Alankar(Decor)-251 Poem by Indira Renganathan

Rap Song


A style of popular music, developed in the late 1970s,
in which an insistent, recurring beat pattern provides the background
and counterpoint for rapid, slangy, and often boastful rhyming patter glibly intoned
by a vocalist or vocalists.

Rap is verse set to a beat and is usually written in musical bars even though the verse is spoken or chanted
rather than sung to a melody. Some believe the term "rap" refers to "rapid rhyme"
and Rap competitions encourage off the cuff, spontaneous composition. The rapid fire of words is a
distinct element of the genre. Rap in the dictionary means "to hit" and that is exactly what Rap does,
it hits the beat. Originating in the African American community, associated with hip-hop and a "gangsta"
life style, it is the fastest growing, most popular verse of today.

The elements of Rap are:

usually written in 12 to 16 bars. Rap usually is 4 strong beats to the bar
and it is imperative the lyrics stay on the beat with the background music.
Rhythm and flow are emphasized.
rhymed, rhyme is an integral element of rap and compound rhyme, complex rhyme schemes, internal rhyme
and slant rhyme are all encouraged.
written in 3 verses or strophes of approximately 12 to 16 lines.
sometimes written with a chorus of 6 to 8 bars or lines which is repeated between each strophe
and acts like a bridge to the next verse.


1) Breakfast Rap

Little girl making breakfast fast
Fasting grandma breaking fast
Everybody thanking steadfast last
Little girl making breakfast fast
Grandma is eating breakfast fast


- - - - -

2. A Girl's Rap Song

One dayone girlwantedto learn
Fast fastrap songs veryurgently
Teacher asked her for a song lovely
In triplets and she sang lovely thus

"staccato staccato staccato staccato
Sing it liketomato potato tomato
Potato tomato potato tomato
Tototo tototo tototo tototo"

That girl tried to sing in triplets
But found so hard and she couldn't
Yet she simply sang too fast thus

"Staccato staccato staccato staccato
Difficult difficult difficult difficult
Doesn't likedoesn't likedoesn't likedoesn't like
Little child little child little child little child
Want it be want it be want it be want it be
Tomato potato tomato potato
Potato tomato potato tomato
Tototo tototo tototo tototo"

"Tomato potato" went on went on endless
Teacher started yelling "legato legato
Meaning the song was too lengthy
He tried to stop her but in vain

"Legato legato" went on went on went on
"Staccato staccato" went on went on went on
"Legato staccato" went on beating beating
Beating beating beating beating
Imagine how would be eaten eaten
Eaten eaten one and all there

Note: Rap music seems to stand by the strength of orchestral support of instruments and vocalists
and the rhythmic articulation of the lyric to bring out the impact on the listener.A Rap song has different
parts like Intro, Hook, Verse, Bridge, and Outro.I have tried my best here.