Rap
说唱乐

More than a century before rap exploded onto the American music scene, West African musicians were telling stories rhythmically, with just the beat of a drum for accompaniment. Meanwhile, folk artists from the Caribbean Islands were also telling stories in rhyme. Indeed, these singing poets from Africa and the Caribbean lay the foundation for modern-day American rap music. Rapping essentially involves the speaking or chanting of rhyming lyrics, often set to a beat. The rhyming created by rappers is considered by many to be one of the most sophisticated styles of poetry. What's more, these rhymes often address provocative subjects such as sex, violence and socio-political issues.
在说唱乐兴盛于美国音乐界的100多年前，西非音乐家就可以仅靠鼓的敲击，有节奏地讲述故事。同时，加勒比群岛的民间艺术家也在讲述着有韵律的故事。的确，这些非洲和加勒比的歌唱诗人为美国现代说唱乐的发展打下了基础。从根本上讲，说唱常常按照一种节拍说出或者唱出押韵的歌词。很多人认为说唱艺人创作的音律是诗歌形式中最复杂的一种。此外，这些韵律的主题往往是煽动性的，比如性、暴力和社会政治问题。

Rapping first gained popularity in the U.S. in the 1970s as a kind of street art, especially among African American teenagers. But it wasn't until 1979, when the Sugarhill Gang released their breakaway hit, Rapper's Delight , that record producers took notice of this emerging musical genre. By the 1990s, rap matured from an old-school-style — which was based on relatively simple lyrics — to a new-school-style, which was louder and included more complex lyrics. Artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg and Tupac ruled the charts during this time, as did Eminem — one of the most popular white rappers of all time. Rap has stood the test of time and its popularity rages on.
20世纪70年代，说唱乐作为一种街头艺术开始在美国流行起来，尤其是在非洲裔美国青少年中。但直到1979年糖山帮乐队发行了他们的成名曲《说唱者的喜悦》，唱片制作商才注意到这种新型的音乐。到了20世纪90年代，说唱乐发展逐渐成熟，从歌词简单的旧式风格转变成新型风格，该风格更加响亮，且融合了更为复杂的歌词。这一时期的排行榜主要由声名狼藉先生、史诺普·道格和图派克等主导，还有埃米纳姆，他一直是最受欢迎的白人说唱艺人之一。说唱乐经历了时间的考验，今天依然风靡世界。