Rap isn't singing; it's chanting, and it isn't music 'cause there's no melody.
I respectfully disagree. I believe there are social/cultural circumstances which should be considered. There's all kinds of music from all over the world (some of which isn't commonly known and possibly never heard because it's tribal music etc.) that quite possibly wouldn't fit into that category.
I know nothing of the subject, but I briefly scanned over an article on Wikipedia regarding the
definition of music , and it states that-
"
How to define music has long been the subject of debate; philosophers, musicians, and, more recently, various social and natural scientists have argued about what constitutes music. The definition has varied through history, in different regions, and within societies. Definitions vary as music, like art, is a subjectively perceived phenomenon. Its definition has been tackled by philosophers of art, lexicographers, composers, music critics, musicians, semioticians or semiologists, linguists, sociologists, and neurologists. Music may be defined according to various criteria including organization, pleasantness, intent, social construction, perceptual processes and engagement, universal aspects or family resemblances, and through contrast or negative definition."
In the article, there are many purported definitions, and I would adhere to the Social Construct definition -
"
Post-modern and other theories argue that, like all art, music is defined primarily by social context. According to this view, music is what people call music, whether it is a period of silence, found sounds, or performance."
Again, I have nowhere near the experience that you have, Alan (it's literally limited to a quick read of said article), but it's just my 2¢.
