Muhammad Ali: The Father of Emceeing?
 

TAKEN FROM PROJECT RHYME-posted by Richard Corey


Mabye, maybe not. Nonetheless, Ali’s influence on urban America, and thus early emcees, is readily documented. In the Beef I DVD, Kool Moe Dee recounts how party rapper Busy Bee would imitate Ali before getting on stage during emcee competitions. Other artists such as LL Cool J constantly name dropped Ali, proving his influence on the culture.

It is improbable to suggest that such a charismatic character had no effect on the budding art of emceeing. Due the proximity of hip-hop’s inception and the height of Ali’s career, it can be argued that Ali’s rhyming taunts could have been a DIRECT inspiration for emcees who rhymed witty sayings over the mic to keep the crowd going and the DJ famous.


::Conflict as a Culture::
The concept of skill-based contest spans over many facets of the African-American culture: from dancing (breaking/popping to tap dancing matches), to musicianship (Jazz, Blues spontaneous challenges), to hip-hop. Hip-hop battling is most evident in the culture's art of emceeing, where two emcees will participate in a contest to see who can clown each other the most while rhyming.

This is a direct descendent of the childhood game of “playing the dozens” (also called snapping, joning or “cutting up” on someone). The dozens consist of a series of back-and-forth one-line jokes that insult your target for the amusement of your audience. The loser of the match is usually the person who gets offended first. There was one man who became famous for this form of verbal battery, and who popularized putting The Dozens in Rhyme form: Muhammad Ali.


::The Lyrical Dozens::
It can be argued that Muhammad Ali is one of the primary fathers of emceeing, and as a result battle rhyming. Because of his stature and fame, Ali made famous in the Black community the lyrical form of the Dozens. Many times, during interviews or press conferences, Ali would perform his “poems” (as they were called at the time, but were more akin to battle verses) for the audience, much to the chagrin of his opponents who often times were present.

Ali was famous for his one-line jokes and insults:






But it was when he put these one-liners into rhyme-form that we get a better idea of how he helped influence the idea of emcee battling. Here is the entire “poem” Ali wrote about Sonny Liston, before their boxing match. Notice the elements of emceeing that are still evident today, such as hyperbole (exaggerated claims) and wordplay.




Ali’s influence doesn’t end there. He was also significant in the idea of the “self-props” aspect of emceeing and battle rapping.




::First Recorded Battle Tracks
Ali was also one of the first to put his "battle rhymes" on record. Although at the time, he was more similar to The Last Poets then he was to Nas, the idea of recording and selling rhyming taunts and battle poems was unheard of. The album did not do too well, however it can still be purchased on Amazon.

The album includes Ali ranting and rhyming in front of a live audience about his greatness and how he would destroy Sonny Liston. At the time, Ali had not won the championship, but his charisma was overflowing nonetheless.


::One of Many 'Fathers'::

To say Ali is one of the main contributors to emceeing is one thing, but to say he is THE ONLY father, is maybe too far. There are other influences, notably Dolemite, James Brown's stage presence, Richard Pryor's honesty as well as contributions from those such as Malcom X, Church Pastors and Jazz muscisians. But Ali's place in hip hop is unique in that his influence is so obvious to the point where every emcee, at some point, has fought to be considered the Greatest Of All Time.

Muhammad Ali=GOAT

Emceeing is another form of poetry

^what does that have to do with anything, rofl


but Ali is dope

Ali... threw some nice punch's in that diss track to Sonny.. he doesnt fuck around

LMAO @ Ali being better with wordplay than 90% of RV

^damn @ how much that hurts, but ur probably right...... as far as him being the father of emceein, that's bullshit...... i had fam writing poetry and runnin battles for cigarettes in prison before Ali did that Liston shit.....

LOL....hahahaha


that diss shit is funny, ALI was illy, but still.....emcees was doin they thing way before ali started writing and always talkin in rhyme.

Rhythm
And
Poetry

ali did write that shit in the early 60's...

lol, that was a pretty dope diss, nice wordplay and good punches. he wasn't playin with him. that's a good article daubs.

no

lmao @ ali being better than 90% of RV