Rapping

"Rap" and "Rapper" redirect here. For other uses, seeRap (disambiguation).

This article is about rapping as a technique or activity. For more information on the music genre, seeHip hop music.

American rapper50 Cent(Curtis Jackson) sporting ahip-hoplook atWarfield Theatre,San Francisco, June 3, 2010

New Zealand rapperKing Kapisi(Bill Urale) made a basketball-themed music video for his 2005 single "Raise Up".

Rapping(alsorhyming,flowing,spitting,emceeingorMCing) is anartisticform of vocal delivery andemotiveexpression that incorporates "rhyme,rhythmicspeech, and [commonly] streetvernacular".It is usually performed over a backingbeatormusicalaccompaniment.The components of rap include "content" (what is being said, e.g.,lyrics), "flow" (rhythm,rhyme), and "delivery" (cadence,tone).Rap differs fromspoken-word poetryin that it is usually performed off-time to musical accompaniment.It also differs fromsinging,which varies inpitchand doesnot always include words.Because they do not rely on pitch inflection, some rap artists may play with timbre or other vocal qualities. Rap is a primary ingredient ofhip hop music,and so commonly associated with the genre that it is sometimes called "rap music".

Precursors to modern rap music include the West Africangriottradition,certain vocal styles ofbluesandjazz,an African-American insult game calledplaying the dozens(seeBattle rapandDiss),and 1960s African-American poetry.Stemming from thehip-hop cultural movement,rap musicoriginated inthe Bronx,New York City,in the early 1970s and became part of popular music later that decade.Rapping developed from the role ofmaster of ceremonies(MC) at parties within the scene, who would encourage and entertain guests between DJ sets, which evolved into longer performances.

Rap is usually delivered over abeat,typically provided by aDJ,turntablist,orbeatboxerwhen performing live. Much less commonly a rapper can decide to performa cappella,meaning without accompaniment of any sort, beat(s) included. When a rap orhip-hopartist is creating a song, "track", or record, done primarily in a production studio, most frequently aproducerprovides the beat(s) for the MC toflowover. Stylistically, rap occupies a gray area between speech, prose, poetry, andsinging.The word, which predates the musical form, originally meant "to lightly strike",and is now used to describe quick speech or repartee.The word has been used in theEnglish languagesince the 16th century. In the 1960s the word became a slang term meaning "to converse" inAfrican American vernacular,and very soon after that came to denote the musical style.The word "rap" is so closely associated with hip-hop music that many writers use the terms interchangeably.

History

See also:African-American music,Music of the United States,History of poetry,Jamaican music,andTalking blues

Etymology and usage

The English verbraphas various meanings; these include "to strike, especially with a quick, smart, or light blow",as well "to utter sharply or vigorously: to rap out a command".TheShorter Oxford English Dictionarygives a date of 1541 for the first recorded use of the word with the meaning "to utter (esp. an oath) sharply, vigorously, or suddenly".Wentworth andFlexner'sDictionary of American Slanggives the meaning "to speak to, recognize, or acknowledge acquaintance with someone", dated 1932,and a later meaning of "to converse, esp. in an open and frank manner".It is these meanings from which the musical form ofrappingderives, and this definition may be from a shortening ofrepartee.Arapperrefers to a performer who "raps". By the late 1960s, when Hubert G. Brown changed his name toH. Rap Brown,rapwas a slang term referring to an oration or speech, such as was common among the "hip" crowd in the protest movements, but it did not come to be associated with a musical style for another decade.

Rapwas used to describe talking on records as early as 1970 onIsaac Hayes' album...To Be Continuedwith the track name "Monologue: Ike's Rap I".Hayes' "husky-voiced sexy spoken 'raps' became key components in his signature sound".Del the Funky Homosapiensimilarly states thatrapwas used to refer to talking in a stylistic manner in the early 1970s: "I was born in '72... back then what rapping meant, basically, was you trying to convey something—you're trying to convince somebody. That's what rapping is, it's in the way you talk."

Rap is sometimes said to be an acronym for 'RhythmAndPoetry', though this is not the origin of the wordand so may be abackronym.

Roots and origin

TheMemphis Jug Band,an early blues group, whose lyrical content and rhythmic singing predated rapping

Similarities to rapping can be observed in West African chanting folk traditions. Centuries beforehip-hop musicexisted, thegriotsof West Africans were delivering storiesrhythmically,overdrumsand sparse instrumentation. Such resemblances have been noted by many modern artists, modern day "griots",spoken wordartists, mainstream news sources, and academics.Rap lyrics and music are part of the "Black rhetorical continuum", continuing past traditions of expanding upon them through "creative use of language and rhetorical styles and strategies".

