Rapping is a vocal delivery, so you can do it without being part of hip-hop and not knowing what hip-hop is about.
Ice TYou know, the radio never wanted you to speak about anything, so the music is kinda influenced by the hands of the radio which wants to homogenize it and dilute it and sanitize it. And for the most part, nobody's takin' the time to seek out the cats that are still tryin' to talk, so they have a difficult time being heard.
Ice TRap music came along and saved my life. I started to tell the stories of the streets and that was my way out.
Ice T