Wanhui Feng

Professor Shuckra

WR151: Hip-Hop & American Poetry

June 28, 2021

Is Hip Hop Poetry?

A certain order is followed when asking whether hip-hop is poetry. The term

poetry when used in the context of hip hop is a way of commending it as art, insight,

and a way to praise the genre. The evolution of poetry in hip hop has been

experienced over many decades through poetry has developed over hundreds of years.

Masterpieces are created once a poet can develop their techniques and styles when

creating poems. The art of poetry has thus had an increased influence on both

contemporary and old school hip hop though it can be said that the influence goes

both ways. According to David Caplan, the extent of how poetry has been

incorporated into hip hop would serve as the basis of education for poets such as

Shakespeare if they existed in the modern world. The influence hip hop has in modern

society deems the genre relevant as a medium of learning for contemporary poets.

(Kochman, no) The appeal for both art forms spans different cultures, races, age

groups, and audiences. Overlooking both genres as different entities may be

conflicting as hip hop can be defined as a form of contemporary poetry. The

similarities in both art forms thus trigger the desire for critical analysis in trying to get

a clear perspective of how poetry and hip hop are intertwined.

Poetry possesses less complexity in comparison to hip hop which is broader in

terms of its delivery of subjects and ideas. However, hip hop delivers in a similar

fashion and presentation both attempting to exert the same audience response in terms
of emotion. Emotional responses evoked by delivering poems are based on the fact

that their literary function is developed in a way that bears rhythmic language, sound,

meaning, emotion, ideas, and experiences to targeted audiences. Emotions and

feelings that the poet experiences are able be delivered through rhyme, metaphors,

and meter which are literary techniques. The correlation of hip hop and poetry on an

emotional level is then used as a tool of deeper connection other than being superficial

through integrating the literary functions described previously. Poets are accorded the

freedom to create poems in their style and structure since the art gives them a lot of

freedom. It is clear that poets are at liberty to manipulate alliteration, rhyme scheme,

and sentence structure to suit their preferences. A direct correlation can be depicted in

the hip-hop scene where these elements of manipulating alliteration, rhyme scheme,

and sentence structure are also manipulated to develop certain flow and feels to

music. Artists are at liberty to make the changes necessary which may be seen as a

way in which poetry can be described as hip hop and vice versa.

The 1970s saw the birth of hip hop as a genre and since then the art has become

more popular with its audience in contemporary times. Hip hop is often described as

an art and is developed around literary styles such as rhythm, rhyme, metaphors, etc.

During the decades when hip hop was being established, many people were

familiarized with the genre for containing chanted rhythmic speech and beats. The

similarity with poets and hip-hop artists is the uniqueness both have for they are

accorded similar fashion of freedom of using whichever style one deems to suit their

preference (Kochman, np). A perfect example of that type of freedom can be seen in

the philosophical, catchy, and funny delivery Kanye West uses while at the same time

there is a precise, violent, and fast mode of delivery by Eminem. In the song Roman’s
Revenge by Nicky Minaj and Eminem, he states, Twisted-ass mind got a pretzel for a

brain / An eraser for a head, f*****g pencil for a frame”. In Just Don’t Give a F**K,

Eminem is vulgar and uses the line “You wacker than the mother****r you bit your

style from / You ain’t gonna sell two copies if you press a double album”. In these

songs, Eminem's style of delivery incorporated the use of vulgar and harsh language

to express his feelings. In the song Homecoming by Kanye West, he states, “Reach for

the stars so if you fall you land on a cloud” where he uses his philosophical prowess

to urge people to follow their dreams despite the dangers that may be waiting. Both

artists are seen to have full control of their lyrics which depicts the freedom accorded

in delivery by both genres.

It is also evident that there is freedom of changing sentence structure and rhyme

in the hip-hop genre. Rhyme is the aspect of hip hop that creates flow coupled with

the use of rhythm. Looking into the rhyme as elements of poem and hip hop unwinds

a deep connection both genres share. According to Sidney Kochman, there is a lack of

identification of rhyme in contemporary poets who have deemed the component that

exists as a curiosity in an outdated form or that it is dead. The argument is that

contemporary poetry does not present a place for rhyme to fit in and it is said to be out

of place. An argument is then formed by David Caplan who tries to analyze the reason

for hip hop to make use of techniques that have been termed as "outdated." Caplan

also tries to surface another argument as to why many music artists including hip-hop

artists and poets have made rhyme common in their works of art and ultimately

answer the question of "why do poems and hip-hop verses rhyme?” (Caplan, 46)
Contemporary forms of poetry and hip-hop arts have made a ubiquitous perception of

rhyme even in the face of being oblivious since artists have become “conspicuous,

innovative and daring rhymers” (Kochman, np). Kochman also adds that an

examination of the seductive, insulting, and doggerel context of rhyme in hip hop was

made in preparation for future research since they can be described as what makes the

foundation of the genre.