Blues,rootedin thework songsandspiritualsofslavery,was first played by black Americans around the time of theEmancipation Proclamation.This way of preaching, unique to African-Americans, called theBlack sermonic traditioninfluenced singers and musicians such as 1940s African-American gospel groupThe Jubalaires.The Jubalaire's songs "The Preacher and the Bear" (1941) and "Noah" (1946) are precursors to the genre of rap music. The Jubalaires and other African-American singing groups during the blues, jazz, and gospel era are examples of the origins and development of rap music.Grammy-winning blues musician/historianElijah Waldand others have argued that the blues were being rapped as early as the 1920s.Wald went so far as to callhip hop"the living blues".A notable recorded example of rapping in blues was the 1950 song "Gotta Let You Go" byJoe Hill Louis.

Jazz,which developed from the blues and other African-American and European musical traditions and originated around the beginning of the 20th century, has also influenced hip hop and has been cited as a precursor of hip hop. Not just jazz music and lyrics but alsojazz poetry.According to John Sobol, the jazz musician and poet who wroteDigitopia Blues,rap "bears a striking resemblance to the evolution of jazz both stylistically and formally".BoxerMuhammad Alianticipated elements of rap, often usingrhyme schemesandspoken wordpoetry, both for when he wastrash talkingin boxing and aspolitical poetryfor his activism outside of boxing, paving the way forThe Last Poetsin 1968,Gil Scott-Heronin 1970, and the emergence of rap music in the 1970s.An editor of the newspaper,The Fayetteville Observerinterviewed Bill Curtis of the disco-funk music group theFatback Bandin 2020. Curtis noted that when he moved to the Bronx in the 1970s he heard people rapping over scratched records throughout the neighborhoods and radio DJs were rapping before the genre was released on retail recordings. The Fatback Band released the first rap recordingKing Tim III (Personality Jock)a few weeks before theSugarhill Gangin 1979.In another interview Curtis said: "There was rapping in the Bronx and the cats there had been doing it for a while...Fatback certainly didn't invent rap or anything. I was just interested in it and I guess years later we were the first to record it. At the time you could already see cats rapping everywhere in the streets and doing stuff."

With the decline ofdiscoin the early 1980s rap became a new form of expression. Rap arose from musical experimentation with rhyming, rhythmic speech. Rap was a departure from disco. Sherley Anne Williams refers to the development of rap as "anti-Disco" in style and means of reproduction. The early productions of Rap after Disco sought a more simplified manner of producing the tracks they were to sing over. Williams explains how Rap composers and DJ's opposed the heavily orchestrated and ritzy multi-tracks of Disco for "break beats" which were created from compiling different records from numerous genres and did not require the equipment from professionalrecording studios.Professional studios were not necessary therefore opening the production of rap to the youth who as Williams explains felt "locked out" because of the capital needed to produce Disco records.

More directly related to the African-American community were items like schoolyard chants and taunts,clapping games,jump-rope rhymes,some with unwritten folk histories going back hundreds of years across many nationalities. Sometimes these items contain racially offensive lyrics.

Proto-rap

In his narration between the tracks onGeorge Russell's 1958 jazz albumNew York, N.Y.,the singerJon Hendricksrecorded something close to modern rap, since it all rhymed and was delivered in a hip, rhythm-conscious manner. Art forms such as spoken word jazz poetry and comedy records had an influence on the first rappers.Coke La Rock,often credited as hip-hop's first MCcites theLast Poetsamong his influences, as well as comedians such asWild Man SteveandRichard Pryor.ComedianRudy Ray Moorereleased under the counter albums in the 1960s and 1970s such asThis Pussy Belongs to Me(1970), which contained "raunchy, sexually explicit rhymes that often had to do with pimps, prostitutes, players, and hustlers",and which later led to him being called "The Godfather of Rap".

Gil Scott-Heron,a jazz poet/musician, has been cited as an influence on rappers such asChuck DandKRS-One.Scott-Heron himself was influenced byMelvin Van Peebles,whose first album was 1968'sBrer Soul.Van Peebles describes his vocal style as "the old Southern style", which was influenced by singers he had heard growing up in SouthChicago.Van Peebles also said that he was influenced by older forms ofAfrican-American music:"... people likeBlind Lemon Jeffersonand the field hollers. I was also influenced by spoken word song styles from Germany that I encountered when I lived in France. "

During the mid-20th century, the musical culture of the Caribbean was constantly influenced by the concurrent changes inAmerican music.As early as 1956,deejaysweretoastingoverdubbedJamaicanbeats. It was called "rap", expanding the word's earlier meaning in the African-American community— "to discuss or debate informally."

The early rapping of hip-hop developed out ofDJandmaster of ceremonies' announcements made over the microphone at parties, and later into more complex raps.Grandmaster Cazstated: "The microphone was just used for making announcements, like when the next party was gonna be, or people's moms would come to the party looking for them, and you have to announce it on the mic. Different DJs started embellishing what they were saying. I would make an announcement this way, and somebody would hear that and they add a little bit to it. I'd hear it again and take it a little step further 'til it turned from lines to sentences to paragraphs to verses to rhymes."

