Rap is Poetry?

People often claim that rap is a form of poetry. Saying that songs have thought out lyrics and smart rhythms to compliment. For some artists this is agreeable making songs that call their listeners to fight the power, don’t be apathetic towards government and yourself, and respect one another. Artists like Talib Kwali, Mos Def, & Wyclef Jean, for the most part stay true to these principles. These messages are everlasting and using rap as a medium for this extends these ideas to all kinds of people. But most rappers as in the words of Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno are a nish nish to creating smart rap songs.

An outstanding example is Akon’s “Smack That.” Forget what the song has to say for now, just look at the title, classiness! James Brown would be proud that his message of Say It Loud somehow transformed into Smack That. The radio airwaves could be filled with politically charged music with good beats but we request, smack that. The song is not bad, it is catchy and Eminem’s verse is damn good, but how does this contribute to anything good besides the proliferation of people smacking it more often till they get sore.

The are countless other similar songs to this but What more can I say, what’s the difference between now and the next episode? hip hop is dead? but diamonds are forever, while we’re in da club during a disco inferno, patiently waiting to jump around, just lose yourself, put your back into it, lean back, sing for the moment, even square dance, and spend some time stayin’ fly because when the music stops after the encore get the dirt off your shoulder raise up and think, what the hell is this?