The Art of Rap London Premiere Q&A session with the audience
UK premiere of Something from Nothing The Art of Rap at Hammersmith Apollomith Apollo. Watch Ice T along side Chuck D, Melle Mel and Raekwon answer questions which took place after the screening.
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The source of Rap as the world knows it.
I’m going to assume at this point that you are aware that in prison singer, composers, musician of all stripes can be found there. Around 1980 I started singing whatever song had the message I wanted to convey, I rapped and sang from the Bible every day, right after lunch. The whole block, with about 80 souls, would remain quiet until my show came to an end. Luther Vandross somehow stole My rendition of a “A House Is Not A Home” It was a song made famous by a women, the first time I heard it was in the late 60′s, I created the rendition Luther stole. I sang it in prison after lunch many a day.
Now here comes the reason for this writing. Prior to going to prison, Green Haven Correctional facility in New York in 1976, I had never heard Hip-Hop or what today is known as Rap of any kind. However, in 1980 I kept hearing what to me was some lame #%@&. Some guys would blast this song by Blondie called Rapture. It got to the point in my mind something relevant and significant had to be Rapped about, and the first chance I got , I went rapped for the whole hour after lunch (never heard hip-hop or Rap prior to this) Rapping about that ain’t Rap, this is Rap. Rapping about She’s talking about purple cars and monsters being from mars, at least that what I thought I was hearing. I told them though my Rapping that Rap should be about politics, pimping, injustice , hard time, doing time, the system, and not to listen to that lame Shit. That was the first and last time I’ve rapped or sang. Oh! I also gave them the rhythm or cadence.
From 1976 up until 1980 I saw a prison talent shows with prisoners performing or outside pros at least once a year. After I put on my show; low and behold I saw and heard a prison group Rapping for the first time, about the prison, the warden, ups and downs, life in general and what they were going through, etc., etc., My job and and purpose was manifested!
Now you know, Who, What, When and How, Rap as it’s Rapped and heard, came into being.
When I got of prison in 1984 after receiving clemency, and a student at Pace University, a fellow prisoner named Rondu sought me out. Reason being, he had a rap group and he wanted me to hear their recording. We had never talked about Rap prior to this meeting. He was excited because this was slow Rapping, which he claim was going to be the next big thing. However, my head was somewhere else, plus I was still pissed off a Luther for recording my Rendition of A “House Is Not A home” which I was planning on recording since the late 60′s, so I didn’t get on board….the rest is history!