RAP RETORT

Judging from the opinions in many of the April 16 letters on rap, it seems there are a lot of people who view mainstream American rock as the only form of legitimate music. They declare that rap is simply not music because it does not contain any of the characteristics of mainstream rock (or, in the words of one reader, “real music”).

There are many forms of music that do not require the use of a Gibson Les Paul or Pearl drum kit in order to legitimize themselves (Japan’s Gagaku, Africa’s Nyahbinghi, Java’s Gamelan and, yes, America’s rap).

I have a hard time understanding why so many people can’t accept the fact that they share a planet with a diverse range of cultures, some of which are right in their own backyards (or at least as nearby as Compton).

JEFF DiPERNA

Sherman Oaks