Meanwhile, folk artists from the Caribbean Islands were also telling stories in rhyme.

Transcription

1 History of Rap More than a century before rap exploded onto the American music scene, West African musicians were telling stories rhythmically, with just the beat of a drum for accompaniment. Meanwhile, folk artists from the Caribbean Islands were also telling stories in rhyme. These singing poets from Africa and the Caribbean laid the foundation for modern-day American rap music.

2 Rapping essentially involves the speaking or chanting of rhyming lyrics, often set to a beat. The rhyming created by rappers is considered by many to be one of the most sophisticated styles of poetry. These rhymes often address provocative subjects such as sex, violence and socio-political issues topics that are typically taboo.

3 Rapping first gained popularity in the U.S. in the 1970s as a kind of street art, but it wasn t until 1979, when the Sugarhill Gang released their breakaway hit, Rapper s Delight, that record producers took notice of this emerging musical genre.

4 Once they did, numerous rap acts, including Run-DMC and N.W.A., surfaced, and rap s audience began to swell. It wasn t just African American male rappers getting in on the act, either: By the 1980s, white rap bands such as the Beastie Boys and female rap bands such as Salt-n-Pepa were reaching the top of the charts.

5 By the 1990s, rap matured from an old-school-style which was based on relatively simple lyrics to a new-school-style, which was louder and included more complex lyrics. Artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg and Tupac ruled the charts during this time, as did Eminem one of the most popular white rappers of all time.

6 Different Rap Styles From the late 80's and early 90's, rap went from humor and lightheartedness, to take a darker turn. With the group NWA, led by Eazy-E, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, began what is now called Gangsta Rap. The daily struggles of living in poverty and illegal ways of obtaining money became the theme, and it took off from there. Rap has since branched out with people having commercial and underground success, and it exploded in popularity.

7 Now, rap is mainly divided regionally, with each side having it's own unique sound. Rappers from the East Coast tend to be more philosophical in nature, with what can be described as a gritty beat. Many purists will tell you that rap originated in the East Coast, but has since spread.

8 The rappers from the West Coast were able to have more commercial success with stand-outs like Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, and the originators, NWA. Midwestern rappers were characterized by fast rapping styles with groups like Bone Thugs n Harmony, and Twista standing out. Finally, Southern rap has recently come into its own within the last couple of years. Their rap style is usually characterized by slow beats with a lot of bass, and then the party beats, used strictly for clubs and dancing.

9 Rap now, is a cultural mainstay being used everywhere from children's shows to music today and will continue to evolve.

10 7 Steps to Writing a Rap!

11 1.Brainstorm: Choose your topic and let your imagination run wild. To get started, many artists freestyle for a bit and write down every thought, idea, and emotion that comes to mind. Use your emotions as your inspiration.

12 2. Create a hook: The basic layout for a rap is intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse, bridge (section of verse that brings the song back to its original topic), chorus, outro. Many rappers start writing the hook (chorus) first. The hook captures the theme of the rap, and conveys its message to the audience. Rappers and lyricists in general start with this because the chorus is what people remember and take from a rap. It sets the rhythm and flow, and inspires what is said throughout the rap.

13 3. Write lyrics. Use the brainstorming you did along with your chorus as a guide for what you are writing about and to build onto your ideas. Keep in mind that you have to maintain a rhythm since rap is music as well as poetry, and both follow a beat. Some lyricists listen to a beat as they write to help keep their rhythm.

14 4. Be personal: Don t lie in your raps about who you are to get your point across, you might want to use hyperbole (exaggerating to the extreme). Typically, lines rhyme in a rap, but the words don t have to match exactly--it all depends on how you say them (for example: orange: storage). Always keep your message and audience in mind.

15 5. Organize: Once you have an idea of what you want to say, organize your ideas. Break them up into verses while you keep in mind the layout for most basic raps. intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, outro.

16 6. Memorize: Being able to recite your words from memory allows you to keep the flow and rhythm of it. So practice, practice, practice! Read and reread your piece until you re sick of it. Play around with the tempo to see what sounds better with your style. Don't be discouraged if you trip up on your words.

17 7. Rap and share: With the rhythm down and the words engraved into your memory, you re ready to rap. Record yourself rapping in front of a crowd or even alone in your room and share it on a site along with the lyrics! Let your voice be heard, and get going on your next masterpiece.