The Elemental Session: Microphone Fiend

Nuu Elementz honors the fourth and most popular element of hip-hop, the MC.

MC, which stands for master of ceremonies, has become synonymous with rap paving a way for MCs not only being DJs but performers as well.

In Jamaica, MCs have been around since the late 1960s. As Jamaican DJs invested in high quality music equipment, the MCs job was to enliven the crowd and insult rivals.

MCs talk over the beat as a guide to the crowd telling them what dance moves to do, resembling 'Simon Says'.

"You will never see anyone standing on the wall, someone is always dancing," says Jocelyn (@18UntoldStories).

In the 1970s and 1980s, with the help of DJ Kool Herc, MCing was brought to New York.

The term MC is closely associated with what is called rapping in hip-hop music.

The MC is responsible for moving the crowd and to keep them entertained aside from the music that's being played. An MC is able to embody the English language to where everyone can adhere to its catchy phrases.

In the middle of a party, the MC shout out the hometowns of all people. As time progressed MC became more creative in the chants, eventually overshadowing the music with rhymes and complex raps.

Rapping can be traced back to Africa  centuries before hip-hop existed. The griots, or storytellers, of West Africa delivered stories in a rhythmical manner about their history.

Griot Vanessa Johnson shares stories of African Amerian history with children in Worawora, Ghana.

Coke La Rock is often credited as hip-hop's first MC. La Rock performed alongside DJ Kool Herc. His original raps were shout-outs to his friends. He soon was able to add a little poetic flavors in his shout-outs. He originated phrases like "You rock and you don't stop" and "Hotel, motel, you don't tell, we won't tell" which was used in Sugarhill Gang's single Rapper's Delight.

Coke La Rock (left) and DJ Kool Herc (right) together in the late 1970s. 

"As an MC you must be fearless. Nobody will listen to you if you're timid. Confidence in who you are will sell whatever you say," says Ephrum (@Intricate93) an MC himself.

Rob (@ROBstayRAMEN) believes that an MC is someone who writes conscience lyrics. A rapper is someone who is trying to be catchy or to use it as a 'get rich quick' scheme.

Through his vividly intense rhythmic skills, Nas is considered an MC. Emerging as Queens 'Finest', Nas educates listeners of the African culture through the Five Percent Nation, the Bible and the Quar'n. His lyrics range from telling stories growing up in Queens to politics, justice and spreading peace.

Ice Cube came on the scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s as N.W.As hottest rapper with songs like Fuck Da Police and Straight Outta Compton telling stories from his point of view through his ice cold lyrics.

Lil Wayne grew up in the music scene starting off at the age of nine with Cash Money Records. At the age of 17, debuting his solo album The Block Is Hot, Wayne used MCing as a way to share stories about his wild lifestyle.

Today, MCs range from all sorts of styles.Whether intending to teach mass audiences, telling peoples stories or simply having fun on the microphone, the MC is the most celebrated and known element of hip-hop.