[Ads-l] Further Antedating of "Rap Music"

[Bonnie Taylor-Blake]

Sorry for essentially duplicating Ben's point with my last message, folks.

He was hiding in my spam folder.  : (

-- Bonnie

On Thu, May 15, 2025 at 1:04 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Perhaps worth the bracketed treatment, since I don't think Catfish Hodge
> was performing "rap" as we know it, as defined by OED def III.8.c (and
> cross-referenced by the entry for "rap music"). This "rap" may be closer to
> def III.8.a ("a verbal display, esp. one intended to impress. Hence:
> improvised dialogue; banter, 'spiel'").
>
> On Thu, May 15, 2025 at 11:26 AM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu>
> wrote:
>
> > rap music (OED 1981)
> >
> > 1980 Washington Star 3 May B-2/4 (Genealogy Bank)
> >
> > ["Catfish"] Hodge's music is distinctive.  A good portion of it is "rap"
> > music — Hodge talking in sing-song fashion over a wrenching, blues-based
> > melody.

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