Rap Music is the Poetry of Today

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   Lybrahposted 10 years ago

   We study Shakespeare's poems, and those of other classic writers.  Shakespeare's poetry has been around for more than five hundred years!  And yet today, children are learning about it in high school.  Which makes me wonder: Who will be remembered and celebrated five hundred years from now, from our own time?  I suspect Tupac's poetry (in the form of rap songs) will be studied by scholars and all sorts of people.  I think today's poetry is rap music.  Who will be remembered from our generation?  Who do you think will be studied?

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      wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I don't think we have a Shakespeare floating around out there today, and if we did it would not be someone chanting to music.  That is, IMO, a fad that will not endure.  Popular "music" has deteriorated to little more than a loud metronome in many cases, and such will not be long remembered.

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         Lybrahposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I beg to differ.  If you scrutinize some of Tupac's lyrics--that's some good poetry right there.  And Eminem is a master lyricist and has incredible rhymes.

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            wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Then get rid of the noise and let him read his poetry as other poets do.
            
            Do you get the impression I don't like the rap sound?

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            EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Here is an example of Tupac's lyrics, which I won't post here because of the use of so many derogatory words. It is by far some of the worst tripe ever written and only appears to appeal to the lowest common denominators of society. This of course, says more about the state of our society and just how low and debase entertainment has stooped. Eminem's lyrics are not much better.
            
            Btw, rhyming does not necessarily a good lyricist make. Anyone can pull up a rhyming dictionary.
            
            http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/2pac/idontgiveafuck.html

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   psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

   Rap music is more the poetry of 10 years ago.  For every thing, there is a season.

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   FatFreddysCatposted 10 years ago

   "I used to be 'with it'...then they changed what 'it' was. Now what I'm 'with' isn't 'it,' and what's 'it' is weird and scary to me. It'll happen to you too!" -- Grampa Simpson

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      wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      

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   mgeorge1050posted 10 years ago

   Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, and mine is that rap music involves very little musical talent.  It seems to be more of an electronic, computer type thing more than a guitar and drums type of thing.  I will take a good old rock band any day.

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   ahorsebackposted 10 years ago

   Rap as poetry?
   I think NOT
   Rap is but  a bunch of musically
   untalented head bangers   
   oh it will be studied in the future
   lets just hope its
   not in the near future
   Shhhh if we don't talk about it
   it ma just go away

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      wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      LOL  +1 for ahorseback!

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         Lybrahposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         You know, while I was writing a hub on this very subject, I actually poured through some of the song lyrics.  I have determined that Tupac and Biggie will NEVER be on parr with that of Shakespeare and other famous poets.  It's just that we don't have anybody from our time who is a great poet.  So the only place to look is at Rap music.  Some of the rappers can make good lines, good rhymes, and metaphors and stuff.  The profanity is what makes the lyrics bad, obviously.

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            wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I think that the purpose is the big difference.  Rap crap is written #1 to make money and #2 to raise anger and violence in the listener.  Poetry is written to raise the gentler, kinder emotions of love, wonder and awe, not an enormous rage against the world.  Any demagogue on a soapbox can do the first, but the second takes a completely different mindset.

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            EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Exactly, to use those names in one sentence is to make a comparison between the extremes of talent.
            
            
            
            Or, you could just do a search on "great modern poetry", Rap music does not produce good poetry.
            
            http://blog.sfgate.com/drader/2011/03/0 … s-my-list/
            
            http://100.best-poems.net/
            
            http://www.poetrysoup.com/modern_poets/
            
            
            
            It's much more than just the profanity, these guys have very little talent when it comes to writing anything, let alone poetry.

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               psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               I would suggest listening to some of the artistic and social justice rappers, especially the women, before assuming the stuff on the charts is all there is.  I am very anti-'thug life', but I have music on my iPod by King Kapisi who is an excellent pacific island rapper.

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                  Lybrahposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Christian rappers are also excellent.  Check out my hub on Lacrae if you like.

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                  EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  A New Zealand Maori. I like the music, has a sort of reggae feel to it. Agreed, not a thug like the others.

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   ahorsebackposted 10 years ago

   If it isn't about swearing , profanity , twerking and selfing. and the most racist form of "music "today  Gee........ it just could be poetry .....NOT!

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      psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The rap that is not any of these things... is not any of these things.

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   Justaskerposted 10 years ago

   I agree, even if i don't like hiphop. Lyrics of all songs are actually some kind of poetry. But hiphop tells more about society, with crime, drugs, alcohol and violence. Not just "Love me baby yeah" lyrics.

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      Lybrahposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      There is sometimes some beauty in rap music:
      
      Pour out some liquor and I reminsce, cause through the drama
      I can always depend on my mama
      And when it seems that I'm hopeless
      You say the words that can get me back in focus
      When I was sick as a little kid
      To keep me happy there's no limit to the things you did
      And all my childhood memories
      Are full of all the sweet things you did for me
      And even though I act craaazy
      I gotta thank the Lord that you made me
      There are no words that can express how I feel
      You never kept a secret, always stayed real
      And I appreciate, how you raised me
      And all the extra love that you gave me
      I wish I could take the pain away
      If you can make it through the night there's a brighter day
      Everything will be alright if ya hold on
      It's a struggle everyday, gotta roll on
      And there's no way I can pay you back
      But my plan is to show you that I understand
      You are appreciated
      
      
      --Tupac, "Dear Mama"

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   R.S. Hutchinsonposted 10 years ago

   I anticipate my poems and stories will be in classrooms a hundred years from now.
   
   Else, why do they beckon me so?
   
   I write so the voices of centuries past can be heard by those that have yet to be born.

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