Is Rap Poetry?

Libellus · Post by **Libellus** » 28 Mar 2008, 10:24

Thanks for the pointers girls - just had a trawl around YouTube [and urbandictionary.com - dont you just love technology ? Guess I am going to have to be careful with my language

) ]
Sorry to say I still dont get it - I think I will put Rap on the shelf next to the Tattoos ...... you know what they say about new tricks and old dogs

Hamlet · Post by **Hamlet** » 29 Mar 2008, 09:41

Star wrote:
Libellus wrote:
sleepydumpling wrote:It is most definitely poetry. And like all other poetry, there is quality and crap!

A forthright, no-nonsense opinion from Oz! I love it
Rap must be considered as poetry - just doesnt press any buttons for me, probably down to my perception of the music.
I expect if I looked beyond the bling and guns and cars and sex and violence ....there would be something worthwhile.
But why? I already have books I'll never read and music I'll never hear and places I will never visit. Time is finite (Sorry Albert).
Libellus baby!! Say it isn't so! Maybe just a little Snoop?? Bit of Kayne??
Jay-ZZZZZZ...come on Libellus...go on, brush your shoulders off
ladies is pimps too, go on, brush your shoulders off

you are too much star!! ilmao! too good!

Eric · Post by **Eric** » 17 Apr 2008, 04:33

Poets like Amiri Baraka, Claude McKay, and Langston Hughes are the precursors of hip hop. Artists like Public Enemy, Common, and Mos Def picked up where they left off.

HeraSee · Post by **HeraSee** » 20 Apr 2008, 02:43

If it is poetic any type of spoken word can be called poetry.

Sheryl_Gonzalez · Post by **Sheryl_Gonzalez** » 23 Apr 2013, 11:11

I often have people say my poetry resembles rap or it has been rehearsed. How can I make people understand its not meant
To be rap its just my thoughts n feelings in a rhyming forum?

charlylynx · Post by **charlylynx** » 27 Apr 2013, 22:25

Rap seems to be designed for the most basal types of humanity and aimed at the more evil type of mind. When punk and new wave came out, it was for the rebellious spirit and pissed off many a parent. Rap replaced this need for rebellion and again angered parents much to the child's (who it is aimed at) chagrin. Like one old guy told me, "Rap was made to separate children from their parents and cause conflict." I agreed with this but didn't let it separate me from my two sons whose high school was inundated with it. I did tell them that there is a lot of good music out there and you will grow up with rap running around in your mind instead of that and that's a shame. They agreed with me on this.
At that time rap was pure garbage and in some ways some of it still is with its' focus on sex, drugs, money and personal vanity. It's simple sing song lyrics are found around the world now and are easily reproduced at every karaoke contest which sometimes clears the room. Is it music? Yes, is it poetry, yes also. I am a poet also and any of some of my simple sing song poetry can be made into a rap song as easily as a Beatles song. It's the amount of hate and cheesy lyrics that bothers me and the audience it's aimed at which is the youth. It's corruptive and hateful which is why it's so appealing to todays youth. Turn it on and you instantly have a crowd of like minded kids and it instantly repels the more morally and ethical and shall I say intelligent types. As our society descends deeper into its spiral of moral decay rap music will lead the way.

Sheryl_Gonzalez · Post by **Sheryl_Gonzalez** » 29 Apr 2013, 16:26

Rap is a form of poetry however my problem is keeping the
Readers of some of my poetry from thinking it was written
For rap purposes.

newmand24 · Post by **newmand24** » 01 May 2013, 15:49

I would say that it used to be and sometimes you can find a new rapper that actually has something to say. A lot of it now, I've noticed, is just dumb. They're just repeating themselves and blurting out words that have no business in the song. I now understand what my parents meant when they said that music isn't what it used to be.

foreverreading162 · Post by **foreverreading162** » 09 Jun 2013, 19:53

I believe rap in it's most heartfelt moments is poetry. When it means something real and it's from the heart

suzy1124 · Post by **suzy1124** » 13 Jun 2013, 06:11

Absolutely yes! ( if you don't mind your ears hurting )

AliceRose · Post by **AliceRose** » 13 Jun 2013, 06:19

I think it depends on the subject matter. If they are talking about real issues and subjects from the heart, it can be a wonderful form of poetry. The commercial stuff you see on MTV about guns, money and women is a different story - it doesn't have any meaning behind it.

EnglishLit2013 · Post by **EnglishLit2013** » 18 Jun 2013, 19:10

There are so many literary elements in some rap songs, like Eminem. He frequently uses similes, metaphors, and plays with vocal tones to evoke sarcasm. Other rappers, however, are mostly concerned with writing about their success, money, and sexual exploits, which barely has challenging elements when read. This is as technical an answer as it can get.

cooluser · Post by **cooluser** » 25 Jun 2013, 02:38

Well not every rap can be a poetry..thats for sure...but yes if done crctly it can be a nice poetry

suzy1124 · Post by **suzy1124** » 25 Jun 2013, 06:09

cooluser wrote:Well not every rap can be a poetry..thats for sure...but yes if done crctly it can be a nice poetry

C U. most poets wouldn't like to be described as just " nice "

Am i wrong?

SmileyC · Post by **SmileyC** » 25 Jun 2013, 17:49

In my opinion, rap is poetry, even the ones that are about guns, violence and money. There is plenty of violent poetry out there. I personally don't like violent rap music but I don't think you can say that "wholesome" rap is poetry but violent rap isn't because you don't agree with the subject matter.