One of the first rappers at the beginning of the hip hop period, at the end of the 1970s, was also hip hop's firstDJ,DJ Kool Herc.Herc, a Jamaican immigrant, started delivering simple raps at his parties, which some claim were inspired by the Jamaican tradition oftoasting.However, Kool Herc himself denies this link (in the 1984 bookHip Hop), saying, "Jamaican toasting? Naw, naw. No connection there. I couldn't play reggae in the Bronx. People wouldn't accept it. The inspiration for rap isJames Brownand the albumHustler's Convention".Herc also suggests he was too young while in Jamaica to get into sound system parties: "I couldn't get in. Couldn't get in. I was ten, eleven years old,"and that while in Jamaica, he was listening to James Brown: "I was listening to American music in Jamaica and my favorite artist was James Brown. That's who inspired me. A lot of the records I played were by James Brown."

However, in terms of what was identified in the 2010s as "rap", the source came from Manhattan. Pete DJ Jones said the first person he heard rap wasDJ Hollywood,a Harlem (not Bronx) nativewho was the house DJ at theApollo Theater.Kurtis Blow also said the first person he heard rhyme was DJ Hollywood.In a 2014 interview, Hollywood said: "I used to like the wayFrankie Crockerwould ride a track, but he wasn't syncopated to the track though. I liked [WWRL DJ]Hank Spanntoo, but he wasn't on the one. Guys back then weren't concerned with being musical. I wanted to flow with the record ". And in 1975, he ushered in what became known as the" hip hop "style by rhyming syncopated to the beat of an existing record uninterruptedly for nearly a minute. He adapted the lyrics ofIsaac Hayes' "Good Love 6-9969" and rhymed it to the breakdown part of "Love Is the Message".His partner Kevin Smith, better known asLovebug Starski,took this new style and introduced it to the Bronx hip hop set that until then was composed of DJing andb-boying(orbeatboxing), with traditional "shout out" style rapping.

The style that Hollywood created and his partner introduced to the hip hop set quickly became the standard. Before that time, most MC rhymes, based on radio DJs, consisted of short patters that were disconnected thematically; they were separate unto themselves. But by using song lyrics, Hollywood gave his rhyme an inherent flow and theme. This was quickly noticed, and the style spread. By the end of the 1970s, artists such asKurtis Blowandthe Sugarhill Gangwere starting to receive radio airplay and make an impact far outside of New York City, on a national scale.Blondie's 1981 single, "Rapture",was one of the first songs featuring rap to top the U.S.BillboardHot 100chart.

Old-school hip hop

Main article:Old-school hip hop

Old school rap (1979–84)was "easily identified by its relatively simple raps"according toAllMusic,"the emphasis was not on lyrical technique, but simply on good times",one notable exception beingMelle Mel,who set the way for future rappers through his socio-political content and creative wordplay.

Golden age

Main article:Golden age hip hop

Golden age hip hop (the mid-1980s to early '90s)was the time period where hip-hop lyricism went through its most drastic transformation – writer William Jelani Cobb says "in these golden years, a critical mass of mic prodigies were literally creating themselves and their art form at the same time"and Allmusic writes, "rhymers likePE'sChuck D,Big Daddy Kane,KRS-One,andRakimbasically invented the complex wordplay and lyrical kung-fu of later hip-hop ".The golden age is considered to have ended around 1993–94, marking the end of rap lyricism's most innovative period.

Flow

"Flow" is defined as "the rhythms and rhymes"of a hip-hop song's lyrics and how they interact – the bookHow to Rapbreaks flow down into rhyme,rhyme schemes,and rhythm (also known ascadence).'Flow' is also sometimes used to refer to elements of the delivery (pitch,timbre,volume) as well,though often a distinction is made between the flow and the delivery.

Staying on the beat is central to rap's flow– manyMCsnote the importance of staying on-beat inHow to RapincludingSean Price,Mighty Casey,Zion I,Vinnie Paz,Fredro Starr,Del the Funky Homosapien,Tech N9ne,People Under the Stairs,Twista,B-Real,Mr Lif,2Mex,andCage.

MCsstay on beat by stressing syllables in time to the four beats of the musical backdrop.Poetry scholarDerek Attridgedescribes how this works in his bookPoetic Rhythm– "rap lyrics are written to be performed to an accompaniment that emphasizes the metrical structure of the verse".He says rap lyrics are made up of, "lines with four stressed beats, separated by other syllables that may vary in number and may include other stressed syllables. The strong beat of the accompaniment coincides with the stressed beats of the verse, and the rapper organizes the rhythms of the intervening syllables to provide variety and surprise".

The same technique is also noted in the bookHow to Rap,where diagrams are used to show how the lyrics line up with the beat – "stressing a syllable on each of the four beats gives the lyrics the same underlying rhythmic pulse as the music and keeps them in rhythm... other syllables in the song may still be stressed, but the ones that fall in time with the four beats of a bar are the only ones that need to be emphasized in order to keep the lyrics in time with the music".

In rap terminology, 16-bars is the amount of time that rappers are generally given to perform aguestverse on another artist's song; one bar is typically equal to four beats of music.

