By: Kofi Dadzie

Rap. Freestyling. Slam poetry. The list goes on and on. Hip-Hop has grown from its humble beginnings in the Bronx during the 1980s to the forefront of the various genres of music in the 21st century.

The genre’s lyrical depth, unique delivery , and style have greatly influenced the world we live in today. Hip hop affects the way people dress, act, and talk but there is more to rap than style.

At the heart of hip hop is delivery. The ability to tell a story and perform a piece rather than singing it is what I believe separates rap, and subsequently slam poetry from any other genre. Though any song can evoke emotion, Rap evokes a deeper type of thinking when written and performed.  It resonates on a different level with listeners. As a rap advocate I believe the spoken word vs the song makes the difference in music as well as poetry.

Though rap can be as beautiful and powerful genre of music, it often receives a bad rap (pun intended). This is due mainly in part  that some music is depicting women,  drugs, and crime in a negative light, but this is not the only content in rap music. This is not rap’s only voice.

Rappers like the Notorious B.I.G., Logic, and Dizzy Wright use music to speak on the issues of the day as well as personal events in their lives. Songs like “Juicy” and “Accept my Flaws”  transcends the crime- praising and misogynistic raps that are associated with rap as a whole.

When it comes to music as a whole, hip hop is not solely a genre, it truly is more than words use to depict the plights of people their situations and everyday lives.