Why can rap music be compared to poetry?

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Poetry has been called a dying art form. However, if the popularity of rap music has anything to show, poetry is alive and well in the lyrics and rhymes of rap artists like Kanye West and Lil Wayne.

Rhymes

Poets and rappers use internal and external rhyme. Edgar Allen Poe did this in "The Raven," and Eminem, a successful rapper, did this in "Ricky Ticky Toc."

Figurative Language

Poets and rappers use simile and metaphor to make comparisons and convey images. For example, in The Fugees' "How Many Mics," Lauryn Hill sings, "Me without a mic is like a beat without a snare...I'm sweet like licorice, dangerous like syphilis."

Meter and Rhythm

Poets and rappers use meter to put stress on certain syllables of words to create a sense of rhythm. This is referred to as "flow" in rap.

Issues

Poets and rappers often comment on serious issues and attempt to portray deep meanings. Poet Maya Angelou commented on racism in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," just as hip-hop artist KRS-One did in "Sound of Da Police."

The Last Poets

The Last Poets from New York, New York, blurred the line between poetry and rap music, incorporating African percussion and spoken word.

Source:

Poem Hunter: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Poem Hunter: The Raven

AZ Lyrics: Ricky Ticky Toc

Music Song Lyrics; Sound of Da Police

Lyrical Content: How Many Mics

More Information:

The Huffington Post: Is Rap Poetry?

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Why can rap music be compared to poetry?

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