by Macklin Smith and Aurko Joshi
U-M Professor Emeritus of English Macklin Smith and alumnus Aurko Joshi (A.B., U-M English/Philosophy, 2014) are coauthors of the new book, Rhymes in the Flow: How Rappers Flip the Beat (U-M Press). The work is a study of the complicated and original poetics of rap lyrics.
In completing the project, Macklin and Aurko listened to and scanned rap lines, constructed a database coded with reference to their rhymes and rhythmic features, examined issues like individual and regional style, and included detailed analyses of some of their favorite rap songs.The authors discovered their mutual love of rap music in the U-M Department of English, where Aurko took Professor Smith's popular course in rap poetry.
