Hip Hop Song Steps

Many believe that hip hop is the birth of jazz. Professor Sanchez states that hip hop closely relates to jazz by following a three-step process of experience oriented poetry, “(1) Acknowledging the burden; (2) bearing witness; (3) Finding redemption” (Sanchez 5). A notorious hip-hop song from the 1980’s which incorporates the three-step process associated with jazz is “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash. The song “The Message” speaks of the burdens of living in a crime ridden urban America, the numerous experiences he witnesses, and looks to God for redemption, therefore, this song closely relates to the three step processes of Jazz. Grandmaster Flash’s beginning hook alone encompasses much of the three-steps, “It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I keep from goin’ under” (Flash 1). Flash finds himself questioning how he’s able to survive in the jungles that are his everyday environment. This opening line perfectly states much of the steps and with others to follow, is a perfect example of the three-step process of jazz.
Throughout “The Message”, Grandmaster Flash speaks of the many burdens one faces growing up in an inner-city environment. Growing up in the ghetto with a mediocre quality of life forces people to admire those
Grandmaster Flash states, “A child is born with no state of mind blind to the ways of mankind, God is smiling on you, but he's frowning too, because only God knows what you'll go through” (Flash 5). This is one of Grandmaster Flash’s most profound lyrics in his song because it tells of how the world is blind to the burdens of growing up in urban America. Although the world may be oblivious to what one will witness that life, God always will know. With Grandmaster Flash seeking atonement from God in the closing lines of his song, “The Message” closely relates to the third step of the process of