Rappers The New Royalty

Rap music is social commentary that is mostly understood by people in that game.  They talk to each other in their special language through the microphone.  They also tend to beat their own drum, how beautiful they are, how many people they love, their cars, their genius and so on.  They also diss (disrespect) rivals. That sounds like praise poetry to me.

African kings like the people called amaZulu in South Africa, have praise poems.  Departed kings that live in ancestor land now, have praise poetry which is still taught at school.  It is called izibongo (praises). 

The King’s CV or resume

Izibongo are like a king’s profile on Facebook, Linked In, Twitter or Google.  Izibongo have the following information.

·         Names and royal surnames (they are more than one)

·         The king’s parents and grandparents

·         Where he was born and circumstances surrounding his birth

·         War history especially the victories

·         His wives and children

·         His encounter with the British and other colonizers

Rappers can have as many praise poems as they want.  They can have 12 if their album has 12 tracks.  They can praise themselves in every album they drop.  African kings did not have that luxury. 

They have one praise poem that is updated according to history e.g. how they handled a famine, or brought peace or war to their kingdoms and even how they died, will be included in the main praise poem.

Army generals, kings’ brothers and other members of the royal family also had praise poems but we will limit the discussion to kings.

Rappers have all the fun because they praise themselves whereas kings relied on a person called imbongi.  He basically knows the king’s profile in and out.  If you visit South Africa and find yourself in a social event attended by the Zulu king, you will see this.  A man (imbongi) will come into the hall giving his praises.  Then the king will enter afterwards. 

Rappers therefore are the new royalty, pursued by movie producers and British, German and Italian clothing designers that want them to wear their logo from head to toe.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.