What do you know?

• • Explain what you already know about your essential question. Explain why the topic is important to you, and what is motivating your inquiry.

I already know that rap music originated from hip hop culture and it stands for rhythm and poetry and acts as a form of expression for one’s life story. This topic is important to me because I think it’s important for me to understand the art that I enjoy so much, and I’m motivated by the complexity and the diversity of the genre.

• • • What understandings and experiences are you bringing with you as you start this research process?

I’ve written music myself so I somewhat understand the attempt at wordplay and how to look beneath the surface. I also understand that delivery plays a strong role in what a song is about, perhaps more than the lyrics themselves.

• • • How have any outside sources informed your understanding of your essential question?

Talking to other people who enjoy rap music about this question and who they consider the goat and why I’ve noticed different standpoints on what rap music is supposed to be, and I’ve noticed a few common things here and there.

1. What don’t you know?
   • Why is it important for you to find out more about this question. Tell what you want to know about your essential question?

It’s important for me to find out more about this question because I want to understand what else there s besides lyric and instrumental to analyze about a song.

• • What are the areas of inquiry that you think need to be explored?

How will I manage to compress such a lengthy process while replicating these artists’ mindsets and work methods?

• • What are the other questions that are lurking just beneath the surface of your guiding essential question?

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