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Monday, January 31, 2011

Shakespeare and Rap Music



So I was inspired by Sara's interview with Ian Mckellen website that we discussed today in class and thought I would look up some celebrities opinions or adaptations of Shakespearean classics. While searching, I came up with the bright idea to do a search of rap music renditions of Shakespeare and found the following gem! Shakespeare and Rap Music. For all of you rap coinsures, an English rapper named Akala decided that he would try to get British youth excited about learning Shakespeare by turning some of Shakespeare's greatest works into new-age rap songs. The article that I have posted was featured in the guardian newspaper in England. Watch the video on the website and read the article. It is very interesting! Question: How do you feel about turning Shakespeare into rap music? Is it productive? Is it disrespectful? Tell me what you think! I personally think it is a great and original idea that might help youth enjoy and get involved with the learning process.

Just to give everyone a quick update on my reading, I finished Henry IV a few days ago and have started the Taming of the Shrew. I am looking for some ideas on how to read the Taming of the Shrew. Does anyone, preferably who has already read the work, have any ideas of things I might want to focus my studies on? I appreciate the help!

Posted by Brandon Powell at 3:51 PM
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deleted5607344's avatar - Go to profile

deleted5607344 52p · 739 weeks ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUzslPhNP6M

I immediately thought of that clip when I read your post. I don't think it's disrespectful to turn Shakespeare into a rap. I mean, I don't particularly care for rap music, but I think it can still be a valid art form. If anything it might help people remember it better.
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LiannaM 47p · 739 weeks ago

While I don't particularly enjoy the rap rendition of Shakespeare, I think the neat thing about shakespeare is that it deals with universal emotions and struggles. So, if this is what some people need to get the "shakespeare bug", so be it! :)

As for Taming of the Shrew, I think it would be interesting to take a look at the work from the feminist point of view. In class, a girl mentioned how it seemed very derogatory towards women in that Petruccio took very radical measures. However, I recently read an article that suggested that Shakespeare intended it to be a very feminist piece. I think that would be an interesting angle! :)
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Ladd Laulusa · 737 weeks ago

I think that it is brilliant way of sharing Shakespeare. How many of those kid that were in the clip would of actually read Shakespeare in class, maybe one if that. Using out of the box mediums of sharing things like Shakespeare broadens the spectrum of the audience so that can have a chance to be interested. I think about the way missionaries have to customize their lessons at times to reach their investigators, sometimes it is very unorthodox-ed but it it hit home to the person to a point that they can relate to it. maybe we all need to find different ways so that we can truly become converts to Shakespeare.

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