TheRapGenius

we didn't go to andover or exeter lol (yale tho, guilty). we just made the website because we like rap and making websites and kept at it because it's been really interesting. we don't claim personally to be authorities, but we try to engineer the website in a way that produces interesting writing about rap and other stuff

i don't consider hip-hop this or that thing. it's a big question

-ilan

we've tried this a little bit, but it always comes out annoying -ilan

TOM: I had little interest in rap lyrics until 2009 when my friends started pausing the track and breaking down verses for me in real-time, after which my appreciation went from "I like this beat!" to "holy shit these lyrics are insane! why don't more people appreciate this?"

The site started as an outgrowth of my beginning to love rap and love the particular style of listening to rap where you try to understand exactly what's going on / what every reference is. And of course I was tickled by the idea of turning around those who didn't think rap was lyrically sophisticated.

So from the beginning the philosophy of the site was that everyone who's into art should be into rap too. And if you're REALLY into rap and want to spend a bunch of time dissecting exactly why it's good, you can sign up for Rap Genius and contribute regardless of your background. And if you're really REALLY into it, maybe start a website that let's people do this and devote your life to it..

TOM: honestly i still listen to blue chips and 10day a lot.. (#stuckin2012)

we thought raekwon was making a semi-obscure lex luger reference in this one, but he told us nope http://rapgenius.com/861263 -ilan