Hip Hop is a genre that thrives on controversy and challenges its listeners to question the boundaries of the social norm. Before it became the most popular style of music, rappers seemed to always be in the news for their questionable lyrics, but it is very rare to find one that apologizes or accepts liability for what they have said. Most of the time, artists don’t really mean every word that they rap, but many fans, and more specifically kids, live parts of their lives based on what their favorite rapper said. This raises the question: Should rappers be more mindful of how they influence the public, or should the public realize that creativity, in any form, cannot be held to a literal standard?
A lot of outrageous lyrics can be written off as meaningless party music or an artist trying to get recognized, but the G.O.A.T.s in the industry seem to be more deliberate in their delivery. In an interview with ABC News, legendary rapper, Lil Wayne, offers some insight as to why rappers phrase their songs in such a controversial way.
“It was about lyrics. It wasn’t about what you were talking about, it was about HOW you were talking about it.” proclaims the New Orleans MC.
This could not have been said more perfect as the interest that rap music garners from its listeners encompasses more than just the words being said. Hip Hop and rap, unlike any other genre, utilizes what is known as ‘lyrical flow’ as its main form of expression. Every rapper has the ability to grab headlines with absurd statements, but the best of them will take those statements and say them in a way that is catchy and powerful. Many artists rap about similar concepts, so their well-crafted flow has to capture the attention of their fans.
All in all, it is easy to let the offensive nature of some rap music overshadow the level of skill and dedication it takes to create it, but at the end of the day, they are saying whatever it takes to invoke emotion in their fans. Lil Wayne states,
“I’m a slave to your ear. I’ll die to make what you hear great.”
