Grad School Report - Spring 2008 (Week 14)

[osito71]

What was it I wrote in the fall when break fell on the 13th week of the semester? "Like a superstitious skyscraper we skip thirteen." I like that, and we have done it again. I did not have much of a spring break to speak of, as I worked for most of it, but I did take last Thursday and Friday off, going shopping for an entertainment center with

Comments

[morsobscena]

As a student of ancient epic poetry that relies on syllabic metrics to create a rhythm and mood, I've always thought an apt comparison for rap today would be the bards and rhapsodes (even in Ancient Greece, there was "rhap") who would improvise poetry on the spot. I find it particularly interesting that like Homer in the "Iliad" and "Odyssey", modern rappers have certain "stock" phrases and rhyming schemes that are used for effect or to build a basic structure that is then expanded on in live, on-the-spot performance.

I think it would be interesting to read Plato's "Ion", which is all about the value of the rhapsode, or improvisational bard, in Ancient Greek society, and think of the discourse in terms of present-day hip-hip.

[osito71]

If I can dig it up I will send you a link to this cool article about how R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" is Homeric. I forget the term they used to describe what they have in common, but something about how both describe action in the vein of "And now this is happening . . . And now this is happening. .."

As for this paper, the class is about Lyric, i.e. subjectivity + musicality, which is clearly there in hip-hop, and while the narrative aspects of epic poetry don't fit the lyric definition we are working with.

Anyway, rappers don't freestyle like they used to. . ;)

[osito71]

It was from a blog. Here ya go: http://3quarksdaily.blogs.com/3quarksdaily/2006/03/monday_musing_t.html

[morsobscena]

I'd love to see any articles about how rap and Homeric poetry share elements.