I recently re-watched the 2012 documentary Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap. Though far from a comprehensive and critical examination of rap, it’s nevertheless an intriguing and enjoyable overview of the major hip hop artists and their reflections on their craft.
Near the beginning of the film, Ice‑T opines:
Rap has introduced poetry to a whole new generation. We’ve crossed color lines and changed lives. It just seems wrong to me that we still don’t get the respect like jazz, blues or other musical art forms.
He goes on to ask several rappers why rap doesn’t get the full respect of jazz and blues.
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