MC's in Hip-hop music are storytellers that follow in the tradition of West African griots. Whether MCs write their rhymes or improvise them on the spot, they become living archives of history that connect the past to the present. As you blog on the key words FLOW and BATTLE, think about the ways that Hip-hop MCs use their storytelling to describe lived and imagined experiences. How does an MCs environment shape his/her style? How does the battle in MCing relate to artistic expression in the other elements of Hip-hop?
As stated in lecture (10/3), rapping can be linked to West African traditions of storytelling. Thus, each musician has their own style and ultimately their own story. Lyrics may not seem to justify a story in some songs (Crank That by Soulja Boy), yet the lyrics do tell a little bit about the attitude of the MC (for instance, Soulja Boy seems to focus on girls and partying, rather than issues of relevancy, making him come off as almost nonthreatening). We see in the video with Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon, despite Soulja Boy’s non-inspiring lyrics, it still had an impact throughout the timeline of hip-hop. Looking at rappers and MC’s such as Eminem and Ice Cube, we get a feel for their life. Eminem struggled with his parents, wife and basically those close to him. Ice Cube struggled with the socio-economic status of his time as well as racism, discrimination and the LA culture, such as police brutality. Rapping is poetry, and many poems express feeling and emotion. Even the greatest freestylers share their stories. Take Jin, for instance. Jin’s opponents pull out Asian jokes, while he, never mentioning race, takes them down with creative play on words (“your girl must love alcohol, because she be swallowing Jin”). Jin’s style takes what his opponents throw at him, and transforms it into a positive and a slap in the face of those who spat it. This similar to what Davarian Baldwin states in Black Empires, White Desires: “rather than evading the nigga, gangsta rap actually engaged and mimicked the position of nigga as other as performance” (165). This is the beauty of some MC’s: making what looks grim and transforming it, or taking what is grim and sharing it, showing no shame, just telling your story.
ReplyDeleteHip Hop artists use different elements of Hip hop to tell a story to the public. One of the main elements is through MCing. Every artist has their own “flow” which is their personal style, personality, and voice that they put into their music that makes it uniquely their own. (Lecture 10/4) The stories these artists tell can be real or fictional. Many artists make up a fictional character that they perform to tell the stories. (Baldwin 170) These characters are often not the same as the real artist, but more depictions of how society wants them to be. “The performance of so-called deviant acts and direct confrontations with black stereotypes create black industries, as well as make visible the social construction of what appear as natural black characteristics.” (Baldwin 168) MC artists know how to make money and attract an audience which is often done by over emphasizing how life in the “ghetto” is. They understand how many of their followers are white youth from suburbs that want to hear about rough life in inner cities. This affects how artist make their flow and lyrics. One of the major components of flow involves battles. Battles can determine what MCs have better language skills and improvisation skills.
ReplyDeleteBattle and Flow are two important parts of Hip Hop MCing. MCs tell stories that may be real life or made up through characters. “On a number of occasions, Biggie stated that The Notorious BIG was nothing but a character or role that he performed; he was Christopher Wallace” (Baldwin 170). MCs put on personas to embody different characters in order to tell their personal stories. These stories are often over exaggerations of true life events. “Hip Hop, particularly gangsta rap, also attracts listeners for whom the “ghetto” is a place of adventure, unbridled violence, erotic fantasy, and/or an imaginary alternative to suburban boredom” (Kelly 130). The MCs use of flow allows them to better paint the images they are describing. Their flow is their persona, style, voice, and embodied personality (Lecture 10/4). The use of the battle is to see which MCs are more authentic than others. The better MC is more comfortable with improve and is able to think quickly on the spot. Battles are a great way to see a MCs true skill on the mic. Like in both breaking and DJ battles, the object is to use braggadocio to prove who is the biggest and baddest in Hip-hop.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of the battle can be found in all four elements of hip-hop—DJing, graffiti, breaking and Mcing. In the video “Best of Jin’s Rap Battles”, the whole idea is for one MC or rapper to diss the other in a 30 second rap battle. Gangs often use graffiti to mark territory and communicate or battle with other gangs (Lecture 9/20). One of the main components of breaking is battling (Lecture 9/29). Rappers compete with eachother, even if it is not in the so-called rap battle setting. Rappers use exaggerated and invented criminal acts as verbal battles over who is the baddest (Kelley). They also use their lyrics to tell how “fly” or “fresh” they themselves are or their skills in rapping are. MCs talk about their smooth flow of rhymes and rhythm. Rakim’s song “My Melody”, he says “Now you're buggin', almost doggin' off my rhyme-like bass; the melody that I'm stylin', smooth as a violin” and “drop the mic when I’m finished and watch it smoke” of his skills and flow he has when rapping. Every rapper will tell you how his raps and rhymes are better than the rest; these are both a part of his flow. This in itself is a form of the battle seen all throughout hip-hop.
