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writing-art/editorials
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Since the origin of verbal communication, the orator
with the most inviting, captivating and interesting presentation was
the one that won the audience. One could imagine the early hominid with
the loudest and most accented grunt being the most popular amongst its
respective tribe. In fact, history illustrates that the most prominent
leaders in the world's history were those that could "control the crowd",
be a "master of ceremonies" par se. Historical figures from Martin Luther
to Adolf Hitler and even to Louis Farrakhan persuaded their audiences
to listen to their every word, whether fully understood or not, mainly
because of a certain charisma that they exorcised. I mean, after all,
isn't that what's keeping you interested in my editorial?
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| And then there was Hip-Hop.
Hip Hop: the culture as genius and as controversial as one could imagine
a culture to be. Born in the ghettoes of New York City, this output of
expression is mostly made reference to by its four basic elements. There's
the B-Boy; the urban choreographer, the pop-locker and breaker, the dancer
in hip-hop. Then there's the graffiti artist; the residential ghetto artiste,
the visual interpreter of the culture, armed with fatty-markers and an
aerosol arsenal. Of course, one can't disregard the DJ; the vinyl musician,
the beat buster, the bedrock of hip-hop and rap music and what the whole
culture revolves around. Finally, there's the emcee; the Master of Ceremonies,
the Mic Controller, the spoken representative, the verbal juggler, the
rhyming storyteller, the voice of rap music and hip-hop culture and the
subject of this article. In a rap song, one looks to the emcee to deliver a concise presentation of imagery, illustrated by extensive metaphor and simile, with a focus on an idea or group of ideas that are intricately woven into a 4 to 5 minute track, accompanied by a looped, melodious, rhythmical composition or and excerpt from a recently recorded song. In simpler terms, we lookin' for a dope-ass track, straight up. As undemanding as this criterion may be, you can probably turn to your local hip-hop radio station and bear witness to the shortcomings of many of today's emcees. |
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I know, that last statement wasn't quite fair. Not all of them are perpetrating, and I mean, they do try. But on this lapse of political-correctness, I suppose the more proper thing is to say that today's emcee, for the most part, is out only to make money. But in an age of super-capitalism, conglomerates and G. Dubya administration, nothing is sacred. The paper chase has chased the original, charismatic emcee away from the airwaves and we're stuck with the rotation of old-but-good rap tracks and up-to-date, second-rate lyricism. One should question, what happened to the plethora of charismatic emcees that inhabit the extent of our memories? Why does one have to dig underground in order to re-surface the true essence of the art? When can the enlightened hip-hop head recite the lyrics to a rap-song on the radio and not feel ashamed or embarrassed? I don't know, maybe it's just me. |
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