noun / verb
rap
RAP/ræp/
Music made by speaking rhythmic lyrics over a beat.
She raps about her neighborhood over a steady drumbeat.
Etymology
Middle English rappe meant a quick blow and was probably imitative in origin. The related verb moved from striking to speaking sharply, then to informal talk, providing the speech sense behind the musical name.
In context
rap hip-hop is you know it's like it's like pop now you know it's like you know ever-present or whatever but the idea of rhyming were words that rhyme like in rhythm like to a beat
More examples
- I listen to rap on my way to work.
- The song mixes rap with a softly sung chorus.
- He rapped in Spanish while the DJ played a beat.
Forms
rap · raps · rapped · rapping
rapper noun — Someone who performs rhythmic lyrics over a beat.
Similar words
- hip-hop
- Also names the broader musical culture that includes rap.