An MC or master of ceremonies is the word used to describe a
rapper who MC’s while the DJ mixes the music. However, the term is not limited
to only hip-hop, MCing, or emceeing, is utilized in many genres of music. They
are known to host events and perform in front of an audience and keep the event
entertaining. In addition to performing live, emceeing can also be done in a
recording studio. Although many people believe hip hop and rap music is simple and holds no importance it actually led to many things being accomplished just through music. Emceeing is the verbal component of hip-hop; it is also an essential
element of hip-hop.
Many people believe rapping started in New York, but it
actually manifested in Jamaica. Rapping then found its way to New York when a legendary
MC named Kool Herc brought it with him from Jamaica. In the 60’s Jamaican
sound-system operators only had one turntable, so they employed people called ‘chanters’.
These chanters would ‘toast’ over tracks in between records so that the people
dancing wouldn’t get bored and walk away. Eventually the chanters realized that
they could profit from this, and began recording, thus creating rap (Rap Music
Began). Kool Herc brought this style of toasting to New York and would liven
the crowd up by shouting things such as “throw your hands in the air, and wave ‘em
like you just don’t care” (Mcing).
This eventually evolved into rapping when other people
copied Kool Herc’s style of chanting over music, and fused it with poetry. Rap music started as something so simple and grew greater than anyone would've ever thought it could. The lyrical and vocal portion of hip hop is vital because it gave many people a voice. They were able to speak on things through music that they weren't able to before. This was the starting point to a whole new movement that no one had seen before.
"Mcing." Real Hip Hop. N.p., n.d. Web.
28 Feb. 2013.
"Rap Music Began on Jamaica in the 1960's." The
New York Times. The New York Times, 15 June 1988. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.
Hm. You state that there are many people who believe rap music is unimportant. And of course you're right: and there are also people who never believed in the moon landing. Understanding that rap is music and that all music is art is a sophisticated position to take. So don't take the time to back-track on those who don't support your position because they don't understand it--that's just ignorance on their part. But you can highlight the fact that because it's a newer genre that it can be hard to decipher or to determine quality in an unknown art form--that's the mark of making an academic argument.
ReplyDeleteYou have such great details here, such nice content. Look to educating your audience, not even in considering fighting the losing battle by acknowledging those whose positions are unsupportable. That'd be like taking the time to argue that the earth is round! (Flat earthers are still around, but they're in the minority.)
Once you jump into the history of rap music, this post sings. More of this, please!