Did Muhammed Ali Invent Rap?
Sunday December 10, 2006
While flipping through the channels today, I stumbled on an interesting ESPN documentary "Ali Rap," hosted by Chuck D. The show is loosely based on the argument that Muhammed Ali accidentally pioneered rap as we know it today. On a related note, I also came across an article on espn.com, in which writer Chuck Klosterman ponders Ali's influence on rap. The article also delves deeper into the correlation between rap and sports. Take a moment to read Klosterman's "Reason for the Rhyme," and watch some clips from "Ali Rap." Then, let us know what you think. For what it's worth, Ali is credited as a rap pioneer in our Hip-Hop Timeline.
Comments
I saw the exact same show and came to this site to take another look at the Hip Hop Timeline. My father (Someone who hates raps music and knows little about it) told me about the show. I didn’t get a chance to see it all but I will say this; what is a rapper or an MC? I would have to say it is a person who rhymes, with a certain pace, but does while using the dialect of the streets over a funky beat. It’s not just a person who rhymes, but its a person who rhymes about the streets using the slang of their local area. Ali may have rhymed, but then again so did Egdar Allen Poe and Poe aint a rapper. Ali didn’t flow over a break beat or sample or anything. All of his poems were accapella, although I will admit some of them are indeed freestyles. Also, did Ali use slang? I doubt. Did he talk about happenings on the streets? I don’t think so. (I admit I haven’t seen or heard all of his poems) There is more to rap than just rhyme. But to have Chuck D host and cosign, I guess D doesn’t agree with me there.
^You raise a very good point, but slang is not an essential element in rap. It’s only perceived that way. There are still a few good lyricists like Black Thought and Canibus who don’t indulge in slanguistics to get their point across.
Besides, no one’s claiming that Ali pioneered rap. They’re just saying he may have played a key role. Legit argument, if you ask me.
did u just use good lyricists & Canibus in the same sentanc? Shame on You!!!
^You need spellchecker in your life.
Fa SHO!!!
Yo Henry, what is your favorite Canibus album? I think that Mic Club is pretty good…
Yup, Mic Club it is. I also liked Rip The Jacker.
Like his forebears-afrikan griots, Ali is necessarily a rap pioneer. there two reasons:
fact 1
Ali intelligently and musically encoded or represented his thoughts in a style now recognized as a musical genre -rap(state-of-the- art).
fact2
modern rappers have adopted similar style with little changes such as infusion of vulgarities not found in Ali’s rendition of words to music
the aforementioned facts makes Ali a rap pioneer
Did Muhammed Ali Invent Rap?
this is a technical question as i see it.
i feel that to talk about invention of rap there has to be a general agreement/ consensus of what rap is. to date rap has not allowed itself to be type casted because it is still evolving. Some new artiste add value to the rap style.
In view of this fact, until rap can be faithfully “parameterize” and characterized we cannot in my judgment talk about inventors of rap
rap started in glasgow, scotland in the 30’s straight talk. n all the street talk started there too.
bob Dylan invented rap subterranean homesick blues