In England, a rant poet like Nic Toczek used to perform in folk clubs. And damn good he was too.

His words always seemed more urbane than most rappers you hear nowadays. In fact several of the punk bands used to have rant poets like Nic and Seething Wells as support acts.

I think it was a worthy contribution to the tradition of English folksong, and in time because it was there and people heard it - it will flower again. Its there in the common tongue.

I'm not sure about 'rap' as we know it. It seems very bound up with the new music technology. And that in a way provides the context, rather in the way that classical music provides its own context - neither of which 'feel' like folk to me.