History

Old school flows were relatively basic and used only few syllables per bar, simple rhythmic patterns, and basic rhyming techniques and rhyme schemes. Melle Mel is cited as an MC who epitomizes the old school flow –Kool Moe Deesays, "from 1970 to 1978 we rhymed one way [then] Melle Mel, in 1978, gave us the new cadence we would use from 1978 to 1986".He's the first emcee to explode in a new rhyme cadence, and change the way every emcee rhymed forever. Rakim,The Notorious B.I.G.,andEminemhave flipped the flow, but Melle Mel's downbeat on the two, four, kick to snare cadence is still the rhyme foundation all emcees are building on ".

Artists and critics often creditRakimwith creating the overall shift from the more simplistic old school flows to more complex flows near the beginning of hip hop'snew school– Kool Moe Dee says, "any emcee that came after 1986 had to study Rakim just to know what to be able to do.Rakim, in 1986, gave us flow and that was the rhyme style from 1986 to 1994.From that point on, anybody emceeing was forced to focus on their flow ".Kool Moe Dee explains that before Rakim, the term 'flow' was not widely used – "Rakim is basically the inventor of flow. We were not even using the word flow until Rakim came along. It was called rhyming, it was called cadence, but it wasn't called flow. Rakim created flow!"He adds that while Rakim upgraded and popularized the focus on flow, "he didn't invent the word".

Kool Moe Dee states that Biggie introduced a newer flow which "dominated from 1994 to 2002",and also says thatMethod Manwas "one of the emcees from the early to mid-'90s that ushered in the era of flow... Rakim invented it, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, andKool G Rapexpanded it, but Biggie and Method Man made flow the single most important aspect of an emcee's game ".He also citesCraig Mackas an artist who contributed to developing flow in the '90s.

Music scholar Adam Krims says, "the flow of MCs is one of the profoundest changes that separates out new-sounding from older-sounding music... it is widely recognized and remarked that rhythmic styles of many commercially successful MCs since roughly the beginning of the 1990s have progressively become faster and more 'complex'".He cites "members of theWu-Tang Clan,Nas,AZ,Big Pun,andRas Kass,just to name a few "as artists who exemplify this progression.

Kool Moe Dee adds, "in 2002 Eminem created the song that got the first Oscar in Hip-Hop history[Lose Yourself]... and I would have to say that his flow is the most dominant right now (2003) ".

Styles

There are many different styles of flow, with different terminology used by different people –stic.manofDead Prezuses the following terms –

• "The Chant", which he says is used byLil JonandProject Pat
• "The Syncopated Bounce", used by Twista andBone Thugs-n-Harmony
• "Straight Forward", used byScarface,2Pac,Melle Mel, KRS-One circaBoogie Down Productionsera,Too Short,Jay-Z,Ice Cube,Dr. Dre,andSnoop Dogg
• "The Rubik's Cube", used by Nas,Black ThoughtofThe Roots,Common,Kurupt,andLauryn Hill
• "2-5-Flow", apunofKenya'scalling code"+254", used byCamp Mulla

Alternatively, music scholar Adam Krims uses the following terms –

• "sung rhythmic style", used byToo Short,Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,and theBeastie Boys
• "percussion-effusive style", used byB-RealofCypress Hill
• "speech-effusive style", used by Big Pun
• "offbeat style", used byE-40,Outkast

Rhyme

MCs use many different rhyming techniques, including complex rhyme schemes, as Adam Krims points out – "the complexity... involves multiple rhymes in the same rhyme complex (i.e. section with consistently rhyming words),internal rhymes,[and] offbeat rhymes ".There is also widespread use ofmultisyllabic rhymes.

It has been noted that rap's use of rhyme is some of the most advanced in all forms of poetry – music scholar Adam Bradley notes, "rap rhymes so much and with such variety that it is now the largest and richest contemporary archive of rhymed words. It has done more than any other art form in recent history to expand rhyme's formal range and expressive possibilities".

In the bookHow to Rap,Masta Aceexplains how Rakim and Big Daddy Kane caused a shift in the way MCs rhymed: "Up until Rakim, everybody who you heard rhyme, the last word in the sentence was the rhyming [word], the connection word. Then Rakim showed us that you could put rhymes within a rhyme... now here comes Big Daddy Kane — instead of going three words, he's going multiple".How to Rapexplains that "rhyme is often thought to be the most important factor in rap writing... rhyme is what gives rap lyrics their musicality.

Rhythm

Many of the rhythmic techniques used in rapping come from percussive techniques and many rappers compare themselves topercussionists.How to Rap 2identifies all the rhythmic techniques used in rapping such astriplets,flams,16th notes,32nd notes,syncopation,extensive use ofrests,and rhythmic techniques unique to rapping such as West Coast "lazy tails", coined byShock G.Rapping has also been done in varioustime signatures,such as3/4 time.

Since the2000s,rapping has evolved into a style of rap that spills over the boundaries of the beat, closely resembling spoken English.Rappers likeMF DoomandEminemhave exhibited this style, and since then, rapping has been difficult to notate.The American hip-hop groupCrime Mobexhibited a new rap flow in songs such as "Knuck If You Buck",heavily dependent on triplets. Rappers includingDrake,Kanye West,Rick Ross,Young Jeezyand more have included this influence in their music. In 2014, an American hip-hop collective fromAtlanta,Migos,popularized this flow, and is commonly referred to as the "Migos Flow" (a term that is contentious within the hip-hop community).

