ethomusicology

Ethnomusicology
Student’s Name
Institution’s Affiliation
Lecturer
Date
Spoken Word-African American
Harry Baker, “Jayz’s 99 problems.”
Spoken word is a type of music based on words. It is entirely an oral art that lays focus on wordplay aesthetics for example intonations and inflections of voice. It is just a type of poetry that is loudly recited to an audience. What brings a difference between spoken word and written poetry is sound. There is less interaction with book pages because its presentation is verbal. It is phonaesthetic. According to Merriam’s model of ethnomusicology, this music genre is defined in three ways; how it is done based on sound, what the music is about and other features answering the remaining 4Ws. In the sound, behavior and the conception of the music.
Sound
Some people would say the spoken word is not a musical performance it is one kind of music of nature ever performed by many artists worldwide. It is impossible to say that all that is sang around the world is a complete spoken word; of course, people sing poetry only instruments make it sound musical. In this case, the music into consideration is Harry Baker’s “JayZ’s 99 problems”. Yes, it is not there to be heard however it is performed in the line of music. In this spoken word performance, sounds are replaced by words and that brings it to verses that have no words. This fades away the difference between literary composition and musical composition.
Behavior
The song “Jayz’s 99 problems” is a performance done by Harry Baker in response to Jayz’s earlier musical work.

Despite the swinging of the hand when he was reciting the poetry piece, it has not been considered as music. How it was done on stage one could think it was rap perhaps because they were unable to identify rap music accompanied by beats and presentation of poetry with instrumentals in the company. When Jayz does the music himself one could barely forget the words he speaks and how the whole thing flew during the performance. Harry Baker’s performance was done in a pub in Borough if was referred to as “poetry night for those who don’t like poetry.” The audience had a different perception towards this presentation, but Baker had an interest in telling them that it is not mud wrestling of course with words.
Conception
Baker ultimately had an idea of reviving spoken word music when he was performing the song in the pub to the crowds. There was a longtime misconception that spoken word is not a form of art. He was driving a point home that spoken word music is not poetry, theatre or comedy; not even a blend of the three aspects of art. This is in a way a compelling message to people that there should not be a misunderstanding in what is independently known as a spoken word. Being a slam poet, Harry Baker in his performance was letting the crowds realize the fun, the emotions in the verbal art and how it could help one link up with many people around. According to Baker, numerous possibilities are endless. Just a like a work song would be meant to psyche up those working at a site; spoken art would purposely be performed to alter a people’s version of emotions and more importantly entertain them.

Reference
Feld, S. (2016). Ethnomusicology and Visual Communication. Ethnomusicology, 20(2), 293. doi: 10.2307/851020