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  • Rap and Hip Hop

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    Shannon Scheidell
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    Hip-hop began in the late 1970s in the South Bronx as a form of rhyming poetry set to music that told stories with messages, drawing on West African oral traditions. The document discusses how hip-hop culture incorporates elements of religious rituals and experiences, with MCs taking the role of high priests and hip-hop performances taking on ritual dimensions through elements like block parties and dance competitions. It posits that the views expressed in hip-hop reflect the political, economic, and racial realities of the world in a way that mirrors traditional religion.

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    Hip-hop began in the late 1970s in the South Bronx as a form of rhyming poetry set to music that told stories with messages, drawing on West African oral traditions. The document discusses how hip-hop culture incorporates elements of religious rituals and experiences, with MCs taking the role of high priests and hip-hop performances taking on ritual dimensions through elements like block parties and dance competitions. It posits that the views expressed in hip-hop reflect the political, economic, and racial realities of the world in a way that mirrors traditional religion.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    19 views5 pages

    Rap and Hip Hop

    Uploaded by

    Shannon Scheidell
    Hip-hop began in the late 1970s in the South Bronx as a form of rhyming poetry set to music that told stories with messages, drawing on West African oral traditions. The document discusses how hip-hop culture incorporates elements of religious rituals and experiences, with MCs taking the role of high priests and hip-hop performances taking on ritual dimensions through elements like block parties and dance competitions. It posits that the views expressed in hip-hop reflect the political, economic, and racial realities of the world in a way that mirrors traditional religion.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 5

    The Message

    Rap Music and Hip-Hop Culture

    Hip-Hop
    Rap: South Bronx in the late 70s
    Rhyming poetry; story with a message Rhythm is the organizing principle; stripped down melody; call and response Lineage of West African oral traditions Nommo: spiritual power of words (184) African-American preachers Stylized lingo: differentiated language? (184-185) This worldly redemption and embodied sexuality Combative spirituality (192)

    The Religious Experience


    Conversion and hip-hop culture Intensified bodily states (196) Initiation rites and the art of hip-hop DJs, rappers, dancers (198)
    MC as high priest of the ritual performance (199)

    Nommo: spiritual power of words (198) Truth-telling: the message (speaking forth of beliefs using rhythm and rhyme
    Music is the future religion of the world (203)

    The Ritual Dimension


    Block parties, organized competitions, crews, posses, break dancing: politics of prestige and reputation Dominant interactive element Possession experiences (208) Factions and larger hip-hop culture
    Mirrors traditional religion

    Worldviews and Philosophies


    Awareness of the dark, chaotic nature of the world Rooted in political, economic, and racial dimensions of human existence Rhythm is key: polyrhythms Views reflect the chaos; truth-telling and the way it is MCs and church sermons (212) Postmodern sensibility: bricolage (213)

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