[Dixielandjazz] The Eminem Rag - An article of great substance.

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/8/04 12:48:24 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:

> Kurt Bowmaster has today, in his possession, an MP3 of Eminem, or
> somebody,  doing a rap number with a piano Rag in the background instead
> of the normal record scratchings. Is this a new musical form? Rap Rag?
> 
> Can anyone identify the Rag?
> 
> 

Well now there it proves that music just like History goes around in circles, 
we all just need to find the revolving place we want to go back to when it 
comes around.

I have not yet heard the above mentioned MP3, but can pretty much imagine 
what it sounds like, because to my ears Ragtime music  has a similar sing songy 
rhythm that would adept well with Rapping chants.   

Both elements have simple patterns of projected simplicity both in rappers  
vocabulary and musical difficulty of music from a slower time in History.  at 
least to my ears and this is of course my own personal opinion.   

The name of the RAG?

Well that would have to be Tiger Rag, since all other Rags are the same song 
with different titles right?  :)))  I always heard that if you could play 
Tiger Rag you could play all Rags,   Same with Rap, same song just a different set 
of lyrics, and a larger or smaller posse for gyrational accompaniment.  I 
believe it is referred to rather loosely as Dancing in Rap circles anyway.

Now if Eminem had just put a washboard on the song it would no doubt qualify 
as OKOM, since we have established the lowly washboard as a unique and 
substantially important Dixieland musical instrument.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins
(Ethno Rapacologist) PHD