{"id":5019,"date":"2023-04-11T11:21:44","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T11:21:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/talkinmusic.com\/?p=5019"},"modified":"2023-04-11T11:21:49","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T11:21:49","slug":"what-does-mc-stand-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/talkinmusic.com\/what-does-mc-stand-for\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does MC Stand For?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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You probably noticed that there are a lot of rappers that have \u201cMC\u201d as part of their name, and while it\u2019s something you can just say \u201coh it\u2019s a rap thing\u201d, the meaning of MC is actually quite interesting, so if you want to know about its meaning and how it\u2019s related with the history of hip-hop then this article will be a treat for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does MC Mean in Rap?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

MC stands for \u201cMaster of Ceremonies<\/a>\u201d, which refers to a person or artist that is in many ways the host of an event, it\u2019s the person that is in charge of a performance and also entertains the audience. This term was not associated with hip-hop at all, but since the 70s it became a very common practice in the scene, where a rapper would just take over the stage and rhyme along with the DJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been other definitions of MC, including \u201cMicrophone Checka\u201d and \u201cMic Controller\u201d but it always meant the same in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hip-hop really started blowing up in New York in the 70s, but it was a different scene back then, and the DJs were the protagonists of club parties and performances. They were the ones who had big crowds to follow them and watch them perform, and the person that was considered to be MC was supporting the DJ and it was only done if they had the DJ\u2019s permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, as the hip-hop scene kept growing, MCs also started to cover more ground and gain more power on stage, with more freedom, and more creative performances that managed to overshadow the DJ and draw all the ears and eyes toward one person, the MC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the Difference Between a Rapper and an MC?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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There is a bit of a gray area when it comes to the difference between being a rapper and an MC, and yes in a way every MC is a rapper, but not every rapper is an MC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a different approach to the audience if a rapper is an MC, it\u2019s about being in control and really understanding what it means to improvise and feel a connection with the ones listening to you. A rapper that is not an MC can perform and do their thing, but they don\u2019t have the same level of skill to deal with an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the words of Ice-T<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MC means a person that can move the crowd and basically control an audience so, you know, Sway\u2019s an MC, he can take the mic, he controls a crowd, a rapper like you might see them on a stage, but they are afraid of the audience, or they can only sing their hit record, you know, but they can\u2019t just say, ok we\u2019re about to break this down, we\u2019re gonna change it up a little bit, and that\u2019s what \u201cMCing\u201d is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MCs don\u2019t have to include the letters on their names to be MCs but you might have noticed that there are a few big rappers whose names start with MC including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n