Groove classes

Mitchell Ohriner in "Flow: The Rhythmic Voice in Rap Music" describes seven "groove classes" consisting of archetypal sixteen-step accent patterns generated by grouping notes in clusters of two and/or three.These groove classes are further distinguished from one another as "duple" and "nonduple". Groove classes without internal repetition can occur in any of sixteen rhythmic rotations, whereas groove classes with internal repetition have fewer meaningful rotations.

Groove class	Duple or nonduple?	Internal repetition?
2222_2222	duple	yes
332_332	nonduple	yes
332_2222	nonduple	no
323_2222	nonduple	no
333322	nonduple	no
333232	nonduple	no
3223222	nonduple	no

Rap notation and flow diagrams

The standard form of rap notation is the flow diagram, where rappers line-up their lyrics underneath "beat numbers".Different rappers have slightly different forms of flow diagram that they use:Del the Funky Homosapiensays, "I'm just writing out the rhythm of the flow, basically. Even if it's just slashes to represent the beats, that's enough to give me a visual path.",Vinnie Pazstates, "I've created my own sort of writing technique, like little marks and asterisks to show like a pause or emphasis on words in certain places.",andAesop Rocksays, "I have a system of maybe 10 little symbols that I use on paper that tell me to do something when I'm recording."

Hip-hop scholars also make use of the same flow diagrams: the booksHow to RapandHow to Rap 2use the diagrams to explain rap's triplets, flams, rests, rhyme schemes, runs of rhyme, and breaking rhyme patterns, among other techniques.Similar systems are used by PhDmusicologistsAdam Krims in his bookRap Music and the Poetics of Identityand Kyle Adams in his academic work on flow.

Because rap revolves around a strong 4/4 beat,with certain syllables said in time to the beat, all the notational systems have a similar structure: they all have the same 4 beat numbers at the top of the diagram, so that syllables can be written in-line with the beat numbers.This allows devices such as rests, "lazy tails", flams, and other rhythmic techniques to be shown, as well as illustrating where different rhyming words fall in relation to the music.

Performance

Ekow, part of The Megaphone State rap duo, performing at theSello LibraryinEspoo,Finland, in 2011

To successfully deliver a rap, a rapper must also develop vocal presence,enunciation,andbreath control.Vocal presence is the distinctiveness of a rapper's voice on record. Enunciation is essential to a flowing rap; some rappers choose also to exaggerate it for comic and artistic effect. Breath control, taking in air without interrupting one's delivery, is an important skill for a rapper to master, and a must for any MC. An MC with poor breath control cannot deliver difficult verses without making unintentional pauses.

Raps are sometimes delivered with melody. West Coast rapperEgyptian Loverwas the first notable MC to deliver "sing-raps".Popular rappers such as50 CentandJa Ruleadd a slight melody to their otherwise purely percussive raps whereas some rappers such asCee-Lo Greenare able toharmonizetheir raps with the beat. The Midwestern groupBone Thugs-n-Harmonywas one of the first groups to achieve nationwide recognition for using the fast-paced, melodic and harmonic raps that are also practiced byDo or Die,another Midwestern group. Another rapper that harmonized his rhymes wasNate Dogg,a rapper part of the group 213. Rakim experimented not only with following the beat, but also with complementing the song's melody with his own voice, making his flow sound like that of an instrument (a saxophone in particular).

The ability to rap quickly and clearly is sometimes regarded as an important sign of skill. In certainhip-hop subgenressuch aschopped and screwed,slow-paced rapping is often considered optimal. The current record for fastest rapper is held by Spanish rapper Domingo Edjang Moreno, known by his alias Chojin, who rapped 921 syllables in one minute on December 23, 2008.

Emcees

In the late 1970s, the term emcee, MC or M.C., derived from "master of ceremonies",became an alternative title for a rapper, and for their role within hip-hop music and culture. An MC uses rhyming verses, pre-written or ad lib ('freestyled'), to introduce the DJ with whom they work, to keep the crowd entertained or to glorify themselves. As hip hop progressed, the title MC acquiredbackronymssuch as 'mike chanter''microphone controller', 'microphone checker', 'music commentator', and one who 'moves the crowd'. Some use this word interchangeably with the termrapper,while for others the term denotes a superior level of skill and connection to the wider culture.

MC can often be used as a term of distinction; referring to an artist with good performance skills.AsKool G Rapnotes, "masters of ceremony, where the word 'M.C.' comes from, means just keeping the party alive"[sic].Many people in hip hop including DJ Premier and KRS-One feel that James Brown was the first MC. James Brown had the lyrics, moves, and soul that greatly influenced a lot of rappers in hip hop, and arguably even started the first MC rhyme.

