Monday, October 26, 2009

The Basics: Exploring the Emcee

Ever since "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang (a song that no, was not the first hip-hop song, but was performed by Debbbie Harry's bodyguards by what became the legendary supergroup) took over the airwaves, skating rinks and barbecue outings in 1979, the whole world follows the most popular artistic element in the hip-hop culture: the emcee.

Basically speaking, there are several different ways to classify an emcee which honestly depends on your personal taste. But as for me, I arrange my emcees like this:
  1. The Conscious Rapper
  2. The Gangsta Rapper
  3. The Battle Rapper
  4. The Entertainer
Everyone who is breathing knows rapping (another name given by the media for what emcees do) comes from the art of poetry, what else is new? Indeed, much credit is due to poets, especially poets from the Black Arts Movement who not only gave the Gift of Gab to the boys in the street, but a voice for the voiceless in a more liberating way. Artists like Amiri Baraka and The Last Poets paved the way for a new band of art to come forth, and throughout this week I'll be diving into discussion about all the different types of emcees that have since immersed.

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