I think Frank is right, though, in spite of my agreement with Mooh also about many rappers and the tradition of violence.

I do think that tradition (rapping) has fairly genteel beginnings, though, in spite of what it has let itself become. Its roots are as folk as calypso and mento and Carribean toasting, as well as the examples Frank mentioned. Like most all genres it's probably about 95% horrific and 5% good to great. I think folkies (and I'm one, though I do try to keep an open mind) don't much like it because so much of it has essentially dispensed with melody and is considerably more vulgar than we're used to. I like melody, and while I like some minor vulgarity, I prefer it in small doses and not sexist.

That 5%, though, has (wait for it, wait for it) gotten a bad rap, by association. But look, there are probably 100 Avril Langnappe or whatever her name is for every Sheryl Crow, and that doesn't make all rock music bad; and the Serendipity Singer types were a lot more popular than the Leadbellies and the Guthries, and that doesn't make all so-called folk music bad.

Okay, I'm babbling, so I'll stop now.