Rap is usually delivered over a beat, typically provided by a DJ, turntablist, or beatboxer when performing live. Much less commonly a rapper can decide to perform a cappella, meaning without accompaniment of any sort. When a rap or hip-hop artist is creating a song, "track", or record, done primarily in a production studio, most frequently a producer provides the beat(s) for the MC to flow over. Stylistically, rap occupies a gray area between speech, prose, poetry, and singing. The word, which predates the musical form, originally meant "to lightly strike", and is now used to describe quick speech or repartee.Oxford English Dictionary The word has been used in the English language since the 16th century. In the 1960s the word became a slang term meaning "to converse" in African American vernacular, and very soon after that came to denote the musical style.Safire, William (1992), "On language; The rap on hip-hop", The New York Times Magazine. The word "rap" is so closely associated with hip-hop music that many writers use the terms interchangeably.
rap is usually delivered over a beat typically provided by a dj turntablist or beatboxer when performing live much less commonly a rapper can decide to perform a cappella meaning without accompaniment of any sort when a rap or hip-hop artist is creating a song "track" or record done primarily in a production studio most frequently a producer provides the beat(s) for the mc to flow over stylistically rap occupies a gray area between speech prose poetry and singing the word which predates the musical form originally meant "to lightly strike" and is now used to describe quick speech or reparteeoxford english dictionary the word has been used in the english language since the 16th century in the 1960s the word became a slang term meaning "to converse" in african american vernacular and very soon after that came to denote the musical stylesafire william (1992) "on language; the rap on hip-hop" the new york times magazine the word "rap" is so closely associated with hip-hop music that many writers use the terms interchangeably