Knowledge they say reigns supreme over nearly everyone and ofcourse its been said that ‘Ignorance is Bliss’. I’m all misty-eyed as I scribble this down ‘cos if in 2012 some ‘so-called Hip-Hop heads’ still can’t highlight the differences between a rapper and a conscious MC then the world might just come to an end this year.
In recent times, ignorant people and even the ‘so-called heads’ chose to follow wikipedia forgetting the fact that Hip-Hop goes wayback before wikipedia ever existed. Wikipedia highlights all rappers as been MC’s which I say is very wrong and I stand to be corrected.
Dead Prez once said the difference between a rapper and an MC is that of a street fighter (Rapper) to a skilled Martial artist (MC). Its so clear what’s gonna happen if a street fighter dares to compete with a skilled martial artist.
Real heads have passed the message across over a million and one times about the differences between Rappers and conscious MC’s. I’m about to shed more light on this issue.
Let’s begin! Who is a Rapper? Who is an MC?
A rapper is someone who does rap music and creates an image that will sell, he does commercial hits and in most cases he does bad music that influences teenagers in a bad way.
Rappers mostly rhyme about ‘Sex, Drugs, Crime and Violence’ in their music. They don’t apply consciousness to their songs like MC’s would. Rappers could go on and on about the ‘bitches’ they fucking, cokes they smuggling, cars and jewels they acquired and in most cases its all lies. They just bragging.
Rappers seem to neglect the happenings in the country and the inner city most times ‘cos of the above points and for ‘commercial purposes’. In one out of sixty songs rappers fall back to address real issues unlike conscious MC’s who address issues happening in the city at all times.
In “Global Hip-Hop” the likes of 2chainz, Gucci Mane, Pitbull, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Nelly, Rick Ross e.t.c are perfect examples of who rappers are.
NOTE:
(1) No one ever said ‘All Rappers’ are WACK.
(2) Rappers don’t need skills to blow.
(3) Mad punchlines and out-of-this-world metaphors doesn’t automatically make a rapper an MC.
(4) Rappers don’t care about content, they care about record sales.
An MC is someone who raps to inspire people with well-written, clear and conscice lyrics.
In Hip-Hop, MC stands for “Move the Crowd”, “Minister to Child”, “Master Of Ceremony” etc. An MC is a cultural spokesperson, an MC got knowledge and shares that knowledge with the masses, he always speaks truth and he elevates minds. An MC knows himself so well just like he knows his inner city and what’s more? A conscious MC never neglects the happenings around him. An MC is the true essence of Hip-Hop.
“Coke La Rock” is often been credited as the first MC in Hip-Hop so is “GrandMaster Melle Mel” who brought a new dimension with his style and delivery and was also the first rapper to call himself an ‘MC’.
Oh yea, Rappers move crowd too no doubt but definitely not like “The MC” moreso, do rappers influence kids the right way with all that gun talk, drug talk? NO. Conscious MC’s would never promote sex, drugs and violence.
Its way too easy for an MC to switch styles to become a rapper for ‘commercial purposes’ but a rapper to an MC takes years of practice, dedication and lots of sacrifice. In other words a conscious MC superceedes a rapper in all criteria.
Gangsta Rapper “Ice-T” said in an interview “MC’s move the crowd with ease, they have a unique style but Rappers keep rhyming about how great MC’s are. They hardly got a subject matter, they just rap”
Furthermore, An MC doesn’t need a beat to move the crowd neither does he need a hit song everyone knows, An MC can rock a show with just freestyles. MCs are spontaneous, they don’t just perform their rehearsed set without giving something extra to the crowd. The strength of an MC is his rhymes, even without a “dance-able” beat from “Swizz Beatz” or “Don Jazzy”; a true MC can still make the ladies move their ass with ill flows over a mid-tempo beat from “9th Wonder” or “Stormatique”.
Examples of some notable MCs dead or alive are KRS-One, Nas, Dead Prez, Rakim, Immortal Technique, Wu-tang Clan, Common, Talib Kweli, Melle Mel, Jeru D Damaja, Str8buttah, Modenine e.t.c.
NOTE:
(1) Anyone can start rapping within two-three days but Emceeing takes years of practice.
(2) MC’s are not flamboyant, they come plain.
(3) MC’s could battle if they wanted to.
(4) MC’s move crowds with ease, its in there DNA.
(5) MC’s know how to freestyle.
Conclusively, we should not let the media, the popularity of the bling bling faze or the word ‘Rap’ fool us. There’s a huge difference between ‘Rappers’ and ‘conscious MCs’.
I’ll be back next time to shed more light on the darkness around us. Stay positive and stay out of trouble.
A big shoutout goes to MC Magic Man for his contribution to this piece.
For questions on this article email me – mcskillthapreacha@gmail.com OR hola on twitter – @McThaPreacha
Copyright © 2012 Olawale “MCskill ThaPreacha” Aremo