Yes. Hip-hop is Poetry

Poetry is self-expression. It is an art form where the artist releases his/her emotion onto paper. At times, there is a fixed form, (e.g. sonnet, concrete) however, at other times the organization is simply words on a page. Poetry can be comedic, romantic, narrative, dramatic, selfish, or just an arrangement of words on paper to satisfy an artistic vision and supply visual pleasure.

Hip-hop is self-expression. It is an art form where the artist releases his/her emotion through verse on paper and performance. A rapper is a poet, spilling his life story onto tracks through verse and spoken word. Not every artist will explain his own life experiences, but that does not mean it is not poetry. Just like poetry, hip hop can be comedic, romantic, selfish, or just a collection of sounds (beats) that are pleasing to the human ear.

Referring to the roots of Hip-hop, a lot of rap expresses the struggle of African Americans in urban America. The lyrics in many songs directly reference the life experiences of African American youths whether it be gang-banging, growing up poor, selling drugs, sex, murder, prison, racism, or any other form of adversity that they either overcame or crumbled under.

At the same time, there is a certain style that the rapper must adhere to when divulging his life experiences. The rapper cannot simply write down his words and be complete because he will receive no respect in the "Rap Game." A rapper, just like a poet, must be witty, creative, tricky, and unorthodox in his lyrical word choice and lyrical order. Therefore, a skillful rapper possesses a variety of lyrical techniques in his arsenal such as, assonance, alliteration, consonance, slant rhymes, near rhymes, metaphors, and similies, all of which can be found in poetry. And, the more the rapper can disguise his rhymes, incorporate stylistic techniques, and progress the verse without it sounding forced, the more respect he will receive from critics and peers.

But, written lyrics are only half of the rapper's struggle. In the world of Hip-hop, performance is an integral component of success. Through performance, a rapper is able to stress certain words, change the sound of certain words, create his own voice and style, and display his inner passion, anguish, or anger.

More Evidence

The New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre (NZEPC) is one online article used to show the direct correlation between Hip-hop and Peotry. By examining semantics and poetic techniques, the article is able to provide direct examples of poetry employing stylistic components also found in Hip-hop verse.

For example, "In order to write lyrics that do not rely on melody and which require only minor accompaniment, Hip Hop artists have adopted many traditional poetic devices, a process which appears to have been organic rather than intentional. For example, consider the following set of King Kapisi lyrics:

…thoughts bewitched like Salem's LotPresence of preachers I'm an atheist, glad to meet ya!Rape of consciousness in my Pacific, rememba it tug wool on opticsJust a switch of catatonic perception, dimension on this tune called religionOr just a ruined slender lead over greed, false hopes who feed beliefs in hierarchyGreed stained facts about the original manFi-fi-fo-dum, Polynesians origin, Pacific basin, my backyard, kinfolk, soft-spoken relapseRaps crush venues til mics collapse, the haps is I the Polynesian rebelTo all systems submit to nothing, elevating mindstate, annihilate,Monday to Friday, weekend stress the day of homage that keeps brothers in bondageFools follow, that's why I fight for my people Sixth or Seventh day adventuristsOpen doors to enlightenment? Bickering, who's idol is greater, who's idol is real?Or true masters of deception … ask yourself the question! (King Kapisi, ‘Reverse Resistance.’)

In this fragment we can see a number of the common elements of Hip Hop poetics: regular use of alliteration and assonance; metaphors/similes drawing from popular culture (in this case, the Stephen King novel Salem's Lot); a loose structure of rhyme and metre. Interestingly, many of the poetic devices that rap lyrics have reintroduced are relatively uncommon in contemporary English-language poetry, which has adopted a style that is closer to everyday speech. Contemporary poetry, in its written form, also tends to use line-breaks in order to emphasise certain meanings; clearly this technique is less relevant in rap since it is an oral form and is written out according to the points where the rhyme (or assonance) falls."

---information provided by article on Hip-hop and Poetry by the NZEPC

An Even Closer Examination

Take a close look at Kanye West, Common, Tupac Shakur, or Nas, most of their lyrics have meaning and incorporate poetic devices such as alliteration, metaphors, similes, slant rhymes, near rhymes, consonance, and assonance. These African American artists voice their struggle, the daily grind, through paper and spoken word. In some cases, their very voice is reminiscent of a reverend delivering his sermon. Other times, it invokes a flashback to the times of slavery, where black slaves chanted songs of freedom while they worked the fields.

Take a sneak peak. The profiles and lyrics of each individual Hip-hop artist/group are connected in conjunction with this website, but let me pull some specific examples to further illustrate my point.

"And even as a crack fiend, mama
You always was a black queen, mama
I finally understand
for a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a man
You always was committed
A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it"

-2Pac Shakur, "Dear Mama"

The song was written by 2Pac while in prison and it was the first time he ever opened up about his mother. Through vivid description, 2Pac is able to paint a picture of his life as a child and provide insight into who his mother was. She was involved with drugs, "a crack fiend," and also without money or a husband, "poor single mother on welfare." Therefore, she may not be exonerated for her behavior, but she can be commended because, "for a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a man."

Also, many listeners may be able to relate to the situation 2Pac presents in the song. It is highly possible that some young males in the audience are poor, without a father, and have a mother raising them on drugs. This song, "Dear Mama," is able to show them that they are not alone. One, 2Pac went through the same issues. Two, he still became a man. The message 2Pac is trying to send is that it took him to long to "finally understand" his mother's situation and the troubles she faced on her end of the hand that life dealt her. It took 2Pac years to realize that he may not have treated his mother with the proper dignity, respect, and appreciation while growing up because he never understood the issues that she was going through as a single, poor, mother on drugs. And, even though it may be too late to go back and change 2Pac's childhood, the song "Dear Mama" may be able to reach other youths in the same situation and help them cope with their own and their mother's problems.

