Centuries old practice? Bet you all didn't know this!?

Question

Rap/ hip hop may seem like a new music phenomenon but it is not. It started in West Africa centuries ago, in the regions of Togo and Benin. In these regions, there is a tribe of people where the men look very young and EVERY LAST WOMAN looks really old (like over 80 yrs old, and to show wrinkles on dark skin is very hard to do) But anyway, the women look so old because at the age of 13 they are sold into concubinage, start having kids, and build the homes, gather the food, and raise the children. The man does absolutely NOTHING. The men lie around and eat, talk, and play music. And the women do all the work.
In my opinion, this is a tradition that has been carried over from Togo and Benin.

During the Transatlantic slave trade, many of the people who were sold came from Togo and Benin. These people populated the U.S. Slaves also came from Nigeria. But they were sent to Brazil, Europe, and other places. Nigerians typically do not like Rap, and the descendants of Nigerians in other countries ALL OVER THE WORLD do not like the message or beat of rap or hip hop music. Neither do other people from other African nations.
But many people of Togolese and Benin descent do. That is why Rap is only popular in the U.S.A. It is not just a modern day cultural phenomenon. It is a passed on, generational thing.
If you don't believe me ask any person from Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, or Somalia (or anywhere else) and see if they dislike rap. 9 times out of 9, they will say that they hate it.

They usually prefer Ethiopian influenced music such as Old Gospel music (it sounds like "Man of Constant Sorrow" from O Brother Where art thou.), blues, jazz, or something with wind , percussions and string instruments (like harps, violins, or pianos). That is the kind of music most Africans who are not from Togo and Benin like.

Rap and hip hop have spread from Togo and Benin, much like Voodoo and Hoodoo.

My question is, how many of you all new that Rap music/ Hip hop was not a new style of music????

I am not saying that I like rap. Because I do not. All I am saying is that this is a tribal cultural practice that was brought along and passed down for many centuries. There are many people who are of African descent that don't like rap, because they are not from Togo and Benin. And there are many people who are of Euro and Asian, and Native American descent who dislike it is well.
And there are people from many groups that like the message.

All this aside. Did you know that the violence in rap music reflects ancient song rituals that were used during war times to dehumanize, and belittle the enemy tribes before battle???

I can see that many posters do not know what they are talking about. Before you call someone racist, FIRST do your research and ACTUALLY go to Togo and Benin. Talk to the people, talk to anthropologists, and then admit that you all ARE WRONG.

Answer 1

It is a sad day when we have BET and RAP, as something to be proud of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

Answer 2

Rap was started in Ancient Greece, where people would do long epic poems set to music, in an iambic hexameter meter. The Odyssey, if performed traditionally, is rap. The tradition is thousands of years old.

Occasionally, you'll still find people having throwdowns old school Ancient Greek style.

No kidding.

Rap was NOT invented in Africa. It probably wasn't even invented in Greece. I don't know where the first rappers came from...but it's a much more widespread phenomenon than just among Africans, or Americans, or whoever.

Oh, and BTW--my IQ is well over 130 and I like rap. I also like Ancient Greek.

Answer 3

I guess you are an expert on all things African since you went to Togo and Benin. The fact is that even in Ethiopia (which is where I'm from), there is a form of rap that is used in little clubs to whine about politics or use rhymes and poetry to talk about things that are forbidden to discuss.
There are traces of it in South Africa too. The style of rapping is in fact a BLACK thing, post or pre-slavery.
Also Ethiopian music isn't remotely gospel like. It has a very peculiar sound that is influenced by Arab and Indian musical styles.
African music is so diverse from corner to corner...I doubt any ONE person could define it like you tried to do.

*nobody is accusing of anything except ignorance. Demeaning war songs are the norm in every community in the world. Get real and don't let your 2 bits make you feel like you know everything. You have a ways to go kiddo!

Answer 4

I knew that it had to come from someplace, and that it probably did have such an extensive background, but I did not know where it originated from. That is very cool! I didn't use to like rap, because I thought it was just random words, and because it rarely had an auditable tune, so in some ways, I use to think that rap was not music at all. But now that it comes down to it, I realize that rap is very cultural, and that music can not be defined by one opinion only, but by many. Give it up for rap; I think I've changed my mind. Thanks for the info.

Answer 5

I do not believe that there is a church or religion that is the better than the other. I believe the bible and that it is the word that holds the truth. The bible is not a religion but it represents the truth that the creations of this earth should walk in if they chose to believe it. Catholicism is just but one of the other parts of the body of Christ. All the churches that believe in Jesus Christ should be functioning together as one. Each one has a purpose to fulfill to this body, more like all body parts should function together to make the body operate normally. If one part is not functioning properly or fighting the other it beats the unity of one body. When we see the shortfall of the other part of the body of Christ we aught to pray for them for God to bring them restoration and to proper functionality. There are five fold ministerial gifts that the body of Christ should be functioning in order to grow and build good relationships, but we are busy looking at the wrong that the others are doing instead of helping with the gift's that we have.

Answer 6

Wow what a freaking stretch. I'm so sick of people trying to validate rap and hip hop as a form of music. It's crap. The only people that listen to rap are 12 year old white kids and the stupid. I have never known anyone with an IQ over 130 that listened to rap. Rap is for the ignorant and the childish.

Answer 7

Thank-you that was very informative.
I have been telling people a similar, less informative vesion of this for some time now.

Answer 8

you're full of crap. that's a stretch. I don't buy it. How do you explain white people who like rap? you're argument is racist waste.

Answer 9

All cultures have told stories to song for millenium.
They didn't always have BET you know?

Answer 10

This is getting out of control.