For some rappers, there was a distinction to the term, such as forMC Hammerwho acquired the nickname "MC" for being a "Master of Ceremonies" which he used when he began performing at various clubs while on the road with theOakland Asand eventually in the military (United States Navy).It was within the lyrics of a rap song called "This Wall"that Hammer first identified himself as M.C. Hammer and later marketed it on his debut albumFeel My Power.The term MC has also been used in the genre ofgrime musicto refer to a rapid style of rapping. Grime artistJMEreleased an album titledGrime MCin 2019 which peaked at 29 on theUK Albums Chart.

Uncertainty over theacronym's expansion may be considered evidence for its ubiquity: the full term "Master of Ceremonies" is very rarely used in the hip-hop scene. This confusion prompted the hip-hop groupA Tribe Called Questto include this statement in the liner notes to their 1993 albumMidnight Marauders:

The use of the term MC when referring to a rhyming wordsmith originates from the dance halls of Jamaica. At each event, there would be a master of ceremonies who would introduce the different musical acts and would say a toast in style of a rhyme, directed at the audience and to the performers. He would also make announcements such as the schedule of other events or advertisements from local sponsors. The term MC continued to be used by the children of women who moved to New York City to work as maids in the 1970s. These MCs eventually created a new style of music called hip-hop based on the rhyming they used to do in Jamaica and the breakbeats used in records. MC has also recently been accepted to refer to all who engineer music.

Female rappers

Nicki Minaj,a female rapper, is sometimes regarded as the “Queen of Rap”.

Although the majority of rappers are male, there have been a number of female rap stars, includingLauryn Hill,MC Lyte,Jean Grae,Lil' Kim,Missy Elliott,Queen Latifah,Da Brat,Trina,Megan Thee Stallion,Nicki Minaj,Cardi B,Khia,M.I.A.,CLfrom2NE1,Foxy Brown,Iggy Azalea,Eve,andLisa LopesfromTLC.

Subject matter

"Party rhymes", meant to excite the crowd at a party, were nearly the exclusive focus of old school hip hop, and they remain a staple of hip-hop music to this day. In addition to party raps, rappers also tend to make references to love and sex. Love raps were first popularized bySpoonie Geeof theTreacherous Three,and later, in the golden age of hip hop, Big Daddy Kane,Heavy D,andLL Cool Jwould continue this tradition. Hip-hop artists such as KRS-One,Hopsin,Public Enemy,Lupe Fiasco,Mos Def,Talib Kweli,Jay-Z, Nas,The Notorious B.I.G.(Biggie), anddead prezare known for their sociopolitical subject matter. Their West Coast counterparts includeThe Coup,Paris, andMichael Franti.Tupac Shakurwas also known for rapping about social issues such aspolice brutality,teenage pregnancy,andracism.

Other rappers take a less critical approach to urbanity, sometimes even embracing such aspects as crime.Schoolly Dwas the first notable MC to rap about crime.Early on KRS-One was accused of celebrating crime and a hedonistic lifestyle, but after the death of his DJ,Scott La Rock,KRS-One went on to speak out against violence in hip hop and has spent the majority of his career condemning violence and writing on issues of race and class.Ice-Twas one of the first rappers to call himself a "playa" and discuss guns on record, but his theme tune to the 1988 filmColorscontained warnings against joining gangs.Gangsta rap,made popular largely because ofN.W.A,brought rapping about crime and the gangster lifestyle into the musical mainstream.

Materialism has also been a popular topic in hip-hop since at least the early 1990s, with rappers boasting about their own wealth and possessions, and name-dropping specific brands: liquor brandsCristalandRémy Martin,car manufacturersBentleyandMercedes-Benzand clothing brandsGucciandVersacehave all been popular subjects for rappers.

Various politicians, journalists, and religious leaders have accused rappers of fostering a culture of violence and hedonism among hip-hop listeners through their lyrics.However, there are also rappers whose messages may not be in line with these views, for exampleChristian hip hop.Others have praised the "political critique, innuendo and sarcasm" of hip-hop music.

In contrast to the more hedonistic approach of gangsta rappers, some rappers have a spiritual or religious focus. Christian rap is currently the most commercially successful form of religious rap. With Christian rappers likeLecrae,Thi'slandHostyle Gospelwinning national awards and making regular appearances on television, Christian hip hop seem to have found its way in the hip-hop family.Aside fromChristianity,theFive Percent Nation,anIslamicesotericistreligious/spiritual group, has been represented more than any religious group in popular hip hop. Artists such asRakim,the members of the Wu-Tang Clan,Brand Nubian,X-ClanandBusta Rhymeshave had success in spreading thetheologyof the Five Percenters.

Literary technique

Rappers use theliterary techniquesofdouble entendres,alliteration,and forms of wordplay that are found in classical poetry.Similesandmetaphorsare used extensively in rap lyrics; rappers such asFabolousandLloyd Bankshave written entire songs in which every line contains similes, whereas MCs like Rakim,GZA,and Jay-Z are known for the metaphorical content of their raps. Rappers such as Lupe Fiasco are known for the complexity of their songs that contain metaphors withinextended metaphors.

