The Poetics of Hip-Hop

Hip-hop music tends to land in controversy and in the center of political battles. We hear critics denouncing misogyny and violence that make up so much of the music, or we hear defenders of rap’s legitimacy as an artistic reflection of African-American culture. Lost in the shuffle is the poetic value of the lyrics.

As hip-hop scholar Adam Bradley writes, “The caricature of the artistically and intellectually impoverished street thug fails to account for the linguistic virtuosity and cultural literacy required to rap effectively to a beat.” Adam teaches literature at Claremont McKenna College, and is author of Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip-Hop. We called to ask him why rap deserves the academic treatment.

(Photo by NRK P3 via Flickr/Creative Commons)