Rap Is....
Formula
From a business standpoint,
the formula for rap is ingenius. It is why rap has had it's sucess.
While the creation of hip hop was more of a natural process, the
rap formula is something created by the minds of business people
(that some in the hip hop community refer to as the "Vultures
of the Culture") who engineered and tested it to make a better
product to market to a mass audience. The problem is that in duplicating
the music element of hip hop they neglected to include the essence.
Without the essences of hip hop, the element becomes disconnected
from the culture.
Format
Most rap material follows
a formats and fit into catergories. Most rap music that's released
sounds alike and videos look alike. It is formatted to appeal
to the rap audience. It is main
Image
Image is very important
in rap and plays a big role in a rappers record sales and longevity
in the game. Today's popular images in rap are: Thug, Gangsta,
Baller, Sexy.
Props
Cars, Money, Sexy Women,
Special effect, etc...
Gimmicks
Examples are making
up or altering a criminal records.
Beef
Do not confuse beefs
with battles. Battles are two parties pitting their skills against
one another. Beefs, on the other hand, are two parties in conflict
with each another for personal reasons unrelated to hip hop. Dis
records for beef are songs are one's that verbally attacks to
hurt feelings and /or convey threats by expressing their desire
to do harm to the other.
It For Rap Audience
Unlike a hip hop, rap
does not have a community but instead and audience. The larger
portion of today's rap music audience is mostly white, young 13-21
old, and female. The prefer formatted music centered around either
sex,drugs,violence, & an R&B influence. Dance, athems
Game
A popular term used
by rap artists to describe the way that the music industry operates.
Those who play it best rise to the top.
Product
Rap was designed for
the purpose of making money.