10th October 2008 - by Daniel Millions
Rap Music From the Past to the Present
The origin of rap started sometime in the mid 1970's in
communities thriving with people of African American and
Hispanic descent who were music performers in New York city.
During the foundation of rap, this genre of music was
associated with a nimble style of dancing that is known today
as break dancing. The term rap was derived from a slang word
for conversation during the 1960s.
It generally consisted of song, usually spontaneous verses
along with a range of well known recordings such as funk or
disco music. Critics have condemned most rap music for its
endorsement of violence and hatred of women; while others have
recognized it as a creative exploitation of cultural expression
and acclaim many rappers with an ardent social and political
awareness.
Rap music has influenced several forms of popular culture,
mainly the film industry, and has been increasingly
incorporated in pop music. Some of the early rap groups include
Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash. Some of the more
well-known rap artists include the legendary Eazy-E, Dr. Dre,
2Pac, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas, and
Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony.
Rap music is a form of musical poetry; the beat has rhythm and
the song lyrics flow to it. The lyrics to rap songs give the
listener a glimpse to a certain point of view, the lyrics
describes the lives of the rapper and usually tells the
listener the struggles the young black rapper had to go through
in his life. Some rap song lyrics also have a dark side and
most people associate rap lyrics with disrespect for women and
violence because many rap lyrics talks about killing rival
rappers and shooting cops. In the early 1990's the rivalry
between west coast rappers and east coast rappers claimed the
lives of the two biggest rappers of their era, Tupac Shakur and
The Notorious B.I.G.
The positive side of rap music consists of a lot of artistic
value, but one has to look for it real hard. Take 2Pac (Tupac
Shakur) for example, 2Pac might have had the same kind of sound
as most of the so called rappers that are putting out album
after album now a days, however, 2Pac was a true poet and
lyricist. One could take some (not all) of his lyrics and find
art within them. He chose rap to deliver his poetry through his
lyrics, because that is what he was most at ease with
doing.
To most people, the music is half the song; the song lyrics are
just as equally important as the music. In the song lyrics to
2Pac's Dear Mama he talks about how his mother didn't always do
the right thing but he still appreciated all the sacrifices
that she had to make to raise him. Not all rap lyrics are about
putting down women, shooting cops, driving Escalades and making
money.
Today's rappers may have catchy rhythms and lyrics to their
music and many young people are impressed with the fancy cars
and half naked girls in the videos, but it's just all the same,
in every song. Most of the songs and lyrics have the same or
similar rhythm with semi-carefully placed keyboard melodies and
pounding bass that's good for dancing. So maybe it's art in its
own realm.
Article Source: http://www.megamusictalent.com
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