ReplyDeleteMasters of ceremonies, better known as MCs, use their lyrical talents to create a narrative about personal experiences or scenarios that have impacted their lives. MCs act as storytellers as they rap lyrics over a beat, either previously written or completely free styled (Lecture 10/4/2010). Every hip-hop artist develops their own unique flow that helps audiences identify their stylistic qualities. According to lecture, flow is defined as a rapper’s lyrical style often marked by tone, cadence, content, and speed of delivery (Lecture 10/4/2010). Many MCs engage in battling among one another. A battle is a test of skills between MCs based in braggadocio (Lecture 10/4/2010). Many rappers use their lyrical compositions in battles to state how they are above other artists and brag about the new found wealth they have achieved. “Historically, it has been black people’s responsibility to link pleasure or freedom with the non-material. L.A. based gangsta rap reopened a space where it is not sinful to link black pleasure with materialism (Baldwin, 168).” Hip-hop is an acquired generational taste. Our generation, as opposed to our grandparents generation, can find the talent in hip-hop. Whether it be through flow, battling, or sampling, we can see past the often vulgar lyrics and attest to the stories being told by some of the greatest artists of our generation.
ReplyDeleteIn 8 Mile, Eminem proves his authenticity as a great Hip-hop artist by battling other artists and showing that he is a master improviser and can rap on demand. These battles are not wars including physical weapons but rather weapons of impromptu thinking. These lyrical battles can be compared to men’s machismo while flexing their arms; however, these artists are showing off their brain muscles. Many defenders of Hip-hop often use this argument in defense of the proposal that Hip-hop perpetuates ignorance and lack of critical thinking (Lecture 10/4). During battles, one’s flow might be attacked which is considered severe because an artist’s flow is what makes him/her distinguishable. Artists will often obtain a different personality to takeover during performances to help create an image that matches their particular style and flow. Beyonce claims she turns into “Sasha Fierce” when she gets on stage. “On a number of occasions, Biggie stated that The Notorious BIG was nothing but a character or role that he performed; he was Christopher Wallace” (Baldwin 170). To attack an artist’s flow is comparable to attacking a president’s leadership skills. All of an artist’s talents come together to form a flow that becomes synonymous with the artist’s name.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of environment and it’s correlation to an MC’s stories and flows, it definitely has an influence. Just as Dali was influenced to create the “Premonition of Civil War’ during the Spanish Civil War, so will an MC from their particular region talk about their specific political/social viewpoints. In terms of Common’s I Used to Love H.E.R., he points out what has happened to Hip Hop, and what he thinks should be done to it, “ And she was fun then, I’d be geeked when she came around/ Slim was fresh jo, when she was underground/ Original, pure, untampered and down sister/ Boy I tell ya, I miss her” (I Used to Love H.E.R.”, Common). This is a perfect example of the MCs using West Africa Griots traditions, “Griots are storytellers, usually male, who have the ability to comment on the history of a community”(10/4, Lecture). Common is talking about a community that has personally influenced him, and he wants to tell his story of how he grew up with Hip Hop, and how he doesn’t like the direction that the genre. Also unique to Common’s particular flow, his style, he talks a lot about love and feminism in his work, and so that feeds into his wordplay of using the personification of hip hop, and how it has been basically taken advantage of by male characters, who can be interpreted as the arrogance and misunderstanding of the system of hip hop, in that it shouldn’t be exploited and shown above ground.
ReplyDeleteThe different backgrounds and environments of MCs cause them to have different lived and imagined experiences to share with their audience, as well as have an influence on their individual “flow”. Depending on an MCs upbringing and environment, they will have different life experiences to share with their listeners. Eminem, for example, often tells of his trying relationship with his mother and his journey in and out of addiction, as heard in his song “Slim Shady”. Flow is defined as a rapper’s lyrical style, usually marked by tone, cadence, content, and speed of delivery (Lecture, 10/4). Establishing a flow is important, as it allows an MC to be easily identified by their audience. The flows of Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Drake are easily identified today. Another important element of MCing that can be seen in almost every other area of Hip-Hop is the battle. In an MC battle, MCs engage in a test of skills, in which the more information an MC knows about his competitor, the more specific they can be in their verbal attack. Similar to break dancing battles, MC battles also encourage braggadocio among competitors. The aspects of a rapper’s distinct flow and their way of storytelling can make or break their standing in a battle, and as in other areas of Hip-Hop, winning a battle can mean getting “fame”.
ReplyDeleteIn the discourse of hip-hop, flow and battle are two key areas in the lyricism of the form. ‘Flow’ refers to the personal style that enables the audience to identify the MC, whether on stage or on record. It incorporates all forms of bravado found in all other hip-hop outlets, such as breaking and graffiti, and as such is an extension of the hip-hop form. Regional styles and lyrical content come to bear on an MC’s flow, and as such rap becomes a microcosm for the lived experience of the artist, an embodiment of neighbourhood, class, race and culture.
ReplyDeleteDavarian Baldwin contends “the critique of hip hop as a black popular culture form” must be understood “within a history of identification located squarely in the ideological and material spaces of colonialism, racism and national identity.” This can be linked to the idea of hip-hop as oral tradition in the same vein as African storytelling. MCs bear the weight of educating and maintaining both the history and the art of hip-hop in their lyrics. A rapper’s flow should be understood, thus, in the broader context of society.
‘Battling’ invokes the call-and-response tradition of Africa, further cementing these MCs as the modern-day ‘griot.’ Another part of the bravado machine, battling dates back to the birth of hip-hop and finds itself as important in the history of the genre, because it enables a hierarchy of rappers to evolve based on skills and ‘authenticity.’
