In famous rapper Eminem’s popular hit song “Lose Yourself”, the rapper combines poetry with his skill of rapping while implementing an urban twist on the art form. Eminem includes common poetic techniques such as plot, internal rhyme, assonance and couplets and manipulates them in order to emphasize the message of his song. Through these techniques, Eminem relays a message of persevering through the struggles of life in order to transcend from poverty to success. The use of poetic techniques enables Eminem to reach his audience in a way that encourages them to pursue their dreams and goals in the face of adversity that they may experience on a regular basis.
Eminem, as well as many other rappers, frequently incorporate poetry into their music in order to create a unique form of rap. Not only do Eminem and these other rappers aim to entertain their fans, but their unique style of blending rap music and poetry “provides a significant form of education for adolescents, one that extends beyond the classroom and into their peer group circles”(Powell 245). These artists combine these two styles in order to send a positive message to youth experiencing poverty-stricken lifestyle in certain areas in America. The “rap lyrics concentrate primarily on the contemporary African American experience” (Powell 245). In this particular song, Eminem aims to empower and encourage individuals to take a chance on their dreams and essentially “lose themselves” in the moment. The rapper aims to inspire his audience with lines “you only get one shot do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo…” (Eminem 27-28). He motivates his audience to take chances in life because they may never come again. If one does not take a cha...
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...it song “Lose Yourself” exemplifies the use of poetry in lyrics that many rappers have been known to implement into their craft. The uses of these particular techniques allow Eminem and many other rappers to creatively deliver their music to their audience in the form of a message, which usually involves encouraging their audience to reach for their dreams no matter the circumstance. The emphasis that Eminem places on his lyrics serve as inspiring words for his audience to follow. He shares a personal struggle and triumph that many can relate to their own personal lives. He shares with his audience the possibility of reaching your dreams and achieving success, while also encouraging them take risks that could lead to amazing results. Eminem includes common elements of poetry and manages to bend them in his favor in order to effectively deliver an inspiring message.
In one of the chapters, ‘Where Did Our Love Go?’ the author reveals how blacks in America use the music to express their anger and commitment to emerge as great people in an unfair community. Most songs are written to educate the society on the negative effects of racism. They encourage the society to love one another and embrace unity. The human nature is founded through a social platform where philosophers claim that people were created to love one another and live with peace and unity. Through this book, it is clear that the blacks in the hip-hop generation are money minded. However, this is expected in a world where the economy is tough. The author claims that the youth are the people who are majorly affected by racism. Many of them have been arrested for pity mistakes which are magnified in the courts due to the impression that the society has on the black people. They engage in dirty activities like drug dealings that that put them on the wrong side of the
There are a lot of Epic Poems written in Literature that intrigue, and capture reader’s attention like; The Iliad, The Odyssey, Beowulf, and the Divine Comedy. Never had the Hip-Hop culture had an epic story of its own until Lupe Fiasco came along. Lupe created a 17 song saga Called “Michael Young History (MYH) also known as The Cool” spread throughout his first two albums, and a few mixtapes. MYH is a frictional rap character who was raised by a single hard-working mother who struggle to raise Michael and his loving sister. With the lack of parental guidance the promising, intelligent young Michael turn into a drug deal. Michaels love for the street, and fame sent him to a road of greed, deception. In no time Michael had control of his neighborhood making money, bribing dirty cops to look away from his crimes. As Michael unethical fame rise his friends get jealous, setting Michael to end his life. Unless a music listener is not a Lupe Fiasco fan they will not be aware of this
In Adam Bradley’s “Rap poetry 101” he shows us how rap is more than just songs being sung, it is poetry; it is something that has an empowering ability to make the familiar unfamiliar.In this chapter Bradley creates a new viewpoint too rap. Bradley shows us how rap and poetry has become a very similar piece of art that should be further appreciated. In the chapter poetry 101 Bradley describes how rap is a form of public art, and how rappers have become our greatest public poets. The importance of rap as poetry is shown throughout Bradley's book as well as the evidence behind the reasons rap is poetry.
People from many generations may think that today’s music shows virtually nothing. This generations rap music mainly circles around how much money you receive from rapping, how much women you receive from rapping, and how much drugs you receive from rapping. There is rare few times where rap artist come out of this circle, to talk about real life experiences, issues within the world, and how this affects certain diversities. Baruti N. Kopano, an assistant professor of Mass Communications at Delaware State University, does a study on the rhetorical legacy of rap music. He starts off in this article how rap music to him is a legacy with rich history, “For rappers, ‘keepin it real’ means being
Songs are one way of expressing feelings and emotion, many artist do this constantly in their music. To some it is why they make music. There are endless signs and verses that hint at many things such as problems, politics, living in racist era’s also places. I chose to focus on one main rapper and his music only. I chose to examine, review, and study a few of his songs. Kid cudi grew up in cleveland, Ohio. His father passed away when he was a young age which affected the kid ever since. He writes about living his life and having to go through many obstacles
Within the booming business that has become the rap world, certain musical themes and issues are more prevalent than most. In addition to such topics as drugs, alcohol and police brutality, a dominant theme within rap music is the denigration and derision of women. Indeed, as the above lyrics to Akinyele's song “Put It in your Mouth” illustrate, many male rappers use violent and misogynistic lyrics to create an image of women that is both degrading and disgusting. The graphic and shocking nature of this particular type of rap causes it to be widely publicized, and thus it serves as a definition of rap for a majority of people today. However, there are a number of female artists within the rap music genre spreading messages of female empowerment and respect, not denigration. These female artists, often ignored due to the hype surrounding their male counterparts, use their lyrics to create raps which focus on life as women; dealing with issues of love, power, and discrimination. The face of women in rap culture is both multi-faceted and contradictory.
