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My Love for Hip-Hop
"When I was thirteen years old I was very much in love with music, but the type of music I liked the most was hip-hop."
By Oliver Rodriguez
I remember my first rap. I wrote it in my bedroom and recited it the next day in my English class. I was in the 8th grade at the time and that’s where it all began.
When I was thirteen years old I was very much in love with music, but the type of music I liked the most was hip-hop. My love for hip-hop inspired me to become an MC. In my earlier days, I listened to gangster rap, but today I mainly listen to a more conscious type of hip-hop. Rapping has helped me gain new friends, knowledge, and respect. I feel that writing lyrics is a great to express your feelings, that’s why I do it.
A couple of my favorite artists were Kurupt, Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs N’ Harmony, and the Wu-Tang Clan, which greatly influenced the way I rapped and the subjects I discussed. But as I grew up, my taste changed. I started listening to artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Common, which caused my style to change to a more positive message.
I remember in my first battle, in the 9th grade, I felt a great amount of pressure to perform in front of my peers. Though the battle was called a tie and neither of us won, I still gained respect from others. I have also made many friends through battles because we both gain mutual respect for one another. Nowadays, my friends and I just rap in the school garden.
I feel rapping is a great way to get your point across. It is a good way to channel your feelings whether it be frustration or happiness. I see rapping as an art and you just paint pictures with words. I enjoy rapping because my lyrics represent me as a person, and it is also a positive thing that brings people together.
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