Knowing Hip-Hop is derived from West African griot traditions, makes Hip-Hop inspiring in my mind. Every facet of Hip-Hop has meaning and can be rooted in history. This idea that each part of Hip-Hop can be related to the past is the same idea that each MCs flow is unique to their lived and imagined experiences. When I think of an MC telling his or her style through their flow and battling, Kanye is the first that comes to mind. We have seen a lot of Hip-Hop was derived through inner-city living and battling the harsh world that the inner-city can bring to individuals. Kanye did not come up through that type of environment and it can be seen directly through his work. Based solely on his album titles, we know that his environment growing up was a lot different than most MCs in the Hip-Hop game. “The performance of so-called deviant acts and direct confrontations with black stereotypes create black industries, as well as make visible the social construction of what appear as natural black characteristics.” (Baldwin 168) Baldwin’s quote idealizes where flow comes from with each Hip-Hop performer. It is inspiring to see a group of people who have been oppressed by constant stereotypes and hate and use both stereotype and hate as inspiration to start an industry (Hip-Hop) that continues to flourish socially and monetarily.
ReplyDeleteFlow is an established style that provides an audience with an identifiable sound, which, is associated with the identity of the rapper (Lecture 10/4). Flow is an important part of Hip-hop and MCing. A rappers lyrical style is marketed by the specific flow they acquire. For example, in today’s Hip-hop culture artists like Jay-Z, Eminem, Drake, and Lil’ Wayne are all easily identified on the radio by the style they project to the public. All of these artists are MCs that tell either fictional or non-fictional stories that are told through their own personal style. MCs and rappers generally throughout their career stay somewhat consistent to their “flow”, however, as discussed in lectures there are situations where artists will submit to the media and try something new. Battles are also a very important aspect of Hip-hop and MCing. According to lecture, MCs engage in battle to test the quality of their skills (Lecture 10/4). Like their music, artists generate their own personal style when it comes to battling. In the film 8 Mile, Eminem shows his skills on improvisation whenever he defeats other artists in battle. In battles, artists are trying to defend themselves including their flow. The better an artist is at battling the more likely their flow is able to be protected from other artists attacking it.
ReplyDeleteIn lecture one of the first things we discussed was flow and the impact it had on the artists style as well as the “identifiable sound that listeners can associate with the identity of the rapper.”(Lecture 10-4) This statement about flow is very accurate. Whenever you listen to Hip-Hop music you tend to favor either the beat, which is driving the song, or the flow, which is giving the song an identity. Some people may favor both, as for me, I tend to listen to the flow and let that shape the song that I hear. As we said in class a battle is “a performance where MC’s engage in a test of skills against an opponent.”(Lecture 10-4) Battling is based strictly on braggadocio and used to address some sort of “beef” with an opponent. This was considered a true test to any MC who claimed to have flow. We now all know the four elements of Hip-Hop, out of those four I believe MCing to be the most important, because words reach a larger audience compared to graffiti, breaking, and DJing.
ReplyDeleteFlow, as defined in lecture, “is the rapper’s lyrical style. Usually marked by tone, cadence, content, and speed of delivery” (Lecture, 10/4/10). To me, flow is the most important aspect in analyzing rappers (today’s African griots). Rappers who can quickly deliver relevant messages are generally most popular it seems. Take Lil’ Wayne’s line “Peyton Manning flow, I go no huddle.” He uses a celebrity/athlete that most people are at least somewhat familiar with and inputs into his works. This is important because it can make Lil’ Wayne’s following grow. Now when Indianapolis Colts fans or frequent Saturday Night Live viewers hear it, they check out his other stuff. Then they check out the genre’s other works making it grow, as well. Ultimately, flow is what wins battles too. Think about “The Warning” by Eminem, where Eminem raps an attack at Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. Obviously, Mariah and Nick can’t win that battle, at least through rap. Eminem has too much anger. When he can let loose on people, he is the most dangerous. This rings true for rappers as a group. They use their emotions on a topic to create a certain tone to their flow, which comes through in their music.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of the “battle” can be found in every element of hip-hop, from MCing to graffiti, to breaking. A battle is where MCs engage in a test of skills against an opponent (Lecture 10/4). There are examples of battling in the movie 8 Mile as well as throughout the popular culture of hip-hop today. There are many battles or “beefs” between many of today’s hip-hop artists. One example is Rick Ross and 50 Cent, they have been taking shots at each other over the past year. Flow is an established style that provides an audience with an identifiable sound, which, is associated with the identity of the rapper (Lecture 10/4). Today’s MCs have many different flows and usually come from hip-hop moguls of the past in their own hometown regions. For example J.Cole and Jay-z have similar flows (lecture 10/4). It seems that each region has its own unique style of “flow” for example, the west coast seems to have more of a laid back lyrical based flow. (Similar to Tupac) While regions such as New York tend to have a quicker more precise flow which I feel is determined by the fast paced life style of New York. (Example being Jay-Z)
ReplyDelete“Flow” as discussed in class is the rappers lyrical style; marked by tone, cadence, content, and speed of delivery. (Lecture 10/04) Just like we guessed who was singing in class it is a game we play with ourselves every time we turn on the radio. MC’s have the duty to get their story across in their lyrics whether it be about love, politics, issues with the times, or any other infinite issues they want to discuss. In the 80’s and early 90’s a lot of the stories in their lyrics had to do with cultural and class situations. Adding to that, we sometimes hear the “battle” of one artist trying to outdo another. Battles are MC’s way of testing their skills in a one on one confrontation or on a mix tape. (Lecture 10/04) They can be used to settle the score like issues Lil Kim is having with Nikki Minaj in her interview on Vimeo “Females in the game must stick together but you can’t step over me.” “My tour was a reminder to where you came from, but give a shot out don’t try and dis me” “if you give thanks to Lil Kim I’m going to love you for that.” (//vimeo.com/12325775) 8 Mile offers perfect examples of seeing this happen.
