Rodgers, StephenZavortink, Matthew2016-10-272016-10-272016-10-27https://hdl.handle.net/1794/20418Although the analysis of popular music has become widely accepted by theorists, rap and related genres are still relatively unexplored. The small body of existing literature suggests several promising analytic methods, such as the discernment and comparison of rhythmic layers within a song. This thesis reviews the current state of rap research and synthesizes a comprehensive theoretical model out of previously published sources and the author’s original ideas. This model is then used to investigate several case studies of varying complexity, revealing a number of previously undocumented musical devices and promising avenues for further research.en-USAll Rights Reserved.AnalysisHip hopRapRhythmElectronic Thesis or Dissertation