Modern Day Griots – The Rapper
The African Oral Tradition continues
in many forms in today’s society i.e.
actors, comedians, musicians
(singers/rappers), performers, etc.
Rap is often similar to a story told
by a Griot. It can express the
experiences, thoughts, and emotions
of the rapper and can describe the
circumstances and histories of the
people in a community or a society.
Rap Music provides the audience
with a window to the performer’s
life; he/she can weave a story and
give a narrative about any variety of
subjects. “Rap” is spoken, not sung,
and is accompanied by music with a
heavy beat. Like a poem, Rap tells
a story using lyrics that rhyme in
couplets, which is repeated
throughout.
Examine the Following Lyrics from Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life” and answer the
following questions:
Take the baseline out, uh huh
Jigga uh huh uh huh uh huh
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
Stead of treated, we get tricked
Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the Hard Knock Life
From standin on the corner, Boppin
To drivin some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen
To droppin some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard
From the dope spot, with the smoke glock
Fleein the murder scene, you know me well
From nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell
But since when ya'll niggas know me to fail? F*** Naw
Where all my niggas with the rubber grips, bus shots
And if you with me, ma I rub on ya t***, and what not
I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not
Let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot
Let's stick up the world and split it 50-50, uh huh
Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh huh
Let's sip the Cris and get pissy pissy
Flow infinitely like the memory of my nigga Biggie, baby!
You know its hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter nigga Volume 2
Ya'll niggas get ready
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
Stead of treated, we get tricked
Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the Hard Knock Life
I flow for those droed out
All my niggas locked in the 10 by 4 controllin the house
We live in hard knocks we don't take over we bomb blocks
Burn em down and you can have em back daddy, Id rather that
I flow for chicks wishin they ain't have to strip to pay tuition
I see you vision mama; I put my money on the long shots
All my ballers that born to clock
Now Ima be on top whether I perform or not
I went from lukewarm to hot
from Sleepin on futons and cots, to king size,
green machinse, to green 5's Ive seen pies
let the thing between my eyes analyze life's ills
Then I put it down tight real
I'm tight grill with the phony rappers, you might feel we homeys
I'm like still you don't know me, shit
I'm tight real when my situation ain't improvin
I'm tryin to murder everythin movin, Feel Me
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
Stead of treated, we get tricked
Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the Hard Knock Life
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
Stead of treated, we get tricked
Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the Hard Knock Life
I don't know how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toes
Got a lot of beef so logically I prey on my foes
Hustlin still inside of me and as far as progress
You be hard-pressed to find another rapper hot as me
I gave you prophecy on my first joint, and ya'll lamed out
Didn't really appreciate it til the second one came out
So I stretched the game out, X'ed your name out
Put Jigga on top, and drop albums non-stop for ya nigga
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
Stead of treated, we get tricked
Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the Hard Knock Life
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
It's the Hard Knock Life for us
Stead of treated, we get tricked
Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the Hard Knock Life
It's the Hard Knock Life
It's the Hard Knock Life
Questions for Discussion:
1) What is the song saying about Jay-Z’s life?
Give Examples.
2) What type of rhyming scheme does he use?
Be a Modern Day Griot – Creating your own Rap
Your TASK
You will be a modern day Griot and will
create a rap/poem about your own
history and who you are. You can
discuss any number of things: Your
childhood, your family, your education,
challenges you have faced,
accomplishments you may have
achieved, and/or information about
people and events that influenced and
affected your life. You will be
required to submit your work in
written format and will have to
perform/recite it in front of the rest
of the class. If you have access to
the proper technology, feel free to
record your rap with any
accompanying music or beats to
enhance your presentation.
Keep in mind that your “Rap” is really a
poem and does not necessarily have to
rhyme, however it should contain verses
or stanzas to break up ideas and a chorus that is repeated. If you choose to make
your Rap rhyme, here are some simple hints that might help you in the
development of your lyrics. Typically, rap is written in couplets – that is lines 1 and
lines 2 should rhyme with one another; lines 3 and 4 should rhyme with another
BUT not with lines 1 and 2. This pattern is repeated throughout the rap.