ReplyDeleteBattling doesn’t have to be just lyrical but can also come from forms of braggadocio, “this new black aesthetic offers a new identity outside the workplace by endorsing the consumption of luxury goods… as a form of dressing up, it also offers a status for subordinate groups that blurs distinctions between themselves and their oppressors.” (Baldwin 161)
Hip-hop MCs are very creative and expressive when it comes to sharing their life stories for the most part. They show the world what their struggles and hardships have been through the way they create beats and rap to them. For example, Eminem’s song “Slim Shady” shows his style and flow because of the lyrics he uses and the rhymes that he creates (YouTube). Similar to Eminem, most hip-hop MCs have a certain flow to their raps, which is how their audiences can differentiate them from artist to artist. The environment that surrounds an MC also plays a factor in their style of beats. According to Lil’ Kim who spoke about Nikki Minaj and how she is trying to become the next Lil’ Kim, she said how she needs to tell the truth about who she is and basically be proud of where she is from (vimeo.com). Acting like you are someone else does not make you any better. The act of battling, which is shown in the movie 8 Mile starring Eminem, shows underground battles between freestyle rappers. They rep where they are from and what they are all about showing braggadocio through all of this. Battling in the MC world is similar to other creative elements in hip-hop because it is all made up on the spot. It is straight from the heart, right off their sleeve and rapping about what their world consists of. Flow and battling go hand-in-hand and MCs all over the world have mastered how to do this.
ReplyDeleteMCs have a flow, which is their own persona, style and voice that is embodied through their work (Lecture 10/04/10). They would show their individual flow while participating in battles as a way of testing their abilities (Lecture 10/04/10.) During such battles, they told stories, some real and some fictional. These MCs even took on the role of a character during a performance to tell a fictional story (Baldwin 170). An example of the way in which MCs played a character is shown through artist Biggie who said that Notorious BIG was a character he performed; and he was really Christopher Wallace (Baldwin 170). Along with MCing, flow is shown through breaking and graffiti battles. Those types of battles also have their own way of telling stories; and an artist uses their flow to separate their story from that of their competitors (Lecture 9/20/10, 09/27/10). If artists didn’t embody their own unique flow, battles would not be appealing because they would all sound and look the same. MCs would not have diverse audiences because it would just be a repetitive story; and they would not gain new audiences because they would not be relating to the changes occurring over the time.
ReplyDeleteMC’s are some of the most talented artist in this world today. They use their flow when battling and if their flow hits hard enough, they will be a successful MC. When MC’s battle they often use their lyrics to tell a story. This can let the artist express how they were raised, how they feel at that moment, or how they are better than their opposing MC that they are battling. When seeing MC’s battle on television I feel like they always have their own “flow”. They represent this flow by letting their opponent know certain things about their life, such as, where they are from, how they spit better than them, what gang they rep, ect. In lecture we talked about when you listen to a song you know exactly who is singing it because you recognize their flow. This is a way that MC’s and other artists shape his or her style. They form their own scheme with lyrics and music to find a certain sound that best fits them. This isn’t only directed to MC’s, dancers and graffiti artists tend to have their own flow as well. Certain hip hop dancers are known for certain moves, such as the Jabbawockeez and how they give off a mime flow. Artists also tend to make up their own characters and they only form into these characters when performing or when competing in a battle (Baldwin 170). They do this by not being themselves and being how society wants them to be, such as Beyonce being Sasha Fierce. This is the alter-ego of Beyonce and allows her to be more fun as well as sexy. Society loves this and it will get her and other artists who do this transformation a better reputation at times.
ReplyDeleteFlow is the rappers’ lyrical style which includes tone, cadence, content and speed of delivery (Lecture 10/4). It provides the artists’ audience with an identifiable sound that is associated with the rapper (Lecture 10/4). For example, it is easy to identify Eminem’s sound before his voice hits the track. The style of each MC becomes so much a part of who they are that if they change up their ways their fans do a double take. In the MC world, battling is another important component. Battles are used to attack and address beef with other rappers (Lecture 10/4). They include bragging and dissing in a call and response type of form. Battles can be freestyle like in the Best of Jin’s Rap Battles where Jin calls out his opponents on the spot (youtube) or they can be previously written for tracks. During battling rappers personalities and individual style show through their lyrics. A good example of what a battle looks like can be seen in the film 8 Mile during the final battle scene. Each artist tells a story of their life which is mainly about hardships or how far they have come. Through flow and battling rappers gain credit which earns them respect in this business.
