HisJazzRaptoMe: Hip Hop Vignettes & Quarter Waters

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2015HisJazzRaptoMe, is a mixing of genres to create a new form of literature reflective of the true form of Hip Hop. In Hip Hop, there are many elements that comprise such culture: emceeing, graffiti writing, break dancing, videography, deejaying, community involvement and education. In HisJazzRaptoMe, I tried to reflect the true nature of Hip Hop by having various characters represent the elements of Hip Hop. I also use a circle of emcees as narrators as they take turns cyphering. They feed each other words to feed their cyphers and in doing so, HisJazzRaptoMe takes form. The words being cyphered are reflective of the vignettes that follow the theme the rapper is busting a flow on. HisJazzRaptoMe is ebb and flow; it is the remix of the water flowing back towards the ocean once it hits the shore. It is a remix of genres and Hip Hop elements. HisJazzRaptoMe is a mixture of cyphers, vignettes, prose, poems, and rap songs. It distinguishes that different genres of literature can come together to create one body of literature. In doing so, it is a true reflection of what Hip Hop is and what Hip Hop literature should be. A mixed genre of literature is Hip Hop because Hip Hop is a remix