Walt Whitman is considered one of the greatest poets in history for incorporating new forms of writing in his poems. He developed free verse, a style many modern rap artists utilize. For these reasons, his impact on American poetry is also akin to the impact rap has had on American music. Firstly, Whitman often produced poetry that did not conform to the standard rhyme and meter of earlier works. Similarly, rappers tend to stray from traditional musical methods by “singing” to their own rhythms and beats. Artists such as these encourage Americans to express themselves artistically without needing to rhyme or adhere to conventional structures. Besides introducing free verse as an art form, Whitman also recognized the variety of people living
