Rappers As Artist Essay, Research Paper

Bhavesh Patel

1301-803

Essay #1

June 14, 2000

Rappers as Artists

INTRODUCTION

The word ?artist? is a term that is used to describe professions such as painters, chefs, and even musicians. Painters use paints and canvas as their medium, chefs use food for their delicacy, and musicians use the words and musical instruments to create the art of sound. Even within this, the terms of chief, painters, and musicians encompass many facets. For example, some chiefs specialize only in pastries, some painters only work with watercolor, or the in the instance of music, musicians who create rap music. IN ALL INSTANCES A FORM OF CREATION HAS TAKEN PLACE BUT MODERN DAY SCRUTINY ON WHO CAN OR CANNOT BE CONSIDERED ARTISTS HAS BANISHED RAPPERS AS ARTISTS.

FIRST SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH

RAPPERS ARE MUSICIANS WHO USE FAST-PACED RHYMING VERSES ACCOMPANIED WITH A HEAVY BEAT AND SYNTHESIZING RHYTHMS. The lyrical verses can reflect everything from love to a drug deal gone wrong to strong opinions about social and political issues. Lately though, rappers such as Tupac Shakur, Notorious BIG, and Puff Daddy have been scrutinized as to weather or not their form of expression can be considered art. Notorious BIG uses offensive language to describe his lifestyles and his objects of desire. Many people think that the profanity and offensiveness of his lyrics serve as reasons to dismiss him as an artists. However, according to the definition of an artist, rappers can be considered artists.

SECOND SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH

IN ORDER TO FULLY ESTABLISH THAT RAPPERS ARE ARTISTS, THE DEFINITION OF ?ARTIST? AND ?ART? MUST BE ESTABLISHED.

An artist is a person skilled in a fine art, such as painting, dance or music.

Art is the creation of a work bringing about a variety of new combination of elements in the medium (tones in music, words in literature, ect.)

To further establish the definition of artist, lets look at some examples. Painters for instance are considered as artist because they meet the defined criteria. First, painter must be skilled in their field. They must have an eye for color, shapes, patterns and details. Second, painters must be able to combine different variables to form a variation of artwork. They must be able to bring different existing colors, textures, and shape together to create something new, abstract, or even definitional. Third, painters must use their skill as a form of self-expression. Colors portray their emotions and the shapes to signify a certain mood. In these aspect painters meet all the criteria that make an artist an artist. Now you need to examine the characteristics of a rapper to determine whether or not they meet the same criteria of being skilled in a fine art such as music, being able to bring out new combination of elements to form something new, and being able to present a form of self expression.

THIRD SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH

IN FACT RAP IS A FORM OF MUSIC THAT REQUIRES MANY TALENTS IN THE SIMILAR FORM THAT PAINTERS MUST BE SKILLED AT THEIR TRADE. According to the Merriam Webster?s Dictionary, rapping is defined as ?a rhythmic chanting often in unison of usually rhymed couplets to a musical accompaniment.? Therefore, in addition to the skills required of other musicians, such as being able to detect musical notes, and being able to read music, musicians who rap must be able to write rhyming lyrics as well as being rhythmically inclined. For example, well-known rapper Bizzy Bone from the rap group Bone Thugs ?N? Harmony is acclaimed for his ability to rap with an incredible speed and at the same time maintain a steady beat and rhythm. In addition to those talents, a rapper must be able to create and write verses and couplets. Two of the most popular rappers, Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur, were recognized for their ability to write lyrics that had not only absorbing meaning but were also known for their choice of words and semantics. In light if this, rappers begin to fit the definition of artists because they posses certain musical skills necessary to their particular form of art.

FORTH SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH

THE SECOND ATTRIBUTE THAT RAPPERS MAINTAIN TO BRING IS A NEW COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS. Just as painters must be able to take different colors and shapes to create a painting, rappers must also be able to take pieces and put them together for a new song. For instance, a method of compilation used by many rappers is called sampling. An artist takes a musical cord or series of notes from different musicians and builds upon it to produce their own sound. A rapper may take an introduction to a song and use that as the basis for their song. An instance of this can be found in Puff Daddy?s sampling of Lunez ?I Got 5 ON IT.? Puff Daddy uses the background music and creates his own lyrics to form a new and slower love song, ?Satisfy You.?

FIFTH SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH

ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF A RAPPER THAT GIVES HIM OR HER THE RIGHT TO BE CONSIDERED A RAPPER, IS THE EXPRESSIONS THEIR SONGS PRESENT. Painters may use red to signify their anger or yellow to express cheerfulness, paralleling to rappers use of words and lyrics to express their feelings and emotions about politics, personal reasons, or even their happiness in their wealth. Rapper Tupac Shakur was noted for his anger and frustrations that was his seen in his lyrics and music. He used his feelings from his unstable childhood and life in the inner city. He also often describes his lost friendship and hate towards Notorious BIG due to Notorious BIG stealing lyrics from Tupac further creating a rivalry among the two rappers. Many rappers such as Juvenile and the group Cash Money rap about topics such as success in life, wealth, and the things they can buy with it. There are all sorts of variation of rappers just as there are variation of painters; some painting are only abstract and other paintings are in details.

CONCLUSION

Rappers use their life and its tribulations as a source of inspiration to their music. The music they create present all the forms of what would consider them to be artist; due to their unique ability to create rhythmic lyrics, to express themselves, and to use different elements to create something new and distinct.

Marian Webster?s Dictionary ? pg. 78&79, pg. 1128