Rap Music Inspires

Rap music has taken over as the most popular genre in the last decade. Many critics of rap point to its obnoxious hit records that are abrasive and lack substance. However, the core of the genre still remains with lyrically inclined rappers. The reason lyrical rap is not the mainstream form of rap is because the messaging is often not palatable to a wide audience and it is not as sonically appeasing.

I personally prefer to listen to lyrical rap. Throughout rap's history, the most culturally revered artists fall into this lane. Tupac, Biggie, Wu-tang clan and so many more all had a great pen, meaning they wrote great lyrics.

The power in rap comes from its ability to connect through its lyrics. I’ve learned about history, societal issues, and even current day events through rap. This is what sparked my interest in the English language. Creating a message within the confines of a beat and rhyme scheme requires the utmost attention to writing techniques like word choice and syllable count.

It's easy to miss most of the lyrics when you’re singing your favorite song. How many times have you had a spur of the moment thought and realized what you were saying when singing along? We all used to sing along to Whistle by Flo Rida as kids. Go look at the lyrics again. This made me interested in analyzing lyrics in written form versus only listening.

 The song that inspired this habit of mine is “The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar. Hidden behind one of my favorite beats and the masterful performance by Kendrick complete with different flows, vocal inflections, and emotionally charged delivery, lies a story detailing the poison that is the “culture.” Kendrick and I are from different coasts, and completely different environments socially and economically, but his ability to connect through his lyrics is second to none.

Kendrick Lamar

That’s why I love the lyrics. In its written form it has an ability to reach minds that wouldn’t understand or connect with the message in plain English. It’s like it’s calligraphy. The technique is so attractive that it allows the artist to deliver me a message that I would otherwise be less likely to pay mind to. The commentary on communities I would otherwise have no credible source in encourages me to think critically about them.

One of the groups I've been influenced the most by is Run The Jewels. The duo uses hard, abrasive beats that sound like they will blow your speakers out any second. That creates the energy for their often insightful lyrics. They go between talking shit and providing insight into their worldview. Throughout their four albums, they have consistently attacked institutions of power and those with excessive wealth who don't use it for good. If you are an older person, you can think of them as the next generations Rage Against The Machine. Their similarity in content led them to collaborating multiple times and they even almost toured together in 2022 before being cancelled due to an injury of Zach De La Rocha.

If you only listen to one song, listen to "A Report to the Shareholders/ Kill Your Masters." This is my favorite song of all time. The eerie beat creates the perfect environment for the message they are delivering. The opening lines of El-P set the tone for the rest of the track, talking about authority figures and questioning them. He says, "Beware of horses/I mean a horse is a horse of course but who rides is important." I find it funny that he rhymed horse with horse and then of course. He then goes on to talk about his worry of restricted free speech or retribution from those he attacks with his pen.

Run The Jewels "Legend Has It" music video.

This somewhat revolutionary outlook actually influenced my political views. The call to action led me to researching more "radical" ideas that serve the general public instead of the ruling class. The specific line from this verse that really shook me is, "You talk clean and bomb hospitals/ So I speak with the foulest mouth possible." I really love this F you attitude towards people who only present as clean but commit evil acts behind the screen. This was in 2016, but this disposition directly impacted my viewpoint on the Palestinian genocide. The entirity of this song could be a direct commentary on that which shows how cyclical and normal these things are and adds to the importance of this song to me.

Killer Mike follows this verse with his own masterpiece of a verse. My favorite lines from it are "It could all be over tomorrow, kill our masters and start again" and "We the gladiators that oppose all Caesars." The energy provided by these calls to action is necessary because of the nature of the conflict. Fighting against a ruling class that is oppressive in its nature is an uphill climb on a 150 degree slope.

This shows how rap music has a different ability to inspire and connect. It has influenced my worldview more than any other art form could. My political views have changed as a result of the works by Kendrick Lamar and Run The Jewels. My outlook on living a good life and positivy was altered by the consistent message of Larry June. Art contributes to perception, and the ability to pack so much meaning into a 3 minute song allows for rap music to have so much potential to change the worldview of the masses.

A great example to drive this point home is the halftime show. It isn't prefect because it does have visual components that wouldn't otherwise be available when just listening, but Kendrick used his collection of songs to deliver a precise message. It was politically charged and a statement that represented his community of Compton, California. He brought that to the world stage. Everyone got to see how he feels being a massive artist who has to operate within the confines of presenting well to white America while staying true to his roots and the culture that provided him with the knowledge and love to go so far.