Rap has been criticized to the point where people will say "It is only a poem with a drum beat in the background, therefore it is not music". It is hard to believe this. Is a drum beat not music? It'll take music knowledge to create it, you can't simply say, "beat, beat, beat, beat". You have to think of such things as Time Signatures, and the rhythms themselves have to be thought out. You will have to think about such things as cross-rhythms (E.G. three against two) which are used alot in the backing beats of rap.
Most rap isn't just talking against drums as well. They will have clever Backing tracks, usually with String Ensembles, which take time and effort to do. Again you have to think musically: Time Signatures and Key Signatures. Add in backing singers, and mix it well.

And couldn't you call the poetry Music? It summons up deep feelings sometimes, like music can do. The Overture to Mozart's "The Magic Flute", could have the quite same effect as the words used.

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