BS: Rapping The Classics

Subject: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jan 09 - 10:18 PM

My brother the actor these days supplies his wants by substitute teaching. I spoke with him the other day and he told me he got to sub teach Theater -- wherein lies his BFA, not to mention 300+ plays he's acted in.

He got the students excited when he told them he could rap Macbeth -- and did. His point was that Shakespeare, like rap, has a rhythm and all you have to do is find that rhythm.

And he's right.

I rapped some of the "Sporus" section of Pope's "Epistle to Arbuthnot" while we were on the phone. I just checked Pope's "Ode to Solitude", the open to the "Rape of the Lock," and a couple others -- iambic pentameter (or maybe Pope) is simple to rap.

Ditto for "Hamlet". Try the "What a piece of work is man" bit.

Problem is, now these have become mind worms....

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Jan 09 - 08:46 PM

Refresh.

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jan 09 - 11:26 PM

Oh, well. As you like it.

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: frogprince
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 01:39 PM

much ado about nothing...

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: Alice
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 01:41 PM

cool

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: Lighter
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 02:25 PM

But when you rap "Macbeth," is it measure for measure?

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 03:48 PM

One of the first Medieval Society Creative Anacronists events I attended had a kilted red bearded middleaged fellow rapping the prologue of the Canturbury Tales in middle English. He described it as what it might sound like if Snoop Dog met William Chaucer. We were rolling off the benches.

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 03:53 PM

Rapping Macbeth is just as you like it; if it doesn't go over with the audience then love's labor's lost.

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: open mike
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:14 PM

see also (rap also) http://dmdb.org/lyrics/shakespeare.rap.html
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3656/

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jan 09 - 12:00 PM

I would like to have seen that, VTam!

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: GUEST,Elfcall
Date: 14 Jan 09 - 03:19 AM

Rap

I hope he was rapping the 'scottish play' otherwise......

Elfcall

Subject: RE: BS: Rapping The Classics
From: Will Fly
Date: 14 Jan 09 - 04:11 AM

Slightly off-topic, there's wonderful summary of Hamlet in a Scottish accnt - the whole play - in Oor Hamlet. It's usually sung to the tune "The Mason's Apron" - sort of a Scottish rap...