John Mcwhorter

John McWhorter’s essay “Americans Have Never Loved Rap More - But They Call It Rap,” rejects to notion rampant in writer’s circle’s that ordinary Americans are uncultured and have no appreciation for poetry. They do, just in the form of rap. McWhorter’s essay serves to prove the notion that spoken poetry (such as rap) is no less valid than the traditional volumes of Robert Frost, and such be respected as such.

A reason for this, McWhorter argues, is that lots of works even the most prestigious writers consider great are meant to be spoken. Beowulf, the first epic “was composed for the ear, with careful alliterations within each line.” (McWhorter 27) He recounts the work of another oral poet, Somalian, whose poetry, “…written down only as an afterthought by outside observers, has such intricate rules that to us it seems more like a puzzle than art.” (28) These examples make it clear that, “spoken is not broken.” (29)
“Partly because of it’s orality and partly because it is so relentlessly of our times, rap tends to be profane,” but according to McWhorter, even if one doesn’t like profane or ‘messy’ poetry, that doesn’t mean it isn’t art. (22) This kind of poety, however profane, is simply what young Americans today have grown up with.

The author’s final plea for the acceptance of rap as true poetry is to clear the misconception to all rap music revolves around stereotypically “gansta” lyrics, violence, and misogyny. The “gangsta” style is just one niche of music, “and less dominant than it once was. Rap, considered as a literature rather than it’s top selling hits, addresses a wide range of topics, even including science fiction.” (20) McWhorter mentions Jay Z, whose “magesterial volume of this lyrics” proves that rap can have an intelligent, meaningful message.