Rap Ballad (Graphic Language)
August 22, 2008
I realize that rap isn't the music-of-choice for most of you. But Immortal Technique's "Dance With the Devil" is a compelling example of story-telling. There are many things to take away from the song. First, he uses concrete examples to show what can happen to someone who wants to become a thug. This is the same approach Homer used: "Oral traditions predominantly consist of sequences of concrete actions. For example, Havelock (1978) stresses that rather than employing abstract principles, only concrete examples by active agents are included. Thus Homer has only concrete examples of heroism, wisdom, and justice, not abstract statements." Memory in Oral Traditions at 11.
Second, the story towards the end of the song is "sticky" -- It's hard to forget, for better or worse. If you were a story teller, would his approach not be effective? If your stories are forgotten, what good are they?
The entire song is worthy of study. It gets especially powerful near the 3:36 mark. It's graphic and disturbing. That is what makes it memorable.