As the rap genre evolves, some are critical of its current generation’s work, accusing it of producing mumble rap, streaming-influenced charts and the perception among some veteran artists that its successors lack artistry.
But to discredit these assertions is an injustice to rap as a genre as whole. How long will rap survive?
1. It’s a form of art
Rap is a form of art in which rhythmic or rhymed speech is performed with musical accompaniment, often called “rapping”, often featuring digital sampling (music or sound taken from other recordings). Rap generally belongs to hip hop culture which began in New York City during the 1970s, giving rise to such cultural touchstones as graffiti painting, DJing and break dancing as cornerstones of its success.
Rap lyrics typically feature unique slang not often encountered in everyday conversation, giving the genre its unique sound. Many critics have accused some rap songs of glorifying crime and violence while pointing out how this form of art can also serve to express social or political messages.
Rap is an art form that utilizes rhythm and poetry to convey messages and emotions through rhymed verse. Since its introduction in the 1990s, its popularity has steadily grown with Eminem and LL Cool J becoming superstars in their own right. Now more than ever before, new artists continue this genre’s legacy.
Rap is a form of art because of its ability to capture and express a sense of place. Many rap artists come from urban environments where they live, so their songs often describe these locales in detail – helping listeners gain an impression of place while providing rappers an avenue for communicating with their audiences.
Rap is an art form in its own right because of the use of rhymes and metaphors to express ideas and emotions through musical compositions, making the music more interesting and captivating to audiences. Furthermore, rap promotes social change while opening dialogue around difficult subjects.
Ice-T and Sister Souljah provide one shining example of rap as art: their work was heavily influenced by their upbringings in ghetto neighborhoods, writing music that expressed conditions plaguing black America and speaking out against injustice, with both artists being victims of gun-related violence themselves. Their activism resulted in criticism from Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton criticizing their music as well.
2. It’s a form of communication
Rap music isn’t simply entertainment; it is also an effective means of communication for rappers with their audiences. Many rappers use songs as a platform to address issues they feel strongly about – including violence, drugs, and poverty – issues which directly affect youth lives. Rappers can use music to raise awareness about these problems while encouraging individuals to take steps toward changing them.
Rappers often discuss issues they encounter in daily life in their songs, such as drug addiction, violence and poverty. While not glorifying such situations directly, rappers can use songs as an outlet to inspire hope and give hope to others going through similar circumstances; telling stories of how they overcame difficulties to succeed life may provide such hope – giving those going through similar problems the belief they too can get past any challenges in their own lives.
Rappers use music as another method to spread peace and anti-violence messages to their audiences, while simultaneously raising awareness of issues such as racism and discrimination in society. By raising this awareness among their listeners, rappers can encourage people to take the necessary steps towards creating a better world.
Rap has quickly become a global form of communication. Now a part of global vernacular, rap has also become the language of choice in many small communities; some may even face extinction without its help preserving both language and culture.
Rap music has had an enormous impact on culture as a whole, yet is particularly influential among teenagers and is seen more as music for teenagers than other musical genres. Some critics accuse rap of corrupting young minds; it is important to keep in mind that it is just one form of entertainment available today for young people.
3. It’s a form of entertainment
Rap music has quickly evolved from being a cultural movement into an industry, generating massive revenues for many artists. Although rap refers to rhythm and poetry, this genre encompasses many styles. No matter its criticisms, no one can deny that rap remains an integral part of contemporary culture.
Rap music emerged in New York City neighborhoods populated by African Americans during the early 1970s. Its first pioneer was likely deejay Kool Herc who used two turntables to produce sound for block parties in Bronx area of NYC using two turntables as sound systems to form hip hop music by mixing spoken rhyme with digital sampling and beats into his musical style known as hip hop music.
Hip hop quickly rose in popularity among youths who quickly adopted its musical and cultural hallmarks. Graffiti, DJing (which eventually evolved into MCing), break dancing and rap all developed as part of hip hop culture.
In the 1980s, rappers such as Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five produced “old school” rap music and lyrics with a party vibe, featuring jazz, rock and soul elements mixed in with social issues such as crime and drugs addressed through lyrics. Gangsta rap – glorifying inner city violence or reflecting it indirectly through lyrics – also emerged during this time period.
As hip-hop became more mainstream, rappers and MCs created “brands” they could use to market themselves; often portraying themselves as dynamic characters with individual personalities and talents that distinguished themselves from real life; the genre itself was defined by fast beats and catchy rhymes.
As the genre continued to develop, an East Coast/West Coast rivalry emerged, which was spurred by music business competition as well as artist/commercial integrity issues and personal conflicts between rappers themselves. Unfortunately, several famous rappers from this period were killed or injured in shootings or drive-by attacks that occurred between them, further strengthening its impact on global popular culture and global influence of rap music.
4. It’s a form of activism
Rap music has quickly become one of the most influential genres in modern music, serving as an effective form of activism and calling for social change. While critics may accuse it of violence, rap can give voice to those often silenced or forgotten; moreover, rappers frequently leverage their fame and wealth to support causes they believe in.
Although many view rap music as just another passing fad, its influence remains widely felt across clothing brands, movies and sports; not to mention how young people speak and act. Many lyrics of popular rap tracks aim to excite and provoke, often speaking out against historic oppression that Black Americans have endured in America – N.W.A’s song “F*** Tha Police” stands as an indictment against such injustices while Public Enemy draws upon Malcolm X’s ideas in their music to inspire more to fight systemic barriers that prevent truly free Black people from becoming independent citizens of their nation-state home nation-states.
Hip-hop culture encompasses much more than emceeing and beatboxing; it includes dance, graffiti and deejaying as well. First conceived of in New York City’s Bronx during the early 1970s, it has since spread globally and become an iconic form of popular culture. Rappers have always been powerful agents for change worldwide and at the forefront of popular culture today.
Though often maligned for its violence and misogyny, rap has long been seen as an invaluable medium of activism. It has inspired youth movements across numerous nations worldwide and continues to serve as a source of encouragement for activists today.
In the late ’80s, gangsta rap gained widespread acceptance through lyrics that glorified drug dealing and violence. This cultural phenomenon caused riots to break out across America as well as global protest movements; its rise represented inner city urban chaos while simultaneously highlighting contradictions within American culture; this form of hip hop remains relevant today and has continued to shape society over time.