ReplyDeleteErin Schaefer
ReplyDeleteFlow is basically a lyrical style that comes through to the listener, allowing them to identify who is singing and what their personality is. This sound comes through by the fluidity of the voice or a specific beat or tempo. Often times it is easy to recognize an artist without having ever heard that song before because of the continuing theme of beats in their music. The flow is more than just the beats the music creates, it is also the beat that the artist created with the way they spit their rhymes. The whole point of a mc or a rap artist is to tell some sort of narrative or story. The more rhythmically on point this story is told, the better the flow is, and the better the song is. Battling originated off the idea of call and response. It gave rappers, MCs and DJs a chance to show off their skills by challenging each other’s abilities. This is also a way to handle legitimate beefs between artists. Many times there is a group of people around the two people battling cheering them on and adding adrenaline to the situation. Although you can previously prepare your rhymes, in my personal opinion I think freestyle is more authentic.
Each MC has their own style of how they deliver their lyrics. The way in which their deliver, i.e.: the speed, tone, rhythm, and pitch is all part of their style, which is called their flow. Depending on the environment in which the MC was raised heavily influences their flow. Some MC’s copy others flow and are considered Swagger Jackers or Sucka MC’s. In some people’s eyes this discredits the MC because they are not being original but rather stealing others work. In another sense, an MC can sample from others flow to better their own. When two MC’s come together, with each of their flows, they can have a battle. These battles can be looked at as alternatives to actual fighting, a way of expressing one’s self or beliefs, and for pure entertainment. A battle is where one MC will try and ‘out do’ the other MC through their choice of words and delivery. “The more information a rapper has about another rapper, the more specific he/she can be in their verbal attack,” (Lecture Oct 4). This will help the MC because if they say something that really affects the other MC, then the other MC might have a hard time coming back with reaction. They could get too angry and loose train of thought.
ReplyDeleteAn MC's "flow" can be characterized by many different traits including, fluditiy of voice, tone, rhythm, tempo and level of emotion behind the speech. An MC with "great" flow can be described as having a natural connection to the music and whos delivery does not sound forced or fake. Eminem has a unique style of flow, applying syllables of this lyrics to even 16th notes in his beats. Eminem and other midwest rappers, like Tech Nine, are known for their articulate fast paced rapping and unique flow. When it comes to battling, the messages traded between the MCs are reinforced by emotional articulation and punchlines. From the assigned reading, an MC's message can be more than lyrical. "Songs bear meaning and allow symbolic work not just as speech acts, but also as structures of sound with unique rhythms, textures and forms."(Forman/Neal 132)
ReplyDeleteWhile on the topic of MCing, first thing I want to say is my favorite line ever in hip-hop is from BlackStar’s “Definition” where Talib Kweli says: “People thinking MC is shorthand for miss conception”. The MC’s responsibility is to be an urban griot, a story-teller of their experiences and surroundings. Rapping can be linked to West African traditions of storytelling. (Lecture, 10/3) In multiple occassions, artists have created alter-egos to speak their mind and narrate on society. The stories these artists tell can be real or fictional. Many artists make up a fictional character that they perform to tell the stories. (Baldwin 170) A rapper’s flow is the culmination of their persona, experience, style, and embodied personality. Their flow adds to the story telling and message in the rhymes. Battling has always been a significant component in hip-hop lifestyle; djing, breaking, tagging, and MCing all take on competitive notions. Flow is a huge factor in the MC battle, in one of Jin’s freestyle battle the competitor’s flow was so off and you could tell the crowd just wasn’t feeling it. Seeing Jin completely dominate shows the polycultural aspect in hip-hop and you don’t need a specific background or experience to succeed in the all-inclusive hip-hop game.
ReplyDeleteRapping is the art of talking rhythmically with roots in the West African tradition of griots, or storytellers (lecture 10/4). “Flow” was defined as the persona or style with which the rapper is identified. The flow is established by the message the artist hopes to send, which is determined by their personal influences. In “Black Empire, White Desires” Baldwin highlights two possible messages. Positive rap is “Afrocentric rhetoric and/or political awareness”, while negative rap is “Ghettocentric” which presents “the authentic ‘realness’ of black experiences” (Forman and Neal 160). Neither is wrong or right, they just present different point of views. To insure that one rapper’s message is hear over the other’s, battles are incorporated within the tenants of rapping. Battles assert dominance by displaying masculinity. “Hypermasculinity becomes a romanticized position of strength and opposition that hopes to create ‘safe spaces’ of uncontested male power” (Forman and Neal 166). The prefix “hyper” is key. In an effort to assert dominance many rappers have taken the masculinity to an extreme, making the woman a subordinate. For this reason it has been difficult for women to break into the rap industry unless they also take on this masculine persona. Assertion of masculinity through battles allows the rapper to display his or her message and develop a unique flow that can be distinguished by the audience, and eventually create a following for the artist and his or her message.
