RealTalkAJ

Today I’ll be answering what makes a rapper a MC.

What Makes a Rapper a MC?

An MC (or emcee) is someone that can move and control a crowd. It’s commonly associated with hip-hop culture and rap music in general. If you look at the history of what the term applied to, it was mainly used to separate a team that may have had a vocalist or DJ that supported the actual lyricist in the performance.

What Does Emcee Mean In Rap

The official term of “MC” stands for master of ceremonies.

What they’re expected to do in rap is to control the crowd and set the tone for the gathering.

It was first started off as a name given to the lyricists that were actually rapping in old school hip-hop but is still used today.

The name’s been used heavily when it was first emphasized in the 1970’s.

That’s actually a rap duo that I know personally.

They have a great example of a supporting vocalist in Case M.D. (on the left) and their emcee on the right, called Andante.

The emcee in the group (generally speaking) communicates the message and inspires the audience with their lyrics usually.

What Are The Four Elements Of Hip Hop Culture

In Hip Hop there’s traditionally DJ’s, emcees, artistry and dancing that makes it up as a whole.

DJ’s are the part of the act that supplies the beats and sounds that compliment the performance at hand.

They usually mix and master things that get coordinated on the sound portion of the event.

The Emcee again is traditionally the lyricist.

Everybody has a microphone, but the emcee is a big part of the act in giving the audience someone to focus on and listen to.

It’s unofficial to say, but they could be looked at as the “meat” of the ensemble and a big draw into what the fans are looking for.

Next is the artistry.

They have a big impact on the design aspect of the pillar.

The designer usually creates the look and feel of what compliments the brand strongly.

I personally feel as if they’re an underrated part of the reason that supporters like the artist so much.

They make the look cool enough to support.

Their demand is strong and seems to be reaching new levels in their creativity which makes being a part of it just as fun.

Lastly is the breakdancing part of what makes hip hop what it is.

Especially in this age of Tik Tok and movement based media, there’s been an unprecedented demand for music you can dance to.

Dancing has always been a part of hip hop (especially with house party music) but this section is arguably a make or break point.

People in general can appreciate a good song they can dance to, and if you have a song that has a dance to go with it, you’re golden.

If you’ve been following the direction rap’s been taking over the last decade or so, you’ll notice that most good songs have a specific dance to go with it.

Crank That, The Dougie, Milly Rock (the list goes on), there’s so many prolific dances that shaped many artists careers as a result.

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot of responsibility that goes into being an emcee.

That, as well as history which helps define what it is.

Who’s your favorite emcee?

Drop a comment below and share your opinion.