Hip hop is more than a genre of music, it is a form of art, a form of creation and even a lifestyle. From the words of KRS-One “Rap is something we do, Hip Hop is something we live”. “Hip Hop is the collective consciousness that enables one to create & practice the art of not only rap, but other artistic Hip Hop elements. There are 9 Hip Hop Elements- Breakin (break dancing), Deejayin, Graffiti Art, Emceein, Street Knowledge, Beatboxing, Street Language, Street Fashion, Street Entrepreneurialism- trade & business.” This means that Hip Hop isn’t only a genre, it’s a lifestyle, it’s how people choose to live, and Rap in general, is only an extension of rap.
Now that we know the difference, we can talk about rap as a genre. Rap is an ever-changing form of music and art that has many influences. Rap is able to invoke emotions, it has the amazing ability to tell a story, to show you exactly what happening, with excruciating detail. This is what initially drew me to this genre.
I was first introduced to Rap by two of my closest friends, Oliver and Sam Sharma. They introduced me to many of the artists that I listen to these days. They laid down the roadwork for what has become something that I cannot live without. The first “true” rap song that I heard was Ghetto dreams by Common featuring Nas. I absolutely loved the upbeat and fast tempo. It made me want to jam to the song all night long, but as well as keeping me relaxed. This led me into many other artists such as Mos Def, Biggie smalls, Ice Cube, and the Wu-tang Clan.
I enjoy Rap because of its originality, because of its intelligent lyrics, but mainly because of its ability to convey a message or a story, while keeping it interesting and captivating.
Rap is a genre that requires originality to make it big and become a well-known name in the rap community. Being the same as another artist, having a similar flow, or having similar word play will get you nowhere. It’s what sets apart each individual artist from another. It’s what makes an artist worth listening to. It’s what made Kanye west such a big hit and well known artist. When the rap community was dominated by gangsta rap, he came out with a new style of rap called soul rap. It completely changed the genre by allowing slow and mellow beats, that make you want to relax and lay back, gain a foothold. He even out sold 50 cent, who was a huge name at that time. This cemented Kanye West as an important and respected person.
Rap’s intelligent lyrics are something that I look up to. It is a form of writing, a form of poetry that rivals even Shakespeare’s word play. The words that are used make a huge difference. A play on words, metaphors, double entrendes, and intricate word play add an intellectual twist to many songs. Intelligence in the choice of words isn't the only form of intellect in play here, but the actual messages, and how they can apply to life are the other form. Aesop rock, an overlooked amazing artist, is well known for this. He is known for being the most lyrical artist to ever touch the mic, his wordplay rivals even that of Shakespeare.
The final component of rap that pulls it all together, has to be the art of storytelling. Story telling is the part of rap that makes it different from all the other genres. The ability to string together words like an intricate piece of needlework completes this genre, making the listener excited to hear what sophisticated poetry will come out of the speakers next. The best rap songs are the ones you can listen over and over, finding the new meanings and small things that make the story different every time. Common, one of my favourite artists was well known for this. In his song, I used to love H.E.R, he uses the art of storytelling to convey an amazing message that you will not understand till the end. He pull a scarf over the eyes of all the first time listeners.
All these elements are what makes rap such an important thing to me. There is so many things that I have yet to discover, many hidden messages and stories in many rap songs that I have yet to find. This, is why I love rap, and will always be listening for the next new artist, the next new style, the next new beat to hit the rap game.
My top artists
1. Nas
2. Common
3. OutKast
Now that we know the difference, we can talk about rap as a genre. Rap is an ever-changing form of music and art that has many influences. Rap is able to invoke emotions, it has the amazing ability to tell a story, to show you exactly what happening, with excruciating detail. This is what initially drew me to this genre.
I was first introduced to Rap by two of my closest friends, Oliver and Sam Sharma. They introduced me to many of the artists that I listen to these days. They laid down the roadwork for what has become something that I cannot live without. The first “true” rap song that I heard was Ghetto dreams by Common featuring Nas. I absolutely loved the upbeat and fast tempo. It made me want to jam to the song all night long, but as well as keeping me relaxed. This led me into many other artists such as Mos Def, Biggie smalls, Ice Cube, and the Wu-tang Clan.
I enjoy Rap because of its originality, because of its intelligent lyrics, but mainly because of its ability to convey a message or a story, while keeping it interesting and captivating.
Rap is a genre that requires originality to make it big and become a well-known name in the rap community. Being the same as another artist, having a similar flow, or having similar word play will get you nowhere. It’s what sets apart each individual artist from another. It’s what makes an artist worth listening to. It’s what made Kanye west such a big hit and well known artist. When the rap community was dominated by gangsta rap, he came out with a new style of rap called soul rap. It completely changed the genre by allowing slow and mellow beats, that make you want to relax and lay back, gain a foothold. He even out sold 50 cent, who was a huge name at that time. This cemented Kanye West as an important and respected person.
Rap’s intelligent lyrics are something that I look up to. It is a form of writing, a form of poetry that rivals even Shakespeare’s word play. The words that are used make a huge difference. A play on words, metaphors, double entrendes, and intricate word play add an intellectual twist to many songs. Intelligence in the choice of words isn't the only form of intellect in play here, but the actual messages, and how they can apply to life are the other form. Aesop rock, an overlooked amazing artist, is well known for this. He is known for being the most lyrical artist to ever touch the mic, his wordplay rivals even that of Shakespeare.
The final component of rap that pulls it all together, has to be the art of storytelling. Story telling is the part of rap that makes it different from all the other genres. The ability to string together words like an intricate piece of needlework completes this genre, making the listener excited to hear what sophisticated poetry will come out of the speakers next. The best rap songs are the ones you can listen over and over, finding the new meanings and small things that make the story different every time. Common, one of my favourite artists was well known for this. In his song, I used to love H.E.R, he uses the art of storytelling to convey an amazing message that you will not understand till the end. He pull a scarf over the eyes of all the first time listeners.
All these elements are what makes rap such an important thing to me. There is so many things that I have yet to discover, many hidden messages and stories in many rap songs that I have yet to find. This, is why I love rap, and will always be listening for the next new artist, the next new style, the next new beat to hit the rap game.
My top artists
1. Nas
2. Common
3. OutKast
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This song shows Kanye's Producing skills, which is what hes known for. | An example of Aesop Rocks unrivaled lyricism. Every time I listen to this, I find new things. | This song is what put Common on the map, its an amazing song. Perfectly showcases the art of story telling. |