Rap has played a pivotal role in the music industry, delivering messages that spur social awareness and change, connecting with people from all walks of life, and overall being entertaining to listen to.
Rap has been noted as early as 1971 on Isaac Hayes’ Black Moses album. It denoted speaking on the record as opposed to typical sung lyrics.
The genre flourished in the 1980s with the rise of hip-hop, and has a prominent place in entertainment today.
Rap records are incredible to listen to, but do the fast-talking messages do well for live performances?
There are many options available when thinking about hiring entertainment for your next party, and a rap artist is one of the most worthwhile.
It creates a culture right in front of you.
Rap music invokes an artistic culture that breeds tight-knit communities who come together around a particular cause or artists.
This often trickles down into fashion, dance moves, consumer goods – rap becomes a way of life. Things like breakdancing and graffiti artistry have been born out of rap music.
Many literature, theatre, and art pieces are heavily influenced by rap. Look at Lin Manuel-Miranda’s popular Broadway show Hamilton.
When you attend a live rap performance you will see all of this on display and get a real sense of the community.
It’s a flexible genre.
Like every genre of music out there, rap has many subsets of talent that focus on a particular subject. There are rappers that are Christian, those who have clean lyrics, or those who gear their words towards a certain demographic.
No matter your crowd, you can find a talented rapper that speaks to them.
It’s amazing to witness.
Rappers don’t trip over their words. They don’t take breaths in the wrong places or long pauses where there should be none.
Rapping is a true talent, and a sight to behold in person.
Oftentimes lyrics sound more pronounced on stage than they do on record.
You can get a sense of a rapper’s personality by watching the passion they have for their craft. Many rappers have particular body movements that help them along when succinctly spitting rhymes.
Many rappers also have a penchant for improvisation, which is why rap battles are a common (and delightful) occurrence. Rappers are often the best lyricists with minds filled with sharp phrases and rhymes. When given the opportunity they will let loose on a crowd or fellow rapper.
It sends a message.
While some rap songs are lighthearted and catchy, many send a deeper message about the state of society, among other things.
Many rap performances can be connected to protests and rallies. Rap can be informed by things like spiritual practices, sense of self, sets of morals, all of which are conveyed to audiences throughout songs.
It heightens emotions.
When you combine all of the above, you get an unforgettable emotionally charged performance. Seeing rap live on a stage is like an immersive theatre experience that you partake in with the artist and crowd.
