I have become a fan of rap music since childhood as second to highlife music, yeah I am a Ghanaian and love highlife music very well.
Rap music has dominated the international music market since the 1980s and it has created great stars around the world.
Today’s crop of rap music performers are no different from the old which makes the music genre one of a kind that has maintained its consistency.
On this day, I will dive to discuss with you one among the many promising rap music performers who has found himself on the Ghanaian soil and seeking to penetrate the mainstream in the nearest future.
BACKGROUND
He is Born Derrick Boateng but known with the acronym, “1Cedi Rap” at the show business phase. Born and raised at Akyem Tafo, North Abuakwa Constituency in the Eastern Region – Ghana.
Over the years, the young rapper has proven to be promising and worth a gold at the music market with his craft.
1Cedi Rap began to kiss the microphone in his early days after graduating from high school, even though, he had been performing freestyle rap since he was in grade 3.
Growing up, 1Cedi Rap has admired the rap skills of American famous rapper, Eminem and will choose him as a mentor. Instrestingly, the young rapper had his first studio record “Not afraid”, (a song which was originally performed by his mentor) in the year 2011 after he had graduated from high school.
He received the public appeal and endorsements in his society and furthered on to release an EP dubbed “The Journey” which a section of the Ghanaian media adjudged as the best Mixtape to have come from an unheard artiste, about nine years ago.
Having Anne Tello of USA, Kay Dizzle, Teephlow, Gemini and Torgbe on his 2016 External Play tape tagged “Golden Tomorrow”, 1Cedi Rap promised to change the phase of Ghana made HIpHop/Rap music and I think this is the time we pay him some attention.
I have made time to listen to and watch most of his music videos and that inspired me to dedicate a space on my timeline to trumpet his potentials and skills, in rap the rap game to the mass, if maybe, Ghana and the world will give him the needed mileage and attention.
Rap, as a stand alone music genre is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates “rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street languages which is performed or chanted in a variety of ways.
Knowing it’s components to be “content” (what is being said), “flow” (rhythm, rhyme), and “delivery” (cadence, tone), 1Cedi Rap is hereby to be considered one among the undeniable sensational rappers on the face of the earth who is well equipped with the culture of rap music and its delivery.
With this piece, I will touch on his vocal, delivery abilities, lyrical prowess, and discuss how good he has been with his ‘flow’ techniques and I pray you get convinced to support such a great talent.
VOCAL DEXTERITY
Voice classification is a tool for singers, composers, venues, and listeners to categorize vocal properties and to associate roles with voices.
The voice is the most engrossing element of artistry. Especially once an artist realizes the power of that voice, how it can be used to convey emotion and feeling, how it can be used to command attention and exude presence; the voice is a powerful tool that can be the most crucial element in making sure lyrics, flows, wordplay and delivery is savored by listeners.
In rap music as already discussed, content happens to be one essential element of rap music and a great rapper should be able to preach in clearance what he intend to put out there and this can only be achieved when you have the best of voice behind the microphone.
In a case study, I considered 1Cedi Rap 2014 released single which he titled “Rap God”. Every listener could loudly hear and decipher what the rapper was trying to put across, claiming the new best rapper at the phase of Ghanaian hiphop game.
Listening to most of his songs, 1Cedi Rap has been able to maintain such quality to date and such tells you how professional and matured he is, so far as rap music is concerned.
DELIVERY
A rapper of his caliber seems to have worked so hard to be good with his delivery. His ability and act of pronouncing words on a record has always been encouraging and that gives him a clear listening which constitutes his style, flow, and bars.
To successfully deliver a rap, a rapper must develop vocal presence (as discussed earlier), enunciation (the act of pronouncing words), and breath control.
Vocal presence is the distinctiveness of a rapper’s voice on record. Enunciation is essential to a flowing rap; some rappers choose also to exaggerate it for comic and artistic effect.
Breath control, taking in air without interrupting one’s delivery, is an important skill for a rapper to master, and a must for any MC. An MC with poor breath control cannot deliver difficult verses without making unintentional pauses and 1Cedi Rap is superb with his delivery skills.
LYRICISM
Most rappers at his stage have taking it so light with the importance of developing a good lyrical syllabus in rap music and that makes 1Cedi Rap stands so unique among peers. Just like poetry, one has to stay on a topic from start to finish without falling off words which do not add up to the subject matter, so is rap music.
Although a strong, steady beat is the anchor for a rap song, the true source of originality is the lyrics. Two rap songs can have virtually the same pre-recorded track, but with different lyrical interpretation.
Rap lyrics tend to follow a set of themes, such as boasting raps, insult raps, nonsense raps and party raps, . Of course, this is not to say that interesting lyrics are the only key to a good rap song. The way a rapper uses the beat to emphasize words and phrases, also known as a rapper’s “flow,” is what distinguishes a talented rapper from an amateur.
For your conviction, I will urge you to give a hearing to “The last Man Standing” freestyle by 1Cedi Rap which was on a conscious theme.
HIS FLOW PROWESS
1Cedi Rap not just a regular rapper but one with a great flow per my observation.
The term “flow” in rap music is indicated as “the rhythms and rhymes” of a hip-hop song’s lyrics and how they interact.
’Flow’ is also sometimes used to refer to elements of the delivery (pitch, timbre, volume) as well, though often a distinction is made between the flow and the delivery.
A good rap flow gently glides over the rap beat without interfering with how the other instruments in the song are flowing.
With my keen observation, 1Cedi Rap has realise his voice to be an instrument which he implies as just a lay-over on the instruments.
Every observer of his music would know that, his voice fits the beat rhythmically and carry along with it just right so its smooth to the listeners ears and that is what a great rapper is made up of.
—— I decided not to talk so much about him so as not to make my conviction so puffy but to consider the major elements of rap music so far as a talent like 1Cedi Rap is concerned.
The likes of Sarkodie, Obrafour, Okyeame Kwame among great rap talents who has made it in the music industry started with such qualities and got it paid off after keeping their pace, consistency, and through that won the public attention and interest.
This is the best of time I think we can make new stars to frontline the Ghanaian hiphop/rap music by giving a talent such as 1Cedi Rap the needed attention and support.
Much is expected from the talent in the years ahead and hoping to see him among the top notch rappers 2020 will bless our motherland Ghana with.