The underlying message was shown using these methods as well as by expressing it through the language in the lyrics. Examples include Doug E. Fresh saying, “This is all about, no doubt, to stop violence.” (Self Destruction) which very clearly states the important message that was being portrayed. Another example is when Ms. Melodie says, “The violence in rap must cease and seckle.” (Self Destruction) This lyric points out the violent culture that exists in the rap community and how it can be detrimental to society. Many modern hip-hop and rap songs with messages get dismissed either due to the harsh language or because many people do not want to hear the harsh realities of the African American struggle. Another unique aspect of this song that appeals to the audience is the point of focus. “Self Destruction” focuses on an internal view of the issues and relies on self-examination in order to solve these issues. This aspect makes the song unique because it does not lay blame on others. Instead of pleading for help from others, the songwriters decide to take the approach of rebuilding their own communities from the inside. This aspect really makes the song stand out amongst many other similar songs. This song truly is able to appeal to the reader in a fresh and interesting way by using logical, ethical, and emotional
Rap is about giving voice to a black community otherwise underrepresented, if not silent, in the mass media. It has always been and remains … directly connected to the streets from which it came. (144)
In todays society poetry is all around us, we use it in music to deliver messages to the average radio listener. According to SelectUSA (The creative Media industry in the United States) The United States music industry in 2011 reached 15.2 billion dollars. With the information given a person can tell that a lot of time and money goes into music in today’s society. The music people listen to have many different elements that an average listener would not pick up. Many songs have poetic techniques that give great meaning to the song that makes the song unique. The song I Love the way you Lie by Eminem and Rihanna and the song Airplanes by B.o.B are similar in ways they use poetic devises and how the over all message of the two songs can relate to the average person that listen to the song.
Shakur develops the theme in his poem by using various literary devices. Shakur uses the metaphor , “And when you get stranded and things don’t go the way you planned it.” He compares being stranded to not knowing what to do. Tupac uses this metaphor to connect to the feeling of being stuck. Before Shakur connects with the reader he says “Always do your best” and “Don’t let the pressure make you panic.” These quotes tell the reader that even though they may feel stranded , they should
Although this original face of rap music was murdered at the young age of 25, Tupac’s expressions of dreams for black social justice, along with his declaration of “thuglife,” have contributed to his beloved legacy by hip culture, even 19 years after his death. He was considered a figure of empowerment for urbanized communities because of his support in black nationalism that aims to “define, defend, and develop of Blacks as a people,” especially because he grew up in the impoverished intercity (Stanford, 2011, pg. 4). In “Violent” he raps,
Eminem came from poverties that many would not succeed from. Many doubted Eminem for becoming a rapper because of his color, lack of lyrical skills, and lifestyle. It even accumulated when he dropped out of high school and pursued his rapping career. He never believed of failure which motivated him to engineer his own long rhyming skills. He used his own adversities to inspire his songs which many consider masterpieces. His daughter Hailey made a great contribution towards his career as he wanted to flourish in her eyes and give all he had never had. Eminem has changed the interface of rap music and has generated a new era of rap which he will be considered as the ‘Greatest Rapper of All Time’.
Rap music has given me personally something to look up to. Not a role model but hope of continuing my dreams because rappers successfully made it. “For what’s money without happiness, or hard times without the people you love” is from a song called “Love Yourz” by J. Cole. He clearly understands how there is “beauty in the struggle and ugliness in the success” because he’s lived that life. Other songs such as “2Face” or “The Autograph” were instantly relatable to me because he has been through several struggles from the beginning of his childhood. Cole’s father left when he was six leaving his mother and younger brother alone. Cole became “the man of the house” but becoming a rapper is not as easy as it seems. Cole’s messages in these two songs are relative because I too, have had several issues with my mother and father creating a sense of lonesome. Hearing music like Coles helped me overcome my
This paper analyzes Eminem’s, “When I’m Gone”, a song whose central theme is premised on the love for family and is evident on his conversation with his daughter, Hailie. I chose this song because of the interesting conversation that brings to the fore the deep emotional ties between the Eminem and Haile. Eminem’s passion for music seems to have taken precedence over the love for his family. Hailie endures so much heartache and misses her father every time he leaves home for a global fame and success through music. Eminem loves the daughter who he says he can give an arm for but can’t stop his music career because it is his passion and
People are surrounded by music every day of their lives. They hear it in their homes, on the radio on their way to work; some people have even caught themselves humming the tune of their favorite song to themselves. But how many people actually listen and not just hear the music they are listening to? Teens in particular don’t realize the message behind the music they are quoting the lyrics to, or the effect it has on them. In today’s culture where rap music has become increasingly popular, many teens aren’t realizing what they are listening to. A lot of teens would argue that the music they listen to has no effect on them, but they are wrong. Rap music, especially, has had a major impact on teenagers in today’s society.