Example:
Consider this verse from L.L. Cool J’s “Boomin System”
You know it's funky, funky, funky cos you heard it from hear-say
A jam that you love that don't be gettin no airplay
Strictly for frontin when you're ridin around
12 o'clock at night with your windows down
Headlights breakin cos your batteries drain
Armor all on your tires and a big gold chain
Parkin outside of all the hip-hop spots
Push the E-Q and play connect the dots
Leanin to the side, people everywhere
The trunk full of amps, there ain't no room for a spare
Big beats bumpin with the bass in back
All the sophisticated suckers catch a heart attack
Cos they don't understand why I act this way
Pumpin up the funky beat until the break of day
It's because I want attention when i'm ridin by
And the girls be on my jock cos my system's fly
IDC 3O1 – African Canadian History: Modern Day Griot Rap Rubric
Name: ________________________________________________________________
CRITERIA
KNOWLEDGE
.
LEVEL
“0”
DID NOT
REACH
LEVEL
THINKING
DID NOT
REACH
LEVEL
APPLICATION
DID NOT
REACH
LEVEL
COMMUNICATION
DID NOT
REACH
LEVEL
LEVEL 1
5 - 5.5
LEVEL 2
6 - 6.5
LEVEL 3
7 - 7.5
LEVEL 4
8 - 10
The content of
this rap does
not relate to
the topic. The
focus is not
clear, ideas
are not
connected
and do not
develop.
Detail is
not present,
or is not
effective. The
audience is
rarely
engaged in
this rap.
Little use of
literary
devices.
There is no
evidence of
imagery in the
rap. No
evidence of
understanding
of imagery.
The content of
this rap relates
to the
topic only
minimally. The
focus is
not clear and
ideas are
not well
developed.
Detail is not
always
relevant. The
audience is
only partially
engaged.
The content of
this rap
relates to the
topic well.
Ideas are
focused and
clear to
the audience.
Sufficient
content
is included.
This rap
engages the
audience.
The content of
this rap is
clearly related
to the topic.
Ideas are
very well
focused and
detail is
powerful.
This rap
engages
the audience
immediately and
continuously.
Some use of
literary
devices.
There is
evidence of
imagery in the
rap but
randomly
applied, thus
indicating a
lack of clear
understanding.
Literary
devices are
used. The
imagery is
applied to
standard
words or
phrases, but it
is not very
vivid.
This writing
shows no
evidence of
planning and
crafting. Steps
are either
incomplete or
have not been
attempted.
This writing
shows
some signs of
planning and
crafting, but
only with
limited
success. Steps
are
incomplete.
There is little
or no
evidence of
the writer in
this rap. The
writer has
difficulty
understanding
the genre of
rap. Poetic
devices and
language are
not attempted.
Many errors
are evident
This writer is
struggling with
the
concept of
voice, but
attempts
originality.
Vocabulary is
limited. Poetic
devices and
language are
attempted.
Some errors
are evident.
This writing
shows
evidence
of planning
and crafting.
All steps have
been
attempted,
but some
have not
been
completed
successfully.
The writer's
voice is
emerging and
evident.
Vocabulary
is original.
Poetic devices
and language
are used for
effect. Only
minimal
errors are
evident.
Literary
devices are
used with
great effect.
The imagery
is so vivid that
it paints a
picture with
words, thus
indicating a
clear
understanding
of imagery.
This writing
shows clear
evidence of
planning and
crafting. All
steps outlined
in the
instructions
have been
followed
carefully.
The writer's
voice is
clearly
apparent in
this rap.
Strong
vocabulary
has been
chosen with
care. Poetic
devices and
language are
used with flair
.No errors
are evident
MARK