Is Music Poetry

Is music poetry?

A musical selection that I also consider poetry is by Common, “I Used To Love H.E.R., and a musical selection that I do not also consider poetry is Soulja Boy, “Crank that Superman”.

I Common- I Used To Love H.E.R.

Verse 1: She was old school, when I was just a shorty Never knew throughout my life she would be there for me ont he regular, not a church girl she was secular Not about the money, no studs was mic checkin her But I respected her, she hit me in the heart A few New York niggaz, had did her in the park But she was there for me, and I was there for her Pull out a chair for her, turn on the air for her and just cool out, cool out and listen to her Sittin on a bone, wishin that I could do her Eventually if it was meant to be, then it would be because we related, physically and mentally And she was fun then, I'd be geeked when she'd come around Slim was fresh yo, when she was underground Original, pure untampered and down sister Boy I tell ya, I miss her

Verse Two: Now periodically I would see ol girl at the clubs, and at the house parties She didn't have a body but she started gettin thick quick DId a couple of videos and became afrocentric Out goes the weave, in goes the braids beads medallions She was on that tip about, stoppin the violence About my people she was teachin me By not preachin to me but speakin to me in a method that was leisurely, so easily I approached She dug my rap, that's how we got close But then she broke to the West coast, and that was cool Cause around the same time, I went away to school And I'm a man of expandin, so why should I stand in her way She probably get her money in L.A. And she did stud, she got big pub but what was foul She said that the pro-black, was goin out of style She said, afrocentricity, was of the past So she got into R&B hip-house bass and jazz Now black music is black music and it's all good I wasn't salty, she was with the boys in the hood Cause that was good for her, she was becomin well rounded I thought it was dope how she was on that freestyle shit Just havin fun, not worried about anyone And you could tell, by how her titties hung

Verse Three: I might've failed to mention that the shit was creative But once the man got you well he altered the native Told her if she got an energetic gimmick That she could make money, and she did it like a dummy Now I see her in commercials, she's universal She used to only swing it with the inner-city circle Now she be in the burbs lickin rock and dressin hip And on some dumb shit, when she comes to the city Talkin about poppin glocks servin rocks and hittin switches Now she's a gangsta rollin with gangsta bitches Always smokin blunts and gettin drunk Tellin me sad stories, now she only fucks with the funk Stressin how hardcore and real she is She was really the realest, before she got into showbiz I did her, not just to say that I did it But I'm committed, but so many niggaz hit it That she's just not the same lettin all these groupies do her I see niggaz slammin her, and takin her to the sewer But I'ma take her back hopin that the shit stop Cause who I'm talkin bout y'all is hip-hop


Soulja Boy “Crank that Superman”

Yoooouuuu! )Soulja boy I tell 'emHey I got a new dance fo you all called the soulja boy(Yoooouuuu! )You gotta punch then crank back three times from left to right(Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh yeeeeaaaah! )
[Chorus: x2]Soulja boy up in the holeWatch me crank itWatch me rollWatch me crank that soulja boyThen super man that hoeNow watch me you(Crank that soulja boy)Now watch me you(Crank that soulja boy)Now watch me you(Crank that soulja boy)Now watch me you(Crank that soulja boy)
[Verse 1:]Soulja boy off in this hoeWatch me lean and watch me rockSuper man that hoeThen watch me crank that RobocopSuper fresh, now watch me jockJocking on them haters manWhen I do that soulja boyI lean to the left and crank that thang(Now you)I'm jocking on your bitch assAnd if we get the fightingThen I'm cocking on your bitch assYou catch me at your local partyYes I crank it everydayHaters getting mad cause"I got me some bathing apes"
[Chorus x2]
[Verse 2:]I'm bouncing on my toeWatch me super soak that hoeI'm gonna pass it to ArabThen he's gonna pass it to don loc (loc)Haters wanna be meSoulja boy, I'm the manThey be looking at my neckSaying it's the rubber band man (man)Watch me do it (watch me do it)Dance (dance)Let get to it (let get to it)Nope, you can't do it like meHoe, so don't do it like meFolk, I see you tryna do it like meMan that shit was ugly
[Chorus x4]
[Hook:]Aim to clean off in this hoeWatch me crank itWatch me rollWatch me crank that RooseveltAnd super soak that Hoe [x10]
Aim to fresh up in this bitchWatch me shuffleWatch me jigWatch me crank my shoulder workSuper man that bitch [x6]

The song by Common is also considered a poem to me because when you read you are able to see many of the components that make up a poem in this song. For instance you see many metaphors and simile’s all throughout this song. The way this song is assembled you are able to understand it and read it as though it is a piece of poetry. There are also many lyrical consonance and rhymes occurring throughout. Although this is a song I look at it as poetry because when you read you can see his point of view and understand where he is coming from unlike to songs comings from other song artists.

The other song is considered a poem to me because it just absolutely makes no sense. No matter what form you try to read it in, it does not resembled any piece of poetry.

1) Is Rap/Hip-Hop music poetic expression? Why or Why not?
Ans. Yes, I do believe that Rap/Hip-Hop music is a poetic expression. Poetic expressions
have evolved throughout the years to include music and much more. Within the musical
lyrics you see many elements of poetry which would ultimately make it a poem. A poetic
expression allows you to express your point of view, your true deep feelings, and anything
that just comes to mind. No one ever said that you could not put the poem with a musical
background.

2) What literary characteristics does this music express?
Ans. The literary characteristics music express is different emotions, music must express
emotions and it must move the listener. Also another literary characteristic that music express
are simile’s, metaphors, and also even using personification. Using all of these literary terms
makes you piece of work a better read.

3) What type of critic are you? Explain why.
Ans. I am a social relevance critic. A social relevance critic is a person that feels that words in
poetry should have some social relevance to the times and adequately define the times. I believe
that I should be able to relate to the words in the poem/song in order to better grasp or uncover the true meaning behind the lyrics. If lyrics are dominated by emotion, Ifeel that they should tie in somehow to some social factor. When the lyrics of a song/poem relate to me I understand and get more of a personal feel of the write and their point of view.