Diction and dialect

Many hip-hop listeners believe that a rapper's lyrics are enhanced by a complex vocabulary. Kool Moe Dee claims that he appealed to older audiences by using a complex vocabulary in his raps.Rap is famous, however, for having its own vocabulary—from international hip-hop slang to regional slang. Some artists, like the Wu-Tang Clan, develop an entire lexicon among their clique.African-American Englishhas always had a significant effect on hip-hop slang and vice versa. Certain regions have introduced their unique regional slang to hip-hop culture, such as theBay Area(Mac Dre,E-40),Houston(Chamillionaire,Paul Wall),Atlanta(Ludacris,Lil Jon,T.I.), andKentucky(Cunninlynguists,Nappy Roots).The Nation of Gods and Earths,aka The Five Percenters, has influenced mainstream hip-hop slang with the introduction of phrases such as "word is bond" that have since lost much of their original spiritual meaning. Preference toward one or the other has much to do with the individual; GZA, for example, prides himself on being very visual and metaphorical but also succinct, whereas underground rapperMF DOOMis known for heaping similes upon similes. In still another variation, 2Pac was known for saying exactly what he meant, literally and clearly.

Rap music's development intopopular culturebegan in the 1990s. The 1990s marked the beginning of an era of popular culture guided by the musical influences ofhip-hopand rap itself, moving away from the influences ofrock music.As rap continued to develop and further disseminate, it went on to influence clothing brands, movies, sports, and dancing through popular culture. As rap has developed to become more of a presence in popular culture, it has focused itself on a particular demographic, adolescent and young adults.As such, it has had a significant impact on the modern vernacular of this portion of the population, which has diffused throughout society.

The effects of rap music on modern vernacular can be explored through the study ofsemiotics.Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, or the study of language as a system.French literary theoristRoland Barthesfurthers this study with this own theory of myth.He maintains that the first order of signification is language and that the second is "myth", arguing that a word has both its literal meaning, and its mythical meaning, which is heavily dependent on socio-cultural context.To illustrate, Barthes uses the example of a rat: it has a literal meaning (a physical, objective description) and it has a greater socio-cultural understanding.This contextual meaning is subjective and is dynamic within society.

Through Barthes' semiotic theory of language and myth, it can be shown that rap music has culturally influenced the language of its listeners, as they influence the connotative message to words that already exist. As more people listen to rap, the words that are used in the lyrics become culturally bound to the song, and then are disseminated through the conversations that people have using these words.

Most often, the terms that rappers use are pre-established words that have been prescribed new meaning through their music, that are eventually disseminated through social spheres.This newly contextualized word is called a neosemanticism. Neosemanticisms are forgotten words that are often brought forward from subcultures that attract the attention of members of the reigning culture of their time, then they are brought forward by the influential voices in society – in this case, these figures are rappers.To illustrate, the acronymYOLOwas popularized by rapper, actor and RnB singerDrakein 2012 when he featured it in his own song,The Motto.That year the term YOLO was so popular that it was printed on t-shirts, became a trending hashtag onTwitter,and was even considered as the inspiration for several tattoos.However, although the rapper may have come up with the acronym, the motto itself was in no way first established by Drake. Similar messages can be seen in many well-known sayings, or as early as 1896, in the English translation ofLa Comédie Humaine,byHonoré de Balzacwhere one of his free-spirited characters tells another, "You Only Live Once!".Another example of a neosemanticism is the word "broccoli". RapperE-40initially uses the word "broccoli" to refer to marijuana, on his hit trackBroccoliin 1993.In contemporary society, artistsD.R.A.M.andLil Yachtyare often accredited for this slang on fortheirhit song,also titledBroccoli.

With the rise in technology and mass media, the dissemination of subcultural terms has only become easier.Dick Hebdige,author ofSubculture: The Meaning of Style,merits that subcultures often use music to vocalize the struggles of their experiences.As rap is also the culmination of a prevalent sub-culture in African-American social spheres, often their own personal cultures are disseminated through rap lyrics.

It is here that lyrics can be categorized as either historically influenced or (more commonly) considered as slang.Vernon Andrews, the professor of the courseAmerican Studies 111: Hip-Hop Culture,suggests that many words, such as "hood", "homie", and "dope", are historically influenced.Most importantly, this also brings forward the anarchistic culture of rap music. Common themes from rap are anti-establishment and instead, promote black excellence and diversity.It is here that rap can be seen to reclaim words, namely, "nigga", a historical term used to subjugate and oppress Black people in America.This word has been reclaimed by Black Americans and is heavily used in rap music.Niggaz With Attitudeembodies this notion by using it as the first word of their influential rap group name.

Freestyle and battle

Russian rapperOxxxymironis one of the most viewed battle rappers in the world.

