An Introduction Pt. II: Who Are the Masters of Hip Hop?

African Griots

I know many are anxiously awaiting my final anthological report on hip-hop, but before I shower my readers with my favored rap talents, I need to provide some of you with a bit more preliminary information. I would hate to overwhelm any of you, so, in this post, I will provide a brief history of rap’s development and its influences, as well as an understanding of my minute “experience” in this linguistically creative field.

Approximately two years ago, I was enrolled in an English course at JMU entitled “Oral Literature: The Evolution of Hip-Hop,” which introduced me to an incredible culture that had never really been recognized in an academic setting. Our final paper was similar to the current post I’m attempting to complete listing the “Masters of Hip-Hop,” but we were only required to include five artists in our mini-anthologies and we didn’t have a distinctly clear rubric by which we could evaluate the artists, like the one I’ve constructed. Despite this, through the course, I learned a great deal about the background and history of rap music, which I will share with you in a rather condensed version. (On a side note: I received an A- in the class, which I wasn’t entirely happy about...)

Rap music finds its roots in pre-colonial African tribes around the 14th century, in which stories, allegories, and songs were transferred solely in an oral manner alongside a drum or other musical instrument by griots, who were the African rockstars of their day. During the colonial period, however, and the establishment of slavery, the African story-telling tradition was brought over to the Americas and the Caribbean, with rhythmic traditions that are still present today as seen through other forms of music, like Reggae. Anyway, as the colonies grew, so did the need for slaves, especially in what we now know as the United States. 

Unfortunately, as disgusting as this piece of American history is, those held captive were able to find comfort during their work periods through a form of music known as call-and-response. This method of song consists of an expression which is confirmed, responded to, or negated by the next expression, and so on. A perfect example of a song with this call-and-response technique is the famed piece, “Wade in the Water,” which has proven itself a symbol of this horrific time period. (Listen to "Wade in the Water" Here!)

In keeping with the morose tones and rhythmic nature of call-and-response music, Blues music developed, which later developed into Jazz music around the U.S. Prohibition era, which was more lively, entertaining, and joyful than its musical predecessors. The poetics of jazz music strongly influenced “beat” writers through the 1970s, encouraging writers to utilize musical instruments during poetry readings and other public presentations of their work. Then during the late 70s and early 80s, the culture of hip hop was born.

This, my friends, is the history of rap music in a nutshell. I hope this provides some of you with a better understanding of hip-hop’s evolution and its century-old roots. Though I provided an incredibly compacted version of the growth of this particular industry, it is crucial that we recognize, appreciate, and preserve the ancestors of hip-hop because this musical form did not arise overnight, nor did it emerge out of thin air. Hip-Hop is a product of struggle, hardship, and brutality that was burdened upon innocent people who found relief through music and, without their suffering, this poetic form would not exist. So, please, next time you download a seemingly frivolous hip-hop song, keep its history in mind, and know that it is of the utmost importance that we protect, nurture, and conserve this form of poetics, as I hope to do with my anthology.

Listen to a Blues Song Here! "Bumble Bee" by Memphis Minnie

Listen to a Jazz Song Here! "Take the A Train" by Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington

An Introduction: Who Are the Masters of Hip-Hop?

I. Introduction

Devising a list of 10 artists,
9 of which will remain a surprise,
whereas Slick Rick is a sneak peek :)

I am always searching for ways to improve my writing skills. When a situation occurs in which I’m unable to thoroughly and efficiently communicate my ideas through a pen, my MAC keyboard, or speech for that matter, and I’m in dire need of a little inspiration, I turn to art, literature, and, of course, music. Though I listen to a vast range of music daily, some of my favorite musical pieces stem from the world of hip-hop. Yes, whichever way you interpret it, as either hip-hop, rap, or “modern poetry,” I adore the stories and level of creativity rap artists incorporate in their music. I adore the magnificence of this particular industry and I adore the study of its unique, yet turbulent evolution. My level of intrigue with this form of oral literature has developed and grown over the past couple of years, and with the heightened accessibility of music through such networks as Spotify, 8-tracks, and Pandora, my fascination with rap has only multiplied.

