“Call me Mr. Flintstone, I can make your bed rock.”
A simple pun, yet very intriguing to the 7th
grade version of myself. In fact, I
found the Young Money line so entertaining that I wrote it on the top of my 7th
grade science worksheet about the layers of the Earth. When I asked my dad for help with my
homework, he saw the suggestive line, and was very distressed to learn about my
new love of rap music. “You better not
be listening to that rap crap”, he would tell me. Did I listen?
Of course not. And thus began my
love of rap music.
For myself, and hopefully for fellow rap fans, good rap
music is nothing short of poetry with a beat.
If you do not feel this way, you’re probably not listening to the right
artists. A lot of what is played on the
radio is catchy, but often not very intelligent (or comprehensible, for that
matter). Not to say that my idea of “good rap”
isn’t played on the radio, because it is, it’s just mixed in with so much
“whipping” and “nae nae-ing” that it’s often indiscernible.
So what exactly is “good rap”? Well for myself and for many others, “good
rap” is rap that is meaningful and thought out, whether through lyrics or
through the music itself. I like lyrics
that make me think and challenge my mind, but also entertain me. I like music that makes me feel
something. There really is nothing like
the feeling of hearing a song and relating deeply to the lyrics; it’s an
astonishing experience. Just as
rewarding is the experience of listening to a song and realizing what the
lyrics mean, whether it be a simple pun or a metaphor extended throughout the verses. The creativity and thought put into many rap
lyrics never ceases to astound me. Contrary
to the beliefs of my father, rapping takes talent. Rappers are poets, who also have the
challenge of putting their poetry to music that makes sense and helps listeners
understand the lyrics even better.
Rap can also tell a
story. After listening to a rapper for
extended periods of time, the listener often feels as if they know the artist
on a personal level. The rapper invites
listeners on a journey through their experiences. Maybe this journey invokes feelings within us
that we didn’t know existed, or maybe we discover the ability to relate to and
sympathize with people and experiences that we never thought possible. Rap is such a diverse field of music; it can
make us feel happy, sad, angry, or maybe make us feel a little bit in the
mood.
Now you know why I love rap music and why I believe
everyone should as well. So, what
qualifies me to write a blog about rap music?
Absolutely nothing. Nothing, that
is, except for my passion for music and an outlet through which I can let that
passion flow. Few things make me as
happy as getting the chance to listen to music.
This blog is rap through the eyes of a southern, white, 18-year-old
girl. However, my demographics do not
discredit my love of the genre. I grew
up in an area where rap was looked down upon; country music is what was played
on every station in my hometown. But
country music just doesn’t do it for me.
Rap does. The genre of rap can be
under appreciated and written off easily by people who never gave it a
chance. If you’ve never given it a
chance, maybe this blog will change your mind.
If you already love the genre, then to you I say “no new friends”.
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