Rap Music's Place In Prog

For those who want musicality (though they're not at all proggish) check out the superlative Roots, who eschew computers in favour of live instrumentation. Their drummer Questlove is a particular standout and they're about the only long standing rap act to never drop a suspect album- nine LPs in and no coasters and another one due later this year.

Have you guys ever listened to Gil Scott-Heron. He was a poet and sort of one of a kind in soul music (he played with a flautist), but he is also known as a pioneer for all the hip-hop movement. Just listen to this song out of his first album released in 1971 :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix6Kz-1ev-4

ExittheLemming wrote: From Hungary, a mix of Balkan folk instrumentation (cimbalom especially) eastern european gypsy music, rap vocals, rock beats (played by a real drummer - not sampled loops) politicised lyrics (a Noam Chomsky speech sample is used heavily) and not a single reference to hoes, my main maaan, bitchez or gangbangin' anywhere. Features a stunning cover of the Beatles Revolution in a skanking reggae style. One of the best albums I've heard in years. (and I really loathe most of the rap based music I've ever heard)

Check out also Haydamaky's 'Bohuslav' if you like the mix of eastern traditional culture and rock music.

lucas wrote: ExittheLemming wrote: From Hungary, a mix of Balkan folk instrumentation (cimbalom especially) eastern european gypsy music, rap vocals, rock beats (played by a real drummer - not sampled loops) politicised lyrics (a Noam Chomsky speech sample is used heavily) and not a single reference to hoes, my main maaan, bitchez or gangbangin' anywhere. Features a stunning cover of the Beatles Revolution in a skanking reggae style. One of the best albums I've heard in years. (and I really loathe most of the rap based music I've ever heard) Check out also Haydamaky's 'Bohuslav' if you like the mix of eastern traditional culture and rock music.

Will do (liked the clips I found on You Tube certainly) Thanks for the recommendation

There is no prog rap yet - if you think about fusion of 100% full-brown prog and rap.

However, if harpsichord/Mellotron-based song in 11/8 with rap lyrics on the top of it doesn't exist, it will. It's just a matter of time.

I know many people here won't agree with me, but I believe that Faith No More (one of the first bands to fuse rock and hip-hop) had more than a few progressive traits, especially on their album Angel Dust.

I just wanted to make sure we are all clear on one thing: When a vocalist doesn't sing the notes like a conventional melody, it could be deemed a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to state they're just rapping.
Although say, the Fall are NOT prog, their singer  vocalist Mark E. Smith can't/won't sing whatever vestige of melodic outline is suggested by the music - (but he doesn't sound remotely like a hip-hop artist.)

There are many examples in Prog where vocalists who can clearly sing brilliantly, choose to exploit techniques like 'talking on pitch' (e.g. Gabriel on The Battle of Epping Forest/Get Em Out By Friday and Arthur Brown on Fire Poem) plus Sprechstimme/Sprechgesang (which I think I can  hear in Demetrio Stratos and also Peter Hamill on occasion)

Such departures from traditional pitched narrative when used appropriately, can enhance the dramatic and emotional content of the music.

However, re the thread starter, perhaps it's the defining cyclic nature of dance music that prohibits Rap's development into Prog ?

Raff wrote: I know many people here won't agree with me, but I believe that Faith No More (one of the first bands to fuse rock and hip-hop) had more than a few progressive traits, especially on their album Angel Dust.

Add Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beastie Boys in the list of pioneers.

^

Well I mean at it's purist form, rap is just poetry. And whoever said you cannot put poetry to prog rock? If done right I'm sure it'd sound amazing