Rap Archives - Page 2 of 3

“Rap God” Video by Eminem

December 8, 2015 By Professor Elizabeth Coggeshall

A few Dante-related images flash through the music video for Eminem’s song “Rap God.” The video shows several of Gustave Doré’s illustrations of Purgatorio and Paradiso, as well as a quick shot of the spine of a book that reads Inferno:

Contributor Hunter Sherry writes, “As this image is shown the lyrics in the song are ‘I want to make sure somewhere in this chicken scratch I scribble and doodle enough rhymes, to maybe try to get some people through tough times’ and I think this is a reference to Dante’s Divine Comedy rhyming in its original Italian version. The song is also about the divinity of Eminem with respect to rap and hip hop so a Dante reference would make sense in the context of the song.”

Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Contributed by Hunter Sherry (University of Delaware)

Caparezza, “Argenti Vive” (2015)

October 26, 2015 By Professor Elizabeth Coggeshall

Italian rap-rock icon Caparezza‘s new song, “Argenti Vive” (“Argenti Lives”), opens with a recitation of part of Canto 8 of the Inferno, when Dante is crossing the river of Styx and has an encounter with Filippo Argenti. This is followed by a vengeful rap in the voice of Argenti.

Watch the full music video here.

Contributed by Sam Gaglio (University of Texas at Austin)

Jovanotti, “Serenata Rap” (1994)

September 26, 2014 By Professor Elizabeth Coggeshall

Italian singer-songwriter Lorenzo “Jovanotti” Cherubini‘s 1994 song “Serenata Rap” contains a famous line from Inferno V: “Amor ch’a nullo amato amar perdona”.

To watch the music video, click here.

To view the song’s lyrics, click here.

Inferno Rap Translation by Hugo (2013)

November 4, 2013 By Professor Elizabeth Coggeshall

In July 2013, Melbourne-based hip hop artist Hugo released a rap translation of the first six cantos of Inferno. Here is Hugo’s description of the project:

“Immortal innovators of the artform such as Rakim, Talib Kweli, Eminem, KRS One, Mos Def, Nas, Notorious BIG, Tupac Shakur and Pharoahe Monch, took this rap rhyming to incredible depths, exploring all angles of their own vernacular, spitting intricate multi-syllable rhymed verses over irresistible hip hop beats and delivering their version of the Dolce Stil Novo to an insatiable world, and in the process proving, like Dante, that their Vulgar vernacular could have global relevance in its eloquence.

“So, to this project. The basic agenda being simply to retranslate the Inferno using some of the forms of Rap – Multi-syllabic rhyme patterns, driving beats – to reengage with this epic medieval poem, and maybe contribute to garnering it a new audience. [ . . . ]” — YouTube

See the videos with lyrics here.

To listen to the full album, click here.

Contributed by Janet Gomez (PhD, Johns Hopkins University, 2015)

GM Grimm aka Superstar Jet Jaguar, “Digital Tears: Email from Purgatory” (2004)

September 15, 2006 By Professor Arielle Saiber

“A study in blatant subtlety? Maybe, just maybe? GM Grimm gives us “Digital Tears,” the first album since his release from prison last year. Featuring production from J-Zone, X-Ray, Zero Point and Mas this album will probably be one of the most diverse and heavy sets released this year. With Grimm’s ill rhyme flow and incisive lyrics you better buckle up and hold tight as Jet Jaguar the robot is gonna take you on a dark musical journey into the mind of Percy Carey.” –Eric Goldwyn

Contributed by Eric Goldwyn (Bowdoin, ’04)

How to Cite