"I would tend to think that it'll become a folk song only & if the folk community takes it to heart & includes it in it's repatoire."

That might be the heart of the problem. There are DIFFERENT folk communities, not just one. It is not something that this group of Mudcatters needs to embrace in order for it to be folk music - nor is it something that you or I need sing for it to be folk. The fact is, there is a community that takes this music to heart and it is part of their repatoire - and not in a staged fashion that we recognize as part of our own "folk community".   You do not need to have a song circle of rap singers at a festival in order for the music to be folk music. It has gone through its own "folk process", yet it is not one that has made the music traditional in the sense that we think of "Barbara Allen" or such songs.

Barry, when you say that you have "experienced Rap's acceptance in it's community" - you are noting the folk process that rap has gone through. It is not a "process" in the traditional sense, but it is a process that grew out of a community - not a single person changing a style.


Also, let's not confuse "folk song" and "folk music". They are two different terms and describe different items - they are not interchangeable.