The genre of Rap refracts Ancient modes of narration, oration, and storytelling. With its roots tracing back to the Griots of West Africa, the form and content of Rap has also taken from the Rhapsodes of Ancient Greece, the Orators of Ancient Rome, the Storytellers of Native American tribes (perhaps most similar are the Cahuilla Bird Singers), and even aspects of Medieval Theatre. Kendrick, Cole, Montana of 300, Joyner, YBN Cordae of the newer generation and Tupac, NWA, Jay-Z, Dre, Wu-Tang, Snoop Dogg, The Game, Eminem of the older generation used their talents as master storytellers to fight against systematic racism in the United States.
Essentially, Rap speaks, conveys, relates; stories. That is a very defining characteristic that sets Rap apart from other forms of communicating stories. Historians and writers recount or relay a story which presupposes a distance from the story itself. Rap is interpersonal dialogues and intrapersonal experiences being performed through spoken word lyricism that flows to match the pace of music. Founded in the tradition of West African Griots who traveled and told tales of their history, this format of performative narration has counterparts in probably every world culture we have, the Greek rhapsodes, the court musicians of the 1700s, the medieval jesters, the Roman orators, the Native Peoples storytellers, the Japanese Rakugo and countless others. The Griots and Native Peoples were considered to be the keepers of their community's sociocultural memory .
Rap has this capacity to pull influences from every single one of these things. Like the rhapsodes of Ancient Greece rap artists today, relate a story to a group of people assembled to listen. When Cicero spoke to the Roman Senate against Catiline, he enraptured the entire floor. When Dido charged Aeneas in Book 2-3 of the Aeneid to sing, the melancholy of the Trojan War all wept.
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