Songs of Sunshine

      There are many subcategories that come to mind when thinking of the Rap genre. When thinking of rap music today, common artists that come to mind are Meg the Stallion or DaBaby. They are what I would consider as "hip-hop" artists. Their style of music greatly differs from the 'old school' rappers such as Tupac or Snoop Dogg. From then to now rap has changed greatly, from the instruments to the lyrics and rhythm.       Typically, rap can be identified by the instruments played in the song. Commonly used are drum machines, keyboards and turntables. Many rap songs today still use these instruments however, they add in modern twists. An example of a modern twist that most rap artist use in todays day and age is autotune. This is a computer device that is used to alter an artists voice.   The word "rap" was originally used as a slang word to mean that someone was talking or  having a conversation. Rap music can be tr...

  I come from a very large hispanic family and for as long as I can remember during any family event hispanic music would be playing. Mariachi bands have always sparked my interest. They are so much fun!  The roots of mariachi music go back hundreds of years. Mariachi bands were generally small and not well known outside the region of western Mexico. Violins, guitars, and a harp were the common instruments use to play Mariachi music. The history of Mariachi is largely undocumented. The earliest known reference to Mariachi is in a letter written by priest Cosme Santa Anna in 1852. Early Mariachis did not dress alike and wore what was considered as, "peasant clothing". Mariachis were commonly associated with small, private parties.  After the Mexican Revolution mariachis were not getting business or making money so they started to wander and play for free.  Mariachi was first introduced in Mexico City in 1905. During this time, the Mexican governmen...

  Eminem is an artist that brings me back to my childhood. "Lose Yourself" was written by Eminem and released on October 28, 2002 out of 54 sound studio in Detroit, Michigan. This song reminds me of riding around in my dads old blue pickup truck. Eminem was one of my dads favorite rappers and his music was on frequently as I was growing up. This song stuck with me a little more than other work by Eminem. It is such a motivational song and makes me want to get to work and go after everything that I want because I only have "one shot"! Rhythm  The rhythm in this piece is simple but strong. I believe it gives the foundation to the song. The time measure throughout the song doesn't change giving it a repetitive beat. The guitar chord consistency playing on the downbeat creates an engaging feeling to nod your head to.  Tempo The tempo to this song is a perfect fit for the lyrics. If the song was too fast the meaning and lyrics behind the song would get lost in transl...