Lyrics music

Rap lyrics often get a bad rap—one that they don’t deserve. Forged in the gritty urban underground of the Bronx, New York in the 1970s, rap and its lyrics are part of the Hip-Hop phenomenon, this era’s dominant cultural movement. That movement has become global, vaulting over barriers of gender, race and economic status, and even melding with other musical styles. Rap’s distinctive lyrics, rhythms and expressive body motions have earned it recognition as an accepted, innovative art form.

Rap and its lyrics, which were initially dismissed as a passing fad and now churn like whitewater rapids through the mainstream, began at 1970s Bronx block parties. DJs at these parties separated the percussion section from funk and soul tunes, providing partygoers with strong dance rhythms. Mixing, sampling from other songs, and rhythms from scratching a phonograph needle against a record were added. So how did rap’s potent lyrics enter the picture?

Rappers, also know as MCs, (Master of Ceremonies) would introduce DJs, and keep audiences entertained between songs, with jokes and stories that would maintain listeners’ energy. These raps transformed into stylized lyrics delivered with flair, attitude and strong rhythms, accompanied by highly contagious beats. For people who weren’t fond of disco or its lyrics, but loved a dynamic tempo, rap provided a welcome, highly danceable alternative.

Just as there are many sub-genres of rock music and lyrics, there are many sub-genres of rap. And one of those sub-genres is aggressive gangsta-rap, which stirred up a cauldron of controversy over blunt lyrics about violence, sex and drugs. These rappers grew up on crime-riddled urban streets, had sometimes taken a few bullets themselves, and their lyrics reflected their tough backgrounds, often expressed in the profanity that had been part of their everyday life. Heavy metal took a lot of heat for lyrics about the same subjects, and both forms of music still have an abundance of fans.

Controversy aside, rap lyrics are often considered to be modern poetry. Poetry and rap have much in common, from clever twists of phrases to shrewd social commentary. Like poetry, rap lyrics have a structured meter, as well as complex rhyme formats. Both often use alliteration. And both utilize similes and metaphors—lyrics with clever, original similes and metaphors are viewed as the hallmark of an advanced rapper. Some of the best rappers are also able to easily fire off line after line of complex lyrics that would tie other performers’ tongues tighter than a tourniquet. And freestyling—adeptly improvising rap lyrics before a live audience—is possibly the toughest test of a rapper’s expertise.

Rap and its lyrics are now incredibly diversified. The female duo Salt-N-Pepa kicked open the door of rap’s male-dominated realm. Blondie’s “Rapture” was the first hit by a Caucasian band that featured rapping. Hard-rockers, Aerosmith, recorded a rap version of the lyrics of their hit, “Walk this Way,” with Run-D.M.C. Thrash metal has incorporated rap. There are now Spanish rappers, Asian rappers—rappers worldwide. Rap has been immortalized in the paintings of renowned artist, Justin Bua, and its lyrics have even popped up in TV commercials.

Rap and its lyrics have generated criticism and controversy, but it has also demonstrated an ability to powerfully connect with both heroes and underdogs worldwide, while still remaining true to its roots.