Great Regulars: Well, I began, of course,

as a poet, but the power of rock 'n' roll, rock 'n' roll was really the canopy of our cultural voice, and especially in the '60s, late '60s and early '70s, and our rock stars, the people who were building that voice, whether it was John Lennon or Neil Young or Bob Dylan, whoever it was, they were infusing politics and political ideology, social justice, sexual energy, poets all within the canopy of rock 'n' roll and striving to make this a universal language. [--Patti Smith]

from Jeffrey Brown: PBS: Newshour: Conversation: Patti Smith

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jeffrey Brown: Now, rap can be rough, and it is certainly often profane. But Bradley and DuBois say it offers what poetry always has: rhythm, complex rhyme schemes, allusive and metaphoric language.

As rapper Lauryn Hill put it once in a song: "I treat this like my thesis, well-written topic broken down into pieces. I introduce, then produce words so profuse."

from Jeffrey Brown: PBS: Newshour: Anthology Traces Rap's Lyrical Journey, Poetic Roots

~~~~~~~~~~~