There are two kinds offreestyle rap:one is scripted (recitation), but having no particular overriding subject matter, and has yet evolved since the late 2000s to become the most commonly referred to style when the term "freestyle" is being used. Its primary focus has morphed from making up a rap on the spot, to being able to recite memorized or "written" lyrics over an "undisclosed" beat, not revealed until the performance actually begins. A variation is when a DJ or host will use multiple beats and will rotate them dynamically; it is the freestyler's job to keep his or her flow and not appear to trip up when the beat switches. Alternatively, keeping the rhythm or flow going can be substituted by "switching styles". This involves the rapper doing a variation of changing one's voice or tone, and/or the rhythm or flow, and potentially much more. However, this must be done smoothly, else any notoriety or respect gained can very quickly be lost all together. Some rappers have multiple characters, egos, or styles in their repertoire.

The second, more difficult and respected style, has adapted the terms "off the dome", or "off (the) top" in addition to relatively less common older references like "spitting", "on the spot" and "unscripted". Often times these terms are followed by "freestyle" e.g. Killer "Off top Freestyle" by (Artist X)! This type of rapping requires the artist to both spit their lyrics over undisclosed and possibly rotating beats, but additionally primarily completely improvise the session's rapped lyrics. Many "off top" rappers inadvertently reuse old lines, or even "cheat" by preparing segments or entire verses in advance. Therefore, "off the dome" freestyles with proven spontaneity are valued above generic, always usable, or rehearsed lines or "bars".Rappers will often reference places or objects in their immediate setting, or specific (usually demeaning) characteristics of opponents, to prove their authenticity and originality.

Battle rapping,which can be freestyled, is the competition between two or more rappers in front of an audience. The tradition of insulting one's friends or acquaintances in rhyme goes back tothe dozens,and was employed famously byMuhammad Aliin his boxing matches. The winner of a battle is decided by the crowd and/or preselected judges. According to Kool Moe Dee, a successful battle rap focuses on an opponent's weaknesses, rather than one's own strengths. Television shows such asMTV'sDFXandBET's106 and Parkhost weekly freestyle battles live on the air. Battle rapping gained widespread public recognition outside of the African-American community with rapper Eminem's movie8 Mile.

The strongest battle rappers will generally perform their rap fully freestyled. This is the most effective form in a battle as the rapper can comment on the other person, whether it be what they look like, how they talk, or what they wear. It also allows the rapper to reverse a line used to "diss" him or her if they are the second rapper to battle. This is known as a "flip".Jin The Emceewas considered "World Champion" battle rapper in the mid-2000s.

Derivatives and influence

Throughout hip hop's history, new musical styles and genres have developed that contain rapping. Entire genres, such asrap rockand its derivativesrapcoreandrap metal(rock/metal/punkwith rapped vocals), orhip househave resulted from the fusion of rap and other styles. Many popular music genres with a focus on percussion have contained rapping at some point; be itdisco(DJ Hollywood), jazz (Gang Starr),new wave(Blondie), funk (Fatback Band),contemporary R&B(Mary J. Blige),reggaeton(Daddy Yankee), or even Japanese dance music (Soul'd Out).UK garagemusic has begun to focus increasingly on rappers in a new subgenre calledgrimewhich emerged in London in the early 2000s and was pioneered and popularized by the MCDizzee Rascal.Increased popularity with the music has shown more UK rappers going to America as well as tour there, such asSway DaSafopossibly signing withAkon's labelKonvict.Hyphyis the latest of these spin-offs. It is typified by slowed-down atonal vocals with instrumentals that borrow heavily from the hip-hop scene and lyrics centered on illegal street racing and car culture. Another Oakland, California group, Beltaine's Fire, has recently gained attention for theirCeltic fusionsound which blends hip-hop beats with Celtic melodies. Unlike the majority of hip-hop artists, all their music is performed live without samples, synths, or drum machines, drawing comparisons to The Roots andRage Against the Machine.

Bhangra,a widely popular style of music fromPunjab, Indiahas been mixed numerous times with reggae and hip-hop music. The most popular song in this genre in the United States was "Mundian to Bach Ke "or" Beware the Boys"byPanjabi MCand Jay-Z. Although "Mundian To Bach Ke" had been released previously, the mixing with Jay-Z popularized the genre further.

See also

• Amoebaean singing
• Flyting,contests consisting of the exchange of insults, often in poetry
• Patter song
• The Rapper—1970 song addressed to women, warning them about men, rappers, who seduce them with lies, "rapping"
• Rap squat
• Sprechgesang

References

• Edwards, Paul (December 2009).How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC.Foreword byKool G Rap.Chicago Review Press. p.340.ISBN978-1-55652-816-3.
• Kool Moe Dee;et al. (November 2003).There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs.Thunder's Mouth Press. p.224.ISBN978-1-56025-533-8.
• stic.man (2005).The Art Of Emceeing.Boss Up Inc.
• Krims, Adam (2001).Rap Music And The Poetics Of Identity.Cambridge University Press.

Further reading

• Alan Light; et al. (October 1999).The Vibe History of Hip Hop.Three Rivers Press. p.432.ISBN978-0-609-80503-9.
• Jeff Chang;D.J. Kool Herc(December 2005).Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation.Picador. p.560.ISBN978-0-312-42579-1.
• Sacha Jenkins; et al. (December 1999).Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists.St. Martin's Griffin. p.352.ISBN978-0-312-24298-5.