l that was needed was a desire and the will to practice. The art form also provided various opportunity for new challenges. There were no rules other than originality and the ability to rhyme to the beat of the music. Rap also allowed for the performer to project his or her individuality and personality. Staying with the African tradition of making music life, Rappers usually talked about their life and things they've seen growing up. Also, as rap progressed, a popular way of displaying lyrical talent was to "battle" another emcee. At the same time, there were break dance crews who challenged each other as well. These performances began the trend of block parties, or parties in the park, where all of the local youth would stay outside and watch the various emcees battle for hours. During these block parties, the music being used to make the break beats for rappers to rhyme over were older artists such as James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and the Last Poets. The music of these artists became the building blocks for today's rap, and the latest phenomenon of "sampling" old records. Rap as a musical from, as well as hip-hop as a culture continues to be popular among youth today for the same reasons it was in the past - it is still accessible to all, and allows for the free expression of the performer with the positive affirmation from his/her peers. Between jazz and hip-hop, there are many similarities. This is especially proven through the belief that hip-hop was indirectly created from or influenced by the scatting and improvisation of jazz. The truth is, improvisation is an intricate part of both musical forms. Also, both forms use their lyrics to express life and the world as it is seen by the artist. Jazz and hip-hop also share many of the same afrocentric characteristics, such as polyphony, rhythm, repetition, and call and response. Music, poetry, and dancing combined are also very common in both mediums. In jazz performances, th...
