Chant is a living art. It has been around for centuries. Music has a pulse, a pace and a pattern. So do words. We are fond of words, for word is bond.
We are bonded together through our words. Linked to each other through our shared stories.
Everything that lives has a pulse, a pace and a pattern to be found.
When we rap and chant, we take our thumping heartbeat and the sound of our footsteps and breathe life into our visions by adding word. We speak our thoughts and pace our days by syncing our words to the rhythms of our heart. Word patterns. We follow the flow. We are the beat. And in chant and rap we learn to keep time with the times.
Gil Scott-Heron
RAP was present long before anyone associated it with a music genre. The word originally meant “to hit,” and in the 16th century it was interchangeable with “to say.” The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary gives a date of 1541 for the first recorded use of the word Rap with the meaning “to utter, (especially an oath) sharply, vigorously or suddenly.“ ~ source: Wikipedia
So, though we know RAP as a term used by the music industry, we have been rapping as a humanity for centuries. We are bonded through chants and raps, and this is why it is disheartening to see that RAP has gotten a "bad rap".
Nowadays, we think of rap as being violent and invasive. We find the lyrics often abusive and the words degrading. It is saddening, as the origins of rap was to protect groups of people from the dehumanization of their world. Raps and chants were created to empower, to heal and to build strong community.
Pulse - Pace - Patterns.
Rap enables the left brain to talk to the body and anchor new mindsets and restore health. It anchors belief systems into our bones and unites us as a society together. What are the values and visions that we deem important for our world?
Human rights. Wellness. Body - Mind - Spirit Connection.
Kindness. Compassion. Beauty. Unconditional Love.
"We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don't," says slam poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.
A steady current pulses through our veins. A steady breath that shoots roots through our brains. Words sprout, where we had doubt and truth begins to reveal itself, as we feel the real deal behind what we’re all about. As we embody the power of spoken word.
Kate Tempest
Spoken Poetry and Rap are both based on the same essence. Content flow and delivery. Pulse, pace and pattern. The difference is, Rap is performed in time with a beat. It can be performed with or without accompaniment, but there is always a clear strong rhythmical beat present and that beat revolves around 4/4.
Rap is sacred.
Rap is powerful.
Rap is having a message that you wish to communicate.
Rap is about passion and urgency.
Rap is healing and revealing.
If you know your body and your stories, you have a right to rap. If you possess a certain truth that you wish to share, then you too, can rap. We have been rapping and tapping as a humanity for centuries.
It should be used with care to enlighten and bear witness to our troubled lives. As everything that is spoken in rhythm and rhyme, Rap can shift the mind and change the times. It is a tool given to the foolish and the wise, to salve the wounds and open our eyes. Words rapped soak into our skin, heal ancient wounds and bring to light, the treasures within. The wisdom we seldom share, how we believe and how we care. We appreciate the messengers who carry us on. Who lift us up when we are beat, lying exhausted and tired in the street: We honor the songs that uplift us to continue on. In good faith. With hope in our eyes. In spoken word we recognize common ground.
Rap crosses borders. It is not only for the young, but also for the old. It is not only for the meek, but also the bold. The magic is this, even stroke victims, those that are language impaired and the disabled, people who are not able to understand plainly spoken word, they are still able to understand words that are expressed in rhythm and rhyme. This is the magic and power of chants and rap.
Why? because our brain processes speech that is expressed in rhythm and rhyme differently from regular speech.
Speaking in poetic rap while working, walking or dancing has been with us centuries. Everything is content flow and and the delivery of this flow into the heart and souls of our community.
Begin your own explorations with rap. Tap your hand in four beats accenting the first beat and continue to talk as you tap. See how easy it is to start tapping into your inner well of wisdom.
Here's to your continued success. Stay Gold!
May you have the courage to persevere and stay true to your inner voice and strongest vision.
Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it.
KARA JOHNSTAD IS KNOWN AS A VISIONARY, SINGER-SONGWRITER AND MENTOR TO VOICES CHANGING OUR WORLD Kara works with luminaries, healers, new thought leaders and creative conscious souls to realign their voice to their true calling. She gives them tools to raise their vibrational frequency and tap into an abundant field of creative energy. Kara's most downloaded songs are Message of Hope, Love Never Fails and Thank You. Passionate about transforming the world through voice, Kara is available for interviews, concerts, online sessions and training. Her monthly ezine goes out to 10.000 spirit driven souls and includes her Voice Your Essence Podcast. Join the community and experience how to align your body-mind-spirit system through voice. For free articles and teachings go to: www.karajohnstad.com
YouTube video: Kara Johnstad "Spirit Walk", words & music by Kara Johnstad
YouTube video: Clint Smith: "The danger of silence" by TED Talks / www.tedtalks.com
"Portrait of Kara Johnstad" by Jörg Grosse-Geldermann
All other photos by Kara Johnstad
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