Caplan presents his argument on rhyme by stating that a new form of rhyming

has developed known as virtuoso synonymous with hip hop. Contemporary poets

have also mastered the art of rhyming contrary to what was there in the past. It was

seen that most poems did not follow rhymes that were patterned, though later after the

rap scene evolved, many poets were able to adopt conspicuous methods. The methods

that have been incorporated in current hip hop and poetry forms include forced

mosaic and multi-syllabic rap. The formal influence brought about by hip-hop can be

seen where Michael Jackson rhymes “home” with “Sierra Leone” and Michael

Robbins “red” with “Sudafed” in their poems (Caplan). Multisyllabic rap has been

describing using examples such as rhyming "Timbo" with “indo” and “vans and

trucks” with “random luck” by Kool G Rap in How to Rap. The adoption of

multisyllabic rhyming in poetry can be depicted by rhyming “hen-peck’d you all”

with “intellectual” in the poem Don Juan by Lord Byron.

There is critical thought that is placed when poets and rappers are developing

rhyme in their verses. The major difference between the two art forms is the beat

aspects that seem to push hip hop into developing rhythm. Words are recited to the

beats and music while poems are recited without the guide of beats thus present a
natural raw form of performance. However, Caplan furthers his claims to state that the

evolution of rhyme occurs once there is a monotonous feel to the methods being used

by the poets and rappers stating that mainstream stages are overthrown by

incompetent and gauche artists. One may criticize the change of rhyme to one that

results in deterioration of quality, but the good thing is that it is a redefining factor.

The redefinition is also brought about by the constant addition of words into the

English dictionary 8500 words per year which broaden the rhyming spectrum and

allows for new ideas According to Paris Review, memorable poems are created once

incorporation of new words is done. Continuous word additions can increase rhyming

possibilities which have been taken advantage of/utilized by current poets and hip-hop

artists. November 2011 saw the invention of the word twerk through the influence of

Miley Cyrus which has thus become mainstream in contemporary hip hop.

Incorporation of the word twerk into poetry is evident with poets such as Porsha

Olayiwola composing the poem Twerk Villanelle which is all about the act of

twerking.

Looking into the imagery aspect of both poetry and hip hop reveals that artists

make critical decisions in their choice of words. Adam Kirsch in The Poetry

Foundation: Is Rap Poetry, the discussion formed a discussion on the poetic aspect of

hip hop lyrics. Target audiences can have a mental picture of the story being relayed

by the artist through imagery. Verbal delivery of rap in hip hop allows for the artist to

achieve their goals through the literary style., “It’s 2:30 and the sun is beaming / Air

conditioner broke and I hear my stomach screaming / Hungry for anything unhealthy

and if nutrition can help me” is an example of imagery used in the song “The Art of

Peer Pressure” by Kendrick Lamar. In the lines, Kendrick can explain that it is a hot
day and also describes the time. An unhealthy craving for anything that will be

presented is also stated as the rapper states show he has not eaten for a while and is

hungry. The lyrics can give a form of explanation to what was being said by the use of

imagery. Poetry has over the centuries utilized images as a useful element in art

which was then adopted in the last few decades as hip hop evolved. The use of

imagery in poetry and hip hop can thus be seen as the best way to bring the audience

closer to picturing what message is being relayed.

The evolution of poetry and hip hop in the past years from their roots to what

they are today has allowed them to intertwine and borrow from each other. Analyzing

some aspects such as their history, rhyme, rhythm, and imagery is important in

understanding some of the elements that have been incorporated in both types of art

from an evolutionary standpoint to how each depends on the other to maintain

relevance. The richness of each form of art is established through literary devices and

preservation is achieved. It is also worthy to note that evolution does not mean that

some of the aspects are eroded, but rather they become more defined and refined. The

significance of having to analyze whether hip hop is poetry creates a clear perspective

of understanding both genres at a scholarly level. Relevance is achieved once the

realization that a hip hop is also a form of poetry is made and that the integration of

both genres is the source of influence in other areas of music and art such as hip-

house and rapcore.

Works Cited
Alan Sitomer., Michael Cirelli. "Hip-hop poetry and the classics." (2010). SCB Distr

Caplan., David. "Rhyme's Challenge: hip hop, poetry, and contemporary rhyming

culture." (2014). Oxford University Press, USA.

Kochman., Sidney. "Review of “Rhyme’s Challenge: Hip Hop, Poetry, and

Contemporary Rhyming Culture” by David Caplan." Night Owl (2014).

https://sites.owu.edu/nightowl/2014/05/02/review-of-rhymes-challenge-hip-hop-

poetry-and-contemporary-rhyming-culture-by-david-caplan

Low., Bronwen. “Slam School: Learning through conflict in the hip-hop and spoken

word classroom.”