Rap isn’t music – says the Ignorant fool.
This is something that I find comes up a lot when talking to sheltered white kids, so I figured I’d get my thoughts on the subject down.
First off, I feel it’s entirely ignorant to invalidate an entire culture of music because you’re not into it. Not to mention, it’s foolish to base an entire genre off of a few songs you’ve heard or seen on TV.
Now, if you’re under the assumption that rap consists of one guy standing around spitting lyrics, your definition is very limited. Although ppitting solo is more of a poetry with advanced rhythm and inflection, rap can be and is often so much more.
Music is simply an expression of emotion, like any art, but in the form of sound organized in time – usually containing elements of rhythm, melody, timbre and other qualities. Not all need to be present to qualify the piece as music. A drum solo may not have the harmony of a full symphony, but that does not disqualify it from being music.
Rappers use a wide variety of voice timbre when producing their music, as well as various rythyms and dynamics. Inflection and tempo are obvious examples, otherwise you’d never be able to distinguish one rapper’s style from another (those of you who claim you can’t are obviously not listening).
The tracks laid behind the lyrics, especially during the chorus, often include both a beat and some form of melody. Go out and listen to some Andre 3000, Wu-Tang, Dr. Dre, Onyx, or any number of the better artists. Hell, the song Conspiracy by Onyx uses a fucking Violin!
If you choose not to like Rap because it’s just not for you, fine. However, trying to say it’s not music is like declaring to the world that you’re living your life couped up in your own little cave of self-culture. You’re missing out on some amazing music and I feel sorry for you.
