Rapp Is Poetry
Is Hip-Hop/Rap Poetry? Over the past several years, hip-hop's/music standing has been tumbling. Criticizers of the genre often arguably point at the extreme cursing, degradation of women, and adoration of the "gangsta" lifestyle as major flaw in rap songwriting. However, it is important that these characteristics only describe a small section of hip-hop. Most rap songs are actually very poetic, as they feature the rhythms and verses, poetic devices, and themes that are crucial elements of traditional poetry. Many rappers use the rhythms and rhyme schemes that are characteristic of poetry in their songwriting. Today’s generation expresses of love, death, self-expression, personal, political, and social issues, poverty and riches, and life involvements. They entwine these thoughts artistically and creatively within strong rhythms and captivating tunes that capture the minds of the listener. The mind-set of today’s adolescence can be found within the lyrics of the music that they listen to. Both rappers and poets write about the same subjects. For example the rap unit NWA, and the poet Alice Walker, both talk about the topic of being from a compression race. Alice Walker writes in one of her poems that "there is no planet stranger than the one Im from”. What she is saying is that the world is strange because people judge others by their skin color. The method NWA takes is a more arrogant one, but still expressive. In one of there most notorious the songs "Fuck Tha Police", NWA says " Young nigga got it bad cuz im brown, And not the other color so police think, they have the authority to kill a minority". Another common subject between poets and rappers is "ghetto life". Allot of African American rapper and poets come from a life of struggle that they channel into their writing and poetry.
When it comes to poets and rappers, the biggest similarities are their appeal to transfer a message. The substance may different, but the need to enduce an emotional response
When it comes to poets and rappers, the biggest similarities are their appeal to transfer a message. The substance may different, but the need to enduce an emotional response