Julie

Bortoff
Bryan Crutchfield
Discourse Community Essay



Rhythm And Poetry

Music is an escape from reality used by people all over the world. There are

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Comment [1]: Good title, although it should
include something about the main idea which is
discourse community. It could be a subtitle?

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many different genres of music today including but not limited to country, rock,

Deleted: of

alternative, Christian, hip-hop, R&B, metal, and so on. What type of music you listen

Comment [2]: Wordy:

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/gr
ammar/wordiness-and-idioms

to can depend on your mood, experiences, and preferences. Peoples likes and

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dislikes of certain genres can say a lot about them. Rap music is one of our favorite

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Comment [3]: Avoid 2nd person:

http://english.tjc.edu/jbru/grammar/second.htm

genres because of the lyrics, beats, and skills. A surprisingly little known fact is that
rap is actually an acronym for Rhythm And Poetry, a solid way to describe the

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Comment [4]: I didnt know that. J

genre.
Many people say that all rap music sounds the same, but the members of the
discourse community would disagree. Just like any other genre of music, rappers
show their skills by using clever wordplay and being aware of popular trends that
fans will relate to. What people outside the discourse most likely see in mainstream
rap music is that it can be less emotional and more based on experiences. In order to
understand this point, observe this comparison; Country music will tell a romantic
or heartfelt story over the melodic strums of a guitar, while rap music loudly boasts
partying, making money, and being rebellious to authority. Its most likely this lets
have a good time vibe about rap music that draws in members of the discourse. Of
course, this is just a generalization. Members of the discourse community know that

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Comment [5]: Avoid using quotation marks for
emphasis.

Julie Bortoff
Bryan Crutchfield
Discourse Community Essay

this isnt really the whole story. In the eyes of fans, the most relatable rap songs tell
stories of personal struggles and sacrifice.
A vast majority of rap musicians are black. This means that in order to fully
appreciate rap music, there has to be at least a basic understanding of African-
American culture. The best way to explain this is to point out the interesting
vocabulary used in rap music. Synonyms for money include seemingly unfitting
words such as paper and bread. Words like swag and twerk were also popularized
by rap music. The exclusive language used by rappers is also a reason to appreciate
the genre. The acknowledgement of successful rappers that arent black is

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Comment [6]: wordy

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Comment [7]: Quotation marks arent needed
here.

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Comment [8]: Your discussion of the
terminology seems very limited.

completely necessary. Eminem, a white rapper, was one of the best selling artists in
the world in the early 2000s. Mac Miller, Macklemore and Iggy Azalea are two other
examples of up and coming rappers that arent black. The point of mentioning these
rappers isnt to make any type of comparison, but rather to dispel the notion that
rap music is made for and by black people. That may have been the case at some
point, but in modern society, not really.
Despite what the general public may think, rap music is very diverse. Within
the genre there are different types of artists. Some have an abrasive and obnoxious
attitude, while others tell introspective and emotional stories. For this reason, rap
music has many listeners. Fans divide and follow the rappers that tell stories that
they can relate to. People from the streets may have an appreciation for street music
(which is usually about selling various types of drugs). The similarity in all street
music is the fast tempo and emphasis on bass. Rap music is very unique because of

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Comment [9]: This is off topic in this
paragraph. It may fit in the next paragraph.

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Comment [10]: http://www.quickanddirtytips.
com/education/grammar/misusing-
%E2%80%9Cso%E2%80%9D-and-
%E2%80%9Cvery%E2%80%9D

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Comment [11]: Look at #3:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/com
mas.htm

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Deleted: will

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Comment [12]: Unique means one of a kind, so
something cannot be very unique.

Julie Bortoff
Bryan Crutchfield
Discourse Community Essay

the lyrics of the songs. The tempo of rap music is generally faster than most genres;
therefore there are a lot of lyrics squeezed into a two-minute song on the radio.
While listening to rap music, you will hear rhyming schemes that are very clever. A
lot of rappers write their own music while some use songwriters to help. Rappers
also band together to preform concerts for their fans, just like most artists of other
genres. Drake and Lil Wayne, two highly successful and popular rappers, go on tour
together and turn their performance into a competition where the crowd votes on a
winner in the end. This allows the fans to get involved with the performers and get
more into the concert.

Rap music is a very unique genre of music that has evolved enormously in

the past decade and continues to grow every day. Being part of the rap discourse

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Comment [13]: This seems off topic in this
paragraph.

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Formatted: Highlight

community allows people to learn more about rap artists, further educate fans on
rap artists lives, and meet other people who share similar interests. Rap music is
upbeat and lightens the mood of the listening environment. The beats, lyrics, and

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tempo of rap music make it one of a kind.

Deleted: very

Comment [14]: You did not discuss all of these.

http://eng1020jankensfall2012.wordpress.com/
2012/09/05/swales-6-characteristics-of-
discourse-communities/ If you need more
description, look at the extended list on Moodle.

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