by _refugee_

I think a crucial distinction between rap and spoken word/(then into) poetry that this author COMPLETELY eschews is the presence of music; i.e., things like "the beat," rhythms to which rap is spoken, presence of items such as refrains or hooks, which do not translate well onto the page or as poetry because of things such as repetition.

I also DO strongly believe that the presence of these music items can, but does not always enable rap lyrics to be "weaker" than traditional poems or even spoken word, because an addictive hook will allow a listener to forgive lyrical flaws. Not all rap is poetry. But a lot of it, the really good stuff, really IS and it's important that poets recognize it as such. There are such brilliant techniques used in rap especially rhyming - where modern day poets could stand to learn some rhythm and jive!

I think in rap meter is king and lyrical/poetic lines are readily manipulated in order to serve meter and rhyme, which can do great things or can result in bad things.

Eminem says it himself:

I just wrote a bullshit hook in between two long ass verses if you mistook the for a song, look

This aint a song

(from "On Fire" off of "Recovery")