In consequence of my enduring interest in rap, I have made the decision to enumerate my favorite hip-hop artists in a single, fairly brief anthology. Anthologies are defined as compilations of masterful works in a specific field, like literature or art for example. In this anthology, however, I’ve chosen to devise a list of artists, old and contemporary, who are worthy of academic, social, and cultural consideration, continually referencing a few of their original musical works. In more precise terms, the primary intent of this compressed anthology is to reconstruct the generic view of rap as nonsensical, maintaining that rap is a valid art form through an evaluated, categorized, graded, and ranked listing of distinguished hip-hop masters, with strong support from their varied musical pieces.

II. My Rapper’s Rubric

In order to successfully execute the central objective of this anthology, I have arranged a “Rapper’s Rubric” by which each included hip-hop artist is ranked, graded, and evaluated.

I have divided the rubric in three sections, with each section worth 15 points, totaling 45 possible points:

Lyrical Creativity in Artwork (15)

(5)- Originality of Poetics

(5)- Wordplay Skills

(5)- Retaliatory Capacity (In laymen's terms, the rap artist's acknowledgement of so-called "haters," which all legendary hip-hop masters include in at least some of their art.)

Influence of Artwork in: (15)

(5)- Our Society

(5)- Our Culture

(5)- Our Economy

Inclusion of Rhythmic, Stylistic, and Oratorical Influences from: (15)

(5)- Precedents of the Hip-Hop Genre (i.e. Blues, Jazz, etc.)

(5)- Other Rap Artists

(5)- Miscellaneous

A Skin Regimen: What’s Your Routine?

I have no shame.
This is my Lancome "Pure Empreinte Masque."
It's a purifying mineral mask with white clay.

Even though I’m only 22, I know, one day, my face will be wrinkly, withered, and irreversibly aged. Please don’t misconstrue my perspective on aging, because I believe wrinkles, in some ways, help tell a story about a woman’s life. When I was little, I loved sitting on my grandma’s lap and visually synthesizing the lines of her face, because I knew she earned them. So, to clarify my personal philosophy on old age, I definitely don’t associate beauty with youth, as our modern society does. I don’t believe that women over 60 are automatically aesthetically displeasing, because none of us are getting any younger, so I have no right to play critic.

However, I do believe in taking care of my skin, so I’m dedicating this particular post to the value of skin care, especially for my fellow-females. I definitely try and take care of my skin everyday, but, today, I’m changing my negligent ways and constructing an actual skin regimen that I can strictly adhere to, and one that you may embrace too, if you like. Also, I’m getting really sick of wearing makeup all the time- so I want my skin to look naturally healthy.

Eloise Rose’s Face Regimen

Prefacing Rules for Regimen:

1. Wash face twice a day, once every morning (should be first priority after waking up) and every night before bed. 

*May wash face more as needed, i.e. after eye-brow waxes, gym, etc.

1. Never go to sleep with makeup on, especially if this circumstance is easily avoidable.
2. After every face-wash, always, always, always moisturize!!!

The Regimen:

Morning Routine

1. Immediately after waking up, wash face with skin-cleanser.
2. After washing face, apply astringent, then toner.
3. Moisturize.
4. Apply makeup, if needed.

Evening Routing

1. Use eye makeup remover to remove any mascara, eyeshadow, liner, etc.
2. Use towelette to remove other make up.
3. Wash face.
4. Apply astringent, then toner.
5. Moisturize.
6. Apply other skin cream over possible or potential breakouts. Leave this on overnight.

So this is my routine from now on. I’m planning to wear a face mask approximately once a week as well. Also, invest in skin-care products that work well for you and your own, unique facial chemistry. You don’t need to spend a fortune on these products, but they’re definitely worth the purchase!

Okay, well thank you for reading! Also, do you have any skin-care routines as well?? Let me know!