ReplyDeleteHip hop artists, in particular MC’s, use hip hop as a medium for storytelling. Our lecture from Monday states that much of this tradition is traced back to West African Griots. These griots “have the ability to comment on history of a community…They edit songs by making links to the current moment.”(10/4 Lecture) We also learned in Monday’s lecture that MC’s create narratives that are “real or imagined.” This line is very important, because a lot of MC’s create an alternate universe for themselves, where they have all the money in the world and are up in spaceships, and doing such outlandish things. This type of storytelling boosts these artists’ ego and confidence. Many artists make up a fictional character that they perform to tell the stories. (Baldwin 170) These quotes bring to mind Lupe Fiasco and his mix tape “The Coolest” in which he creates several characters that he raps about and makes it very difficult for an average Lupe fan to know what or who he is talking about. Speaking of Lupe, his flow is one of the best around. Flow is a distinctive way of presenting your rap and any good rapper has a recognizable flow. For instance, Kid Cudi flows without metaphors and raps in ways that are true to his life, whereas a Lupe Fiasco or Drake have different, but distinct styles. Drake relies heavily on metaphors in his rhymes and Lupe, as already mentioned, is in his own world. Battling is very simple. It is a “performance where MC’s engage in a test of their skills against an opponent.”(10/4 Lecture) Battles are based on reputation and gaining respect. A lot of artists also rely on battle competitions as a way to potentially get recognized by the right people and get a record deal.
ReplyDeleteThe terms Flow and Battle in hip-hop are not only an essential part of genre, but arguably make up the most important part of hip-hop. For the MC to have a good song, having a good flow is essential for a listener to become attracted to song and give a better understanding of the character of the artist. One artist in particular who did this extremely well was Chris Wallace (AKA The Notorious B.I.G.) whom Baldwin describes as “the one artist who freed hip-hop from the tight grip of the “keepin it real” persona” and “unabashed about his goal of upward mobility within the narratives of his ghetto background” (Forman and Neal, 170). Kelly suggests that the listeners are also attracted to the “ghetto because it is a place of adventure, unbridled violence, erotic fantasy, and/or an imaginary alternative to suburban boredom (Forman and Neal, 130). When it comes to battles, the flow of the moment might switch entirely in one rappers side in any moment; wither using the crowd or sudden bursts of brilliance on their own part. As we discussed in lecture “battles are based in braggadocio and can be based on a given topic, tracks and etc and as also used to address “beefs” with other artists” (lecture 10/4).
ReplyDeleteBrandt Johnson 2393614
10/6/10 “Battle and Flow”
With rapping you have story tellers to poets who rhyme about their surroundings and upbringing. Each MC has a different flow. And like other forms of hip-hop you have a competition of who is better. Battles are a way of how who to see who the best rapper is and like breaking you have a chipper made by a crowd and they judge by responding to the rappers call to see who the best on the mic is. And throughout the history of hip-hop you can see battles between neighborhoods, cities, states, and regions. What is interesting is that two prominent rappers who were good at battling are not black; those two are Eminem (White) and Jin (Asian). Both have respect from both hip-hop artist and audience and though it is brought up about their race, the seriousness they take with their rapping, flow and battling is what won them that respect.
ReplyDeleteMC’s use storytelling to get their point across, to spread their experiences and view’s of people, places and situations among many other topics. In Jay-Z’s “Hark Knock Life: ghetto anthem” you can hear and absorb that braggadocio that we discussed in class on Monday. Jay’s lyrical content in this song are clearly constructed and precisely placed to create and maintain that ‘flow’ that he has created and still bolster about himself and his current status/situation. “rapping tells a story over a beat” (lecture 10/4/10). Jay’s Hard Knock Life is his story and he is telling it over that strong east coast texture/beat. He paints this elaborate picture in our minds with this song because he is able to create that attractive, luring us in in a way, flow. Another reason I find this song to be most relevant to our topic’s of “Flow” and “Battle” is because it contains that old school jazz feel. “Jazz music phrasing is often compared to rapping, especially 60’s spoken word” (lecture 10/4/10). His rhythmic speech could be considered one of the defining styles of current Jazz music phrasing, especially in this example.
ReplyDeleteFlow is a rapper lyrical style, usually marked by tone, cadence, content, and the speed of delivery.(lecture 10/4) Listeners a can identify what rapper is rapping, because each rapper has his or her on style that we as listener pick up and are uses to hearing their style. A lot of rappers try to distinguish themselves away from other rappers in the hip hop world so as listeners can remember them as they are. For example Soulja boy mention his name in every song that he’s in to let the listeners know that he’s present, or when Lil Wayne has his high pitch laugh. We recognize each rappers flow as we the fans follow the artist.
ReplyDeleteBattle is a performance where MCs engage in a fist of skills. Usually before an audience against an opponent. Battles are based on braggadocio, boasting and can be based on a given topic word tracks. (Lecture 10/4) Battling is to show up all the other rappers there with the flow and quick delivery from each battling rappers. Showing off their swagger and their lyrism to beat out there competition.
Flow and battles are two important aspects of Hip Hop. MCs play a specific personality to embody different characters in order to tell their personal stories. According to lecture, MCs act as storytellers as they rap lyrics over a beat, either previously written or completely free styled (Lecture 10/4/2010). These stories may be past experiences, dreams, desires, or even a situation that they once had. According to our book, “Hip Hop, particularly gangsta rap, also attracts listeners for whom the “ghetto” is a place of adventure, unbridled violence, erotic fantasy, and/or an imaginary alternative to suburban boredom” (Kelly 130). Flow is an important part of Hip-hop and MCing. MCs use of flows allows them to better explain through words and sounds. Rappers flow is their persona, style, voice, and embodied personality (Lecture 10/4).
