Well, we don’t have to look any further afield to find this definition. Rap is indeed a form of art, but it’s also a unique art form, one in which the form alone can serve as the catalyst and the basis for the expression of the art.
In short, rap is a hybrid form of musical expression where the form is as unique and distinct from the melody as the form can be from the style in which the form is used and the listener is exposed to. It doesn’t matter what style rap is played in whether it’s hip-hop or pop, whether it’s emcees in a different era or an older voice using today’s terminology, hip-hop does not have to follow the same rules as another art form for it to be truly a “Art form.”
What’s cool about this definition is that it not only allows us to differentiate between different types of art but also define their qualities. The fact that the words they use describe what is considered art (i.e, a “form”) gives rap further credibility and allows for a greater understanding of which type of music is the best (i.e., hip-hop) and which type is the best for listening to (i.e., pop), which in turn makes the pop and hip-hop genres sound less threatening.
As we know, hip-hop is hip-hop because it takes influences from all the different types of music in the world and combines them, a hybridization that is unmatched by most other forms of music. So it’s no surprise that, when rappers talk about hip-hop being a form of art, they’re not talking about one type of music per se; they’re talking about all of the genres, styles, genres, styles.
Rap is a Form of Art: Rap: A Form of Music | Rap: A Form of Art
So what makes music an art, anyway?
Well, that’s the question that every student of music and its traditions has to answer, and when they do, there are many misconceptions to deal with. Let’s break down the three myths that are often used to determine rap’s “ability” to be an art (at least on the surface).
Myth 1: Rap Is The Most Important Music Ever Made
This is an old (and often wrong) misconception that is constantly being repeated by people who don’t understand what the difference is between Hip-Hop and Pop.
They often say that if
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