the song was trying to get across and use a rap to add to it. The example I pull up now is BELIEVE. Have you listened to/read translations of the lyrics? They're pretty philosophical. I think of it as a song about moving forward, overcoming obstacles, and the rap goes into how he may have been doing things only because they helped himself, and how they want to do better, get past that and make the future a good place to be heading. In a sense, it's about getting over yourself, and I never see that here. A very long time ago now, at the opening post of this community, a member said she enjoyed Arashi because there was a sort of sense of innocence to they're lyrics. His lyrics go beyond just innocence and into realistic, taking into consideration things that really do affect him, and anyone, and using his words to make people think about things maybe a little bit differently.
Sho definitely makes his raps something worth listening to. (so why am i trying to give my other je groups air time?)
So the first part was why do you think he's designated? If you've seen the SCP from early this summer, the one Sho was in... you would have heard/ read how the JE groups before Arashi didn't have a specific person to always do the rapping, they often swapped. I remember when I first started paying attention to Arashi, I thought it was Ohno who was the rapper, because the others just did not have the image that they would do it. [my friend tried to get me into kat-tun before I found myself :)] So actually, I want to know why you guys think he's the one who ended up doing it, why he continued to do it. (Yes he probably answered this in SCP, but it's been 5 months, you can cheat and I won't know it xD)
but seriously, look at that icon....does that man look like he raps for a living?!
Remember, if it helps you, write out your answer first, and then look at other responses, or use mine as a reference if you're lost, and you don't have to type a novel if you don't have the time. Just remember, we don't allow single line posts :) though I ask such odd questions I can't see how you'd only write one sentence to it xD
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So here's this week's question?
Why do you think that Sho is the 'designated rapper', and how do you react to 'Sakurap'?
So I suppose I should start this off with a story. I bought My Girl, the single, (8D) and I was listening to it while procrastinating, and I'm sure you all know that Tokeijikake no Anburera is the second song on there. I happily listened to the song, and when my little brother came by I offered him an earbud. He was so into it he started trying to dance XD he made me play it over and over, and he took the earbud out of the computer. My mom was also in the room, and Tokei is guilty of hosting Sakurap. She gave me an incredulous look and asked: "you're listening to rap?"
This was the basis for the second part of my question. I hate rap of nearly any form, and yet Sakurap is an exception. I told my mom that it was different than American rap, but she only returned that it sounded the same to her. And it's true, rap is rap, and to most Americans that means you're either black or Eminem/Jamie Kennedy. (kidding O_O) So really to me, Japanese rap is a bit of a joke, and again I find myself rather enjoying Sakurap. WHY!?!?! I'm completely contradicting myself! But I think the reason I can is because of what Sho raps about. I know that Sho didn't start writing the raps to the songs until they were a couple of years in, but that just astounds me more, that he was dedicated enough to think about what the song was trying to get across and use a rap to add to it. The example I pull up now is BELIEVE. Have you listened to/read translations of the lyrics? They're pretty philosophical. I think of it as a song about moving forward, overcoming obstacles, and the rap goes into how he may have been doing things only because they helped himself, and how they want to do better, get past that and make the future a good place to be heading. In a sense, it's about getting over yourself, and I never see that here. A very long time ago now, at the opening post of this community, a member said she enjoyed Arashi because there was a sort of sense of innocence to they're lyrics. His lyrics go beyond just innocence and into realistic, taking into consideration things that really do affect him, and anyone, and using his words to make people think about things maybe a little bit differently.
Sho definitely makes his raps something worth listening to. (so why am i trying to give my other je groups air time?)
So the first part was why do you think he's designated? If you've seen the SCP from early this summer, the one Sho was in... you would have heard/ read how the JE groups before Arashi didn't have a specific person to always do the rapping, they often swapped. I remember when I first started paying attention to Arashi, I thought it was Ohno who was the rapper, because the others just did not have the image that they would do it. [my friend tried to get me into kat-tun before I found myself :)] So actually, I want to know why you guys think he's the one who ended up doing it, why he continued to do it. (Yes he probably answered this in SCP, but it's been 5 months, you can cheat and I won't know it xD)
but seriously, look at that icon....does that man look like he raps for a living?!
Remember, if it helps you, write out your answer first, and then look at other responses, or use mine as a reference if you're lost, and you don't have to type a novel if you don't have the time. Just remember, we don't allow single line posts :) though I ask such odd questions I can't see how you'd only write one sentence to it xD
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