ReplyDeleteAlong with flow, battles are very important and “hot” within hip-hop. According to lecture, MCs engage in battle to test the quality of their skills (Lecture 10/4). The movie 8 mile, shows great examples of Eminem battling. In regards to battles, artists are trying to defend themselves against other rappers while they are in the midst of their flow. The better an artist is at rapping, the more likely their flow is able to protect themselves from other artists attacking them within a battle.
As defined in class, flow is a rapper's lyrical style usually marked by tone, cadence, content, and speed of delivery (Lecture 10/4). By employing these aspects of style into their raps, MCs are able to create their own personal style which sets them apart from other rappers and makes their sound distinguishable to their listeners. Many of the most popular rappers use their life experiences to develop their lyrics and create music which tells a story that others may be able to relate to while also letting the public know where the artist has come from and where they are now. Robin Kelley discusses this aspect by stating, "Songs bear meaning to allow symbolic work not just as speech acts, but also as structure of sound with unique rhythms, textures, and forms. Thus, it is not always what is sung, but the way it is sung" (Forman & Neal, 132). As discussed in a previous lecture, regional sound plays an important part in setting artists apart. For example, many groups coming from the south may have a slightly more laid back slow sound compared to artists coming from more upbeat, fast paced cities like Los Angeles and New York. Bragging or battling is also an integral part to many rapper's personas. Referred to in our reading as "the dozens", many MCs use insults of other rappers in their lyrics to present themselves as the best and show off their talent. As Robin Kelley states, "The pleasure of the dozens is not the viciousness of the insult but the humor, the creative pun, the outrageous metaphor (Forman & Neal, 128).
ReplyDeleteFlow and battle are two very important components in hip-hop. Flow is “the rappers’ lyrical style, usually marked by tune, cadence, content, and speed of delivery” (Lecture 10/4). Every rapper has a flow and it is how we can identify them after usually just hearing a few words of a song. MC’s use lyrics that create narratives of their lives and are either written or improvised. A battle “is a performance where MCs engage in a test of skills (usually before an audience) against an opponent” (Lecture 10/4). Battles consist of stabs at each other by talking about each other’s pasts and their personal stories. They also brag about themselves in a way to beat out the other MC. The battle in 8 Mile was one of the best battles I have ever seen. Eminem is incredibly talented and it was amazing how he was able to come up with such clever lines. You can also hear his flow while he is battling as we know it today. Our culture today has learned to accept the derogatory terms used in hip-hop. “As well, gangsta rappers saw no inherent negativity in the term “nigga,” defining themselves as niggas in defiance of the dominant society, both black and white. MCs use words such as nigga to not offend anyone but to brag about themselves.
ReplyDeleteModern rappers are sometimes compared to West African griots, or storytellers. This comparison must have come about when rap was still in its infancy because some of the first rappers followed the Jamaican tradition of toasting. Either way, rappers’ credibility (ethos) can be confirmed by battling, which usually pits one rapper against the other in a setting where onlookers can cheer for their favorite person (see Eight Mile). This tradition comes out of playing the dozens, whereby an individual makes clever remarks about the other’s mother. Once a rapper becomes established through battling, they start to develop their own flow. This includes their persona, their style of delivery, cadence, content, and speed of delivery (Lecture 10/4/10). Rappers are subject to criticism, and “with the discovery of the so-called underclass, terms like nihilistic, dysfunctional, and pathological have become the most common adjectives to describe contemporary black urban culture (Forman and Neal 119).” While it isn’t incorrect to have a problem with certain content of hip-hop, it is important not to forget what the movement has come from. “The critique of hip hop as a black popular culture form that exists as an outside threat or infection, ravaging “American” (and black middle-class) culture and values, must be understood within a history of identification located squarely in the ideological and material spaces of colonialism, racism, and national identity (Forman and Neal 159).” So while rappers take on distinctive flows, they become increasingly viewed to represent certain ideas to the public, who can identify with and associate with the ideas of these rappers, through word play such as metaphor, simile, and coded language. Rappers also create new views of historical, social and cultural images through sampling (Lecture 10/4/10). Region can sometimes also influence an artist’s sound, such as Miami bass.
ReplyDeleteSUCKA TRIED TO PLAY ME
ReplyDeleteAt any given time, I can, without looking at my iPod screen, say the name of the artist who’s song I am listening to based on their flow. Many Artists/MCs have a flow, which is their own persona, style and voice that is embodied through their work (Lecture). Other artists who are less established or not as well known get lost in the mix of ‘sucka MCs’ or ‘swagger jackers’. Sometimes MC’s even take on a fictional role to help build their own persona and gain street cred (Baldwin 170). Examples of how MCs play a those roles are artists like Plies, Eminem, T.I., Ludacris, Biggie Smalls, ect. Biggie said that Notorious BIG was a character he performed, but in reality he was Chris Wallace (Baldwin 170). Originality in hip-hop is key to an artists popularity. If all artists wounded alike, Hip-Hop really would have died a long time ago as predicted. A way that an artist can display their individual flow and ability is participating in battles (Lecture). This type of practice is seen across the board in HipHop, from graffers, and breakers to dancers and MC’s. Examples of these battles are displayed in many movies these days, such as: 8 Mile, Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, etc. Artist are at a constant beef/battle with other artist. Examples of ‘beef’ or Battling within MC’s are Eminem VS Ja Rule, Biggie VS Tupac, Jay-Z VS Nas, along with many others. At times these battles can turn into something more than just music, and become violent. The legendary beef between Biggie and Tupac eventually resulted in the death of both artists, ending the careers of two of the best artists ever.
