Page 7 - Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star

Rappin’ Into History
7
He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. The fact that rappers were even
being nominated for a Grammy was a major news item.
Rap music had been around for more than ten years, but this
was the first time it was being included in the Grammys. The
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences has always been
slow to recognize new genres of music. Although the Grammys
were first awarded in 1958, it was not until 1964 that a rock and roll
act, the Beatles, won an award. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and
Roll, never won a Grammy for his rock recordings; only his gospel
records won Grammys: in 1967, 1972, and 1974. The Rolling
Stones, who released their first recording in 1964 and are considered
by many critics to be one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all
time, did not win a Grammy until 1994.
It is no secret that NARAS is not at the cutting edge of new
musical art forms. In 1989, NARAS president Mike Greene
described the organization as “a fat old lady walking down the
street, and it’s easy to throw things at us.”2 That is why it was
big news when rappers made it to the Grammys that year.
Some rap music is political and angry, filled with profanity
and lyrics that defend violence and demean women. Smith and
Townes’s rap music, in contrast, is a humorous celebration of topics
such as dating and partying. While their style of rap has its roots in
the African-American community, young people of all races can
relate to the subject matter and humor. Some other rappers have
criticized Smith and Townes’s music, saying that without the hard
edge and anger, it is watered down and not real rap.
There are still some people who do not consider rap to be
legitimate music. This group includes many whites and older people,