Posted on 09/03/2020 9:01:57 AM PDT by BEJ
Imagine Shakespeare walking into his local pub and there is his ole friend and competitor Ben Johnson. They have a few drinks while discussing who is the better poet. Drinks are flowing and the conversation gets heated so they decide to have a poetry rap/slam contest to determine the winner. Word play as sword play and an insult competition... like a Dean Martin Roast among poets. Here is what it might have looked like if it happened today in England.
Note: Both Harry Baker and Soweto are Oxford students. Harry Baker is also a Christian and does Ted Talks. Some of the poetry may have offensive language. Despite that this is great poetry in motion!
Its always so impressive how people can be so “quick on their feet” with language, rhetoric and rhymes.
Exactly! It’s a second nature with them and just naturally comes out. Very entertaining and funny.
Yes, it is that, but it’s more. Maybe a whole lot more depending on who you are. I don’t dismiss it off hand though I see the temptation for some.
As a form of (alleged) music, I do dismiss it. But I am a snob and mainly listen to classical. However, I found this rap battle to be entertaining and clever, sort of like some of the "Epic Rap Battles of History" which I also find funny.
Yeah, I wouldn’t compare it to classical music — maybe jazz as the one guy seems to have played jazz sax and it comes up in conversation. It’s also like jazz in that it’s free form and spontaneous. I don’t really hear music in it. It leans towards poetry (sharing tone, tempo, rhythm, cadence, etc. with music). But in my mind this is what may have happened if Shakespeare and Ben Johnson duked it out in a bar. Johnson actually died in a knife fight — so it’s got that down to earth seedy quality and yet is raised up to the sky by the imagination and their artistry and ingenuity in delivering the lines. So, it’s quite entertaining and hits all parts of our humanity.
That guy looks like Longmire!
That’s Ben Johnson...an actor from the good ol’ days.
I do wish they’d bring Longmire back...although the finale wrapped things up rather neatly. Great series!
You’re right great series. Someday I’d like to go to Wyoming and check out the town and area, though I know they shot it in a other of other places.
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