The Musical Artistry of Rap by Martin E. Connor

For years Rap artists have met with mixed reception–acclaimed by fans yet largely overlooked by scholars. Focusing on 135 tracks from 56 artists, this survey appraises the artistry of the genre with updates to the traditional methods and measures of musicology.

Rap synthesizes rhythmic vocals with complex beats, intonational systems, song structures, orchestration and instrumentalism. The author advances a rethinking of musical notation and challenges the conventional understanding of Rap through analysis of such artists as Eminem, Kanye West and Jean Grae.

Martin E. Connor is a leading musicological expert and journalist on rap music who has contributed interviews, research materials, voiceovers, and articles to Harvard University, the University of Colorado, and has written for HipHopDX, Complex, The Source and BET. He lives in Waltham, Massachusetts.