Importance of Rap
By Andrew Minchella
We have all heard it at some point in time, our parents and grandparents detesting rap and its many influential artists. Although it is natural for them to not find the music appealing just as we do not find much of the music they listen to, it is important that we appreciate that it is art and a form of expression. Music was never meant to be restricted to any certain content, the content is determined by the artist and rap is no different. Although it may be more vulgar and unforgiving in many instances, there are still people who need that music in order to express themselves through it and relate to the message.
Music like all art forms is a reflection of self and reality, the music is entirely dependent on what the artists reality is. It is also important that we realize that their is a new wave of rap artists coming up, a new genre known as “trap rap” or “trap music”, this is not the rap I am referring to. Just as Johnny Cash and John Lennon wrote depressing music on many occasions due to their life experiences. Johnny Cash losing his brother in a labor accident early in his life and John Lennon's’ substance abuse and relationship issues, rappers music is an accurate reflection of self and their own experiences. They are as said in the film Straight Outta Compton, “Ghetto Reporters,” in their community. Some of raps most prominent and loved rappers all had something in common which was the attribute of being a great storyteller through their lyrics. Their ability to rhyme and be on rhythm while also conveying a message important to them and society was something that set them apart.
J. Cole’s album 2014 Forest Hills Drive may be one of the greatest story telling albums of the decade and of all time. J. Cole is not your typical rapper, he is a highly educated artist who graduated from St.John’s University in 2007 and his storytelling ability is what many believe to set him apart from other artists. J.Cole described the album as a soundtrack for a movie, he explained in his documentary that in a way, when you listen to a soundtrack for a movie you can get a sense of what is happening and that is what he hoped to achieve with the album. The track list starts with a song titled “January 28th” which is his birthday and progresses through his coming of age and realizing what is real and what is fake, what is important and what we perceive as important. The fourth song on the album titled “ 03 Adolescence” tells of a time when J.Cole was coming into his own as a student and artist, on his way to college which was something rare in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In particular there are a few lines which are a conversation between him and a friend who sells drugs and drives nice cars, basically J.Cole wanted to start selling dope as well so he could get what his friend had, his friend responds by grounding Cole and explaining that he needs to keep his priorities straight and not get caught up in the neighborhood crime. “ I complimented how I see him out here getting this cash, and just asked, what a brotha gotta do to get that, put me on, he just laughed when he seen I was sure, Seventeen years breathing’, his demeanor said more,/ He told me, brotha you know how you sound right now, if you wasn’t my mans I would think that you a clown right now, listen you everything I wanna be, that’s why I f*** with you, so how you looking up to me when I look up to you, you boutta go get a degree, Imma be stuck with two choices, either graduate to weight or selling number two.” Jermaine Cole’s friend was basically calling him out and explaining that he looks up to him for his academic success so there is no reason why Cole should idolizing him for selling drugs and making money, later in the album J.Cole explains that he suffered from a small town mentality which meant, he couldn’t see himself making a career out of rapping and going to college, at the time he was so infatuated with the ‘hood that he thought he would only be able to sell drugs to support himself.
Along with J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar is another rap artist
who has exceptional
storytelling ability
which has lead him
to be compared to
the great Tupac
Shakur. Kendrick
has grown up and is
a product of the
impoverished
neighborhoods of Compton in the city of