Amen, Tiff.
As stated earlier by someone, Dylan is a rapper, Chuck Berry is a rapper, John Lennon is a rapper, Chuck D is a rapper--
rapping obviously evolved from african american traditions such as toasting as well as talking blues--but then african american tradition was informed by european poetic traditions such as the rhyming couplet, etc.
that's the great thing about american culture: europe and africa met and created this incredible cultural and artistic synthesis that has influenced the entire world
john paul george and ringo would never have been if africa and europe hadn't collided in america--they would have been hanging around the pubs singing sea shanties or something
not that there's anything wrong with that . . . .