An emcee’s flow, or style, is comprised of four main elements: the tone, cadence, content, and tempo of the individual’s voice (Lecture 4/10). Often, a rapper’s flow can contain regional elements as well as individual elements. Many emcees are recognizable because of their distinctive flow. Because all artists are necessarily derivative, a rapper’s cultural history can be discerned, to a point, through flow. Flow can be utilized and performed in battles, where two emcees will boast and brag opposite each other as a test of skills. Ethnographers have long cited the “battle of the sexes” as being definitive of African American urban culture (Forman and Neal 123). Although this is an overly simplistic view of urban culture, it does rightly suggest that battle is a central trope in urban, and hip-hop, life. Two women, Lil’ Kim and Nicki Manaj, have long participated in a sort of battle that centers on a question of derivative flow. Lil’ Kim feels that Nicki Manaj, a younger and newer presence in the mainstream rap world, is biting, or sampling, her flow without giving her the proper credit. While truthful in some sense, hip-hop, as any cultural form, is necessarily derivative.
ReplyDeleteFlow is not only specific to hip-hop performers, an artist’s flow is embodied by expression and individuality. Kelley refers to it as “expressive culture” which has now transitioned into a broader more main stream influence of “popular culture” better known as simply pop culture; Kelley goes on to say that this pop culture does not recognize internal innovation and implies generalization about the notion of poverty to one cohort of individuals, i.e. the rap game (Fornan and Neal 120). By applying these preconceived notions, hip-hop artist’s expression (in particular) is restricted to fit into the stereotypical ebb and flow of “authentic” rags to riches urban success. If you have “made it big” in the rap game these days your street cred. will inevitably have a minimum of components from this generalized rap sheet: poverty, crime, gangs, guns, and many other unavoidable struggles. Most see this assimilation to mainstream flow as a repeated story and “…construct the black urban world as a single culture whose function is merely to survive the ghetto” (Forman and Neal 124). Adopting these over generalized views devalues an artist’s creative ability to interpret and reveal their unequivocal journey. Perhaps these casual categories that we have neatly arranged are a contributing source of animosity artists feel with each other in competition to stand out. Since we, the public, have decided to abide by the rule of the mainstream media artists feel like they are in constant battle with each other to prove their prowess.
ReplyDeleteThe original job of an MC was to get the crowd hyped up for the DJ, as we learned in lecture the roles have changed; the spotlight is now on the MC. The MCs use their own unique style and flow to keep the audience interested. An MC’s flow is described as their lyrical style; usually marked by tone, cadence, content and speed of delivery (Lecture 10/4). Their flow is what they’re known for, it’s their rapping style. For example, I can easily detect when Lil Wayne is rapping because of his goofy laugh he does in every single song, it’s kind of like his trademark, along with the sound of lighting up.
ReplyDeleteMCs put their flow and their “game” to the test when they do battles. They use the same key elements of breaking as the other elements of hip hop. For example, MCs regularly use braggadocio and brag about being the “best to hit the mic” or implying they are the best in regards to anything and everything. You can think of an MC as a storyteller, either rapping from experience or using their imagination. Robin Kelley states, “What counts more than the story is the “storytelling”- an emcee’s verbal facility on the mic, the creative and often hilarious use of puns, metaphors, similes, not to mention the ability to kick some serious slang (Forman pg130).” With the use of these creative elements, the MC is really able to grab the attention of their audience
Flow and battle are two key components that are crucial to Hip-hop, specifically rap. Flow can be described as the personal style and execution of a rap performed by an artist, through creating a unique flow style artists are able to develop a fan base that can distinguish them immediately from other artists. Battles are a forum for competition among MCs where they can show their improvisation skills by using a “call and response” system for bouncing back and forth between the two. These battles are usually timed and sometimes have specific rules, for example Freestyle Fridays on BET’s 106 and Park disqualifies MCs if they use curse words. However as seen in the staged battle between Eminem and three other opponents in 8 Mile, the same rule does not apply. The artists use sampling, metaphors, play on words and shout outs to win the crowd or judges over while at the same time telling stories or sharing information about their past/ where they’ve come from. One very successful tactic is for the MCs to recognize their own stereotypes and use them to their advantage; if they have already acknowledge those points then its difficult for their opponent to use those ideas against them. The competition exhibited in battles can be tied to that of the competition between breakers and breaking crews and also stems from the encouragement of competition among slaves by their masters. Females still struggle to gain respect and fame in battle scenes, not to mention becoming MCs in general, and there have only been a handful of successful women MCs. This is mostly due to the fact that the genre it is a highly male-dominated venture and females are often confined to specific stereotypes that are difficult to break away from.
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