I had a conversation with an Oxford language professor who was interested at the idea that poetry could be somehow living on in popular culture through rap. I often here very good lines from rappers, however then they ruin songs with cheesy/awkward attempts.
Pic related is a poem Tupac wrote to his girlfriend. It's utter horse shit, I know. It made me think that rappers are untalented at doing things outside of rhyming. Actually, no, the rhyming here isn't even good - it's contrived. "Regal grace". Cringe.
>Can hip-hop/rap be Veeky Forums? I have no idea what it means to be Veeky Forums, but I did come across some lyrically interesting rap songs. They are far from being the next Baudelaire but they aren't dumb.
>poetry could be somehow living on in popular culture through rap. Yeah, that's not an unlikely situation. Written poetry today is cryptic (if not obscurantist) and has completely abandoned the traditional tools of prosody, making it less interesting when it's actually read out loud. Who knows, the whole field could die out. Rap on the other hand is simpler, accessible, rhythmic and sometimes pretty technically impressive (I've heard songs that rhyme with the same syllable all the way through) because it is meant to be heard, and has musical accompaniment, just like the ancient Greek poetry and drama.
Zachary Parker
No that would just be cultural appropriation
Matthew Russell
God not this shit again. I would report this thread if there was any actual basis in doing so. Lyrics =/= poetry. Lyrics = lyrics. Poetry should be able to stand by itself and on its own merits alone. Does a book need to have pictures to communicate its point to you? I will certainly say that the poetry in the public eye now is unanimously garbage (writing a paragraph and entering random line breaks doesn't make poetry) but rap lyrics are not a replacement.
Angel Miller
why do brainlets always try to act like rap is lit? is it because they are not used to full sentences?
most lyrics in all genres are written secondary to the music. look at how rappers compose, they get a beat, then they let it flow into them and come up with some shit, then they edit it and clean it up for production. there is very little thought in consumer media lyrics, unless you're amazed by illiteration and metaphor, theyre really not interesting.
Andrew Martin
yes i recognise the hilarious irony/freudian slip in misspelling alliteration 'illiteration'
Jaxon Ward
Looks like I just found the perfect title for my ironic rap album.
Aaron Wright
if rap tries to be cultural it's pretentious cringe. rap artists should stick to their roots not let their ability to make sentences rhyme make them feel schooled. they should stick to whatever poetic value there is to the life of the lower social class urban outcasts. they're only different from junkies because they gather around to humble brag about their illicit activities and are not smart enough that their ambition goes wasted. respect if you make it though, but not even a significant amount of successful rap careers are culturally important besides appealing to underdeveloped teens.
Jayden Howard
This, anons take note. Now pack your shit , leave this board and never use rap and literature in the same sentence again.
