There is a number of criticisms levelled at rap or hip-hop music, with some of the biggest being: "It's all misogynist and violent", "It all sounds the same", "It doesn't take any talent" and of course, "Rap isn't music". As hip-hop has informed the mainstream, you will hear less of these criticisms, but all of them will still come up.

The other criticisms all have their own answers, but towards the complaint that "rap isn't music", the answer should be "of course it isn't". How far rap is from the world of music can be considered by thinking of first, how many famous rock stars, even ones known more for their star power than their musical ability, have embarked on projects working with musicians in the fields of jazz or classical music, and proved that they were also skilled in the field of music. If you look through the ranks of the hip-hop greats, you would be hard pressed to find a single MC who was known for mastering the technicalities of music, or for creating memorable, original music.

So, are the detractors right? Is hip-hop just a pop fad, playing to the egos of the young and confused? Not at all! Just because rap isn't music, doesn't mean it isn't art. If we go back to scanning the ranks of famous MCs, we do see another field of art they succeed in: What do Ice Cube, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Tupac Shakur, Mos Def, LL Cool J, Saul Williams, Will Smith, Shaquille O'Neal, Eminem, Method Man and Red Man all have in common? They have all had some amount of success in acting, and for many of them, their success has gone beyond playing roles in niche movies trading on their rap status. Although the world of Hollywood movie making doesn't always allow us to see actors' real artistry, anyone who can act in three or more films is obviously talented. And there is obviously a lot of talented actors coming out of the world of hip-hop.

The reason for this is, is that being an MC isn't about music. It is about performance. While some people might think music, which is about the mysteries of why the human brain reacts to abstract acoustical properties, is more of an art than showmanship, I don't think many people would question that being able to perform for people takes a lot of talent. Being an MC is about, first, forming an energy, getting yourself into a mental space, and second, about being able to transmit that energy to someone else. When you hear a rap song, that is what you should be judging it on. And next time someone tries to tell you that rap isn't music, just respond "of course not".

In reading this entry I must concur with nearly all the points made, though needless to say great rock stars, proficient in music as they are, would still be in a backroom of a spit-on-the-floor blood-on-the-walls underground bar without showmanship and performance skills; some hook unrelated to musicianship. It's why people go to live shows, and not just buy or download. It all comes down to a balance of the two, if anything.

A common rap song includes several different notes which form a simple tune. I suppose many rappers, mixers and the like could not tell you if your instrument was in tune, nor could they explain to you the circle of fifths down to the basic 12-bar blues(The smallest denomination of music is a tone, the space between one note and another, and music is based upon the interplay between these spaces and the emotions these may evoke.), but that is irrelevant when the notes and tune are clearly not explicitly intended to evoke anything. The tune, is essentially a backdrop to rap's focus upon rhythm and lyrical content...By this definition, rap cannot be music, because it doesn't show signs of trying to be.

I would, therefore, class it as art. Creation through inspiration, a reflection of current societal trends, yes, but exempt from the category of music on the basis of the essential absence of tone.

Now to the idea that spurred me to write something here today. In studying music technology, the guitarist of my band (refferred to hereafter as Chuck) once pointed out to me that the level of skill needed to create such a work is quite considerable. MC's are not solely proficient in showmanship but at the intricacies of channel balance, various forms of computer manipulation (which extend far beyond Chuck's considerable reach as a musician), masters of rhythm and timing, and of course concise and often inspiring lyrical structure.

The point I endeavor to communicate is this: no matter what names we give them, or opinions we hold, music and rap are separate. I would not compare rap against music. Rap's strengths have an entirely different focus to those found in music. It would be akin to comparing men against women.. ideally entirely equal, yet irrefutably different. Which makes me wonder, why does difference demand inequality?

In this edited and updated version of my first post, I must thank those who rapidly and constructively contacted me. I hope to have made my position more clear and corrected any errors made in ignorance. This was my trial by fire. Thanks again for the pointers. And next time, I will get it right before actually posting it..!