What poetic devices did 2Pac use? Notice the slant/near rhyme in: "understand/man" and "committed/did it." The rhymes are creative and possess a slyness that comes off extremely witty. 2Pac did not make simple, boring rhymes like "book/cook" or "shoe/glue," but instead, rhymed while making it seem like he was not trying to. It is hard to explain, the art of rhyming without it appearing forced and sounding cheesy. The use of slant/near rhymes accomplish this goal because it expands vocabulary and pushes creativity.

Yet, in an arrogant maneuver, 2Pac flaunts his expert lyrical ability by doubling up on the use of "mama" to the effect that it does not sound corny and over-worked, but instead stressed for greater effect, rhythm, and importance.

Finally, 2Pac also used opposing images as a vehicle for describing his mother, "crack fiend/black queen." Another perfect near or slant rhyme but the actual images themselves, although contradictory, are extremely useful in painting a clear picture of his mother. 2Pac is able to apply beauty and wealth to a woman who is poor and craving drugs. He is able to spin her deadly addiction and situation into high class and royalty in a matter of two lines. The art of saying a lot in as few words as possible.

In a comedic twist, in order to properly display the true creativity of rhyme, I will now present a verse by Kanye West:

I'm with this bad Ethiopian chick, drinkin straight up liquor
I told her I'm nigger-ian, a straight up nigga
Now is it just me, or do them ugg's
Have girls be lookin like sheepskin rugs
Some rhyme with a name, some rhyme nameless
Don't try to treat me like I AIN'T FAMOUS
My apologies, are you into astrology
Cause I'm, I'm tryin to make it to Uranus
See that's a little Don Juan game
All across your chest like Sean John name
Niggaz tryin to figure out since Kan came
Who the rookie of the year, me or LeBron James
They say whoa, don't get caught up in the hype
Ain't no tellin they gon' love you after tonight
Well if tonight's the night, pop bottles, fuck models
Spend money 'til you broke, my nigga live your life!"

-Jadakiss featuring Kanye West, "Gettin' it In"

The rhyming in this verse is literally mind blowing. Kanye layers metaphor on top of metaphor, and simile on top of simile in his quest to prove himself as one of the best lyrical artists in the rap game. Examine the text. Kanye is suave in his opening line: "I'm with this bad Ethiopian chick, drinkin straight up liquor/I told her I'm nigger-ian, a straight up nigga." He plays on the word order and word choice of the first line with his own rendition, "I told her I'm nigger-ian, a straight up nigga." (in reference to "bad Ethiopian chick, drinkin straight up liquor")

Then, Kanye plunges you into a world of metaphors and similes with the line: "Now is it just me, or do them ugg's/Have girls be lookin like sheepskin rugs." Kanye is poking fun at the fact that a lot of females where Ugg shoes and when they do they "be looking like sheepskin rugs."

Next, Kanye continues with his humor in toying with words by introducing the line: "My apologies, are you into astrology/Cause I'm, I'm tryin to make it to Uranus." He is clever. He is creative. And he wants you to be aware of this. The line is jovial. The line is funny. It contains a literal level, if you think he is referring to actual astrology and planets. And, it also has its own sexual connotations, having nothing to do with astrology.

Kanye is "spittin' game," a term used to describe one who is attempting to pick up a female. And, Kanye predicts that you (the audience) will know this. See, his next line is: "See that's a little Don Juan game/All across your chest like Sean John name." The "Don Juan" line is in reference to the most notorious pimp, Don "Magic" Juan. And, "Sean John" is the clothing line founded by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs of Bad Boy Records. Kanye is using two well-known figures as vehicles to weave his lyrical lines of comedy and sex.

Finally, Kanye brings sports into the equation by writing: "Niggaz tryin to figure out since Kan came/Who the rookie of the year, me or LeBron James." At the time of this song, LeBron James was tearing through the NBA in his rookie campaign and Kanye was considered a rookie in the Hip-hop game. Therefore, he is able to use the budding NBA star and his own career situation to create a witty lyrical punch line.

The rest of Kanye's verse, in a weird way, comes off like a Karpe-Diem with its seize the day attitude: "They say whoa, don't get caught up in the hype/Ain't no tellin they gon' love you after tonight/Well if tonight's the night, pop bottles, fuck models/Spend money 'til you broke, my nigga live your life!" He is basically telling the listner to go out and live life. If there is any message in this verse it is right here in these last 4 lines where Kanye orders the audience to "spend money 'til your broke" and "live your life" all because there "ain't no tellin they gon' love you after tonight." Live in the moment.

In the end, these are just two of the many different styles that flow throughout the Hip-hop world. Both songs, although different, display a creativity and love of language. (the artform of weaving words throughout a verse, using style and technique in order to express onself) It is no wonder that Hip-hop is beginning to be taught in poetry courses all over the country. And, it is only a matter of time before Hip-hop receives its well-deserved credit as one of the modern forms of poetry.

As Layzie Bone (of Bone Thugs N' Harmony) once said,

"Get live with the Bone Thugs, Poetic Hustlas in the graveyard shift
On the 1st"

-Bone Thugs N' Harmony, "1st of Tha Month"

Finally...

Look around. Investigate online. I have posted another link to a "Rap is Poetry Contest." The website contains the information about the contest, as well as other links containing audio and written material from competitors, as well as biographical information about certain contestants in the competition.

The other link is a funny little number sent to me by Prof. Rusche. I could not resist adding it to the website, and it just shows how much Hip-hop and rhyme has integrated itself within our culture.

Remember, the Hip-hop/poetry buzz is circulating out there. It is up to you to hop on the bandwagon before its too late.