FREE ESSAY ON RAPPERS AS ARTIST

RAPPERS AS ARTIST

Bhavesh Patel
1301-803
Essay #1
June 14, 2000
Rappers as Artists
INTRODUCTION
The word "artist" is a term that is used to describe professions such as painters, chefs,
and even musicians. Painters use paints and canvas as their medium, chefs use food for
their delicacy, and musicians use the words and musical instruments to create the art of
sound. Even within this, the terms of chief, painters, and musicians encompass many
facets. For example, some chiefs specialize only in pastries, some painters only work
with watercolor, or the in the instance of music, musicians who create rap music. IN ALL
INSTANCES A FORM OF CREATION HAS TAKEN PLACE BUT MODERN DAY SCRUTINY ON WHO CAN OR CANNOT
BE CONSIDERED ARTISTS HAS BANISHED RAPPERS AS ARTISTS.
FIRST SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH
RAPPERS ARE MUSICIANS WHO USE FAST-PACED RHYMING VERSES ACCOMPANIED WITH A HEAVY BEAT AND
SYNTHESIZING RHYTHMS. The lyrical verses can reflect everything from love to a drug deal
gone wrong to strong opinions about social and political issues. Lately though, rappers
such as Tupac Shakur, Notorious BIG, and Puff Daddy have been scrutinized as to weather
or not their form of expression can be considered art. Notorious BIG uses offensive
language to describe his lifestyles and his objects of desire. Many people think that the
profanity and offensiveness of his lyrics serve as reasons to dismiss him as an artists.
However, according to the definition of an artist, rappers can be considered artists.
SECOND SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH
IN ORDER TO FULLY ESTABLISH THAT RAPPERS ARE ARTISTS, THE DEFINITION OF "ARTIST" AND
"ART" MUST BE ESTABLISHED.
An artist is a person skilled in a fine art, such as painting, dance or music. 
Art is the creation of a work bringing about a variety of new combination of elements in
the medium (tones in music, words in literature, ect.)
To further establish the definition of artist, lets look at some examples. Painters for
instance are considered as artist because they meet the defined criteria. First, painter
must be skilled in their field. They must have an eye for color, shapes, patterns and
details. Second, painters must be able to combine different variables to form a variation
of artwork. They must be able to bring different existing colors, textures, and shape
together to create something new, abstract, or even definitional. Third, painters must
use their skill as a form of self-expression. Colors portray their emotions and the
shapes to signify a certain mood. In these aspect painters meet all the criteria that
make an artist an artist. Now you need to examine the characteristics of a rapper to
determine whether or not they meet the same criteria of being skilled in a fine art such
as music, being able to bring out new combination of elements to form something new, and
being able to present a form of self expression. 
THIRD SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH
IN FACT RAP IS A FORM OF MUSIC THAT REQUIRES MANY TALENTS IN THE SIMILAR FORM THAT
PAINTERS MUST BE SKILLED AT THEIR TRADE. According to the Merriam Webster's Dictionary,
rapping is defined as "a rhythmic chanting often in unison of usually rhymed couplets to
a musical accompaniment." Therefore, in addition to the skills required of other
musicians, such as being able to detect musical notes, and being able to read music,
musicians who rap must be able to write rhyming lyrics as well as being rhythmically
inclined. For example, well-known rapper Bizzy Bone from the rap group Bone Thugs 'N'
Harmony is acclaimed for his ability to rap with an incredible speed and at the same time
maintain a steady beat and rhythm. In addition to those talents, a rapper must be able to
create and write verses and couplets. Two of the most popular rappers, Notorious BIG and
Tupac Shakur, were recognized for their ability to write lyrics that had not only
absorbing meaning but were also known for their choice of words and semantics. In light
if this, rappers begin to fit the definition of artists because they posses certain
musical skills necessary to their particular form of art.
FORTH SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH
THE SECOND ATTRIBUTE THAT RAPPERS MAINTAIN TO BRING IS A NEW COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS.
Just as painters must be able to take different colors and shapes to create a painting,
rappers must also be able to take pieces and put them together for a new song. For
instance, a method of compilation used by many rappers is called sampling. An artist
takes a musical cord or series of notes from different musicians and builds upon it to
produce their own sound. A rapper may take an introduction to a song and use that as the
basis for their song. An instance of this can be found in Puff Daddy's sampling of Lunez
"I Got 5 ON IT." Puff Daddy uses the background music and creates his own lyrics to form
a new and slower love song, "Satisfy You." 
FIFTH SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH
ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF A RAPPER THAT GIVES HIM OR HER THE RIGHT TO BE CONSIDERED A
RAPPER, IS THE EXPRESSIONS THEIR SONGS PRESENT. Painters may use red to signify their
anger or yellow to express cheerfulness, paralleling to rappers use of words and lyrics
to express their feelings and emotions about politics, personal reasons, or even their
happiness in their wealth. Rapper Tupac Shakur was noted for his anger and frustrations
that was his seen in his lyrics and music. He used his feelings from his unstable
childhood and life in the inner city. He also often describes his lost friendship and
hate towards Notorious BIG due to Notorious BIG stealing lyrics from Tupac further
creating a rivalry among the two rappers. Many rappers such as Juvenile and the group
Cash Money rap about topics such as success in life, wealth, and the things they can buy
with it. There are all sorts of variation of rappers just as there are variation of
painters; some painting are only abstract and other paintings are in details. 
CONCLUSION
Rappers use their life and its tribulations as a source of inspiration to their music.
The music they create present all the forms of what would consider them to be artist; due
to their unique ability to create rhythmic lyrics, to express themselves, and to use
different elements to create something new and distinct. 
Works Cited
Marian Webster's Dictionary - pg. 78&79, pg. 1128