A Dillingham high school literature class recently had a unique assignment: Write a skit, essay or song about the worlds oldest known epic poem, the story of Gilgamesh. One student decided to apply his passion for rap to the text.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Tracen Wassily wasnt sold on the hefty \"Epic of Gilgamesh,\" a poem that dates back roughly 4,000 years.<\/p>\n
At first, I didnt like it,\" said Wassily, who is 16 years old. \"But what I wrote about was the part I like most.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Wassily is an 11th grader at Dillingham High School. He and his classmates in world literature recently got a unique assignment: Transform the Epic of Gilgamesh, the worlds oldest surviving epic poem, into a skit, essay or song.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
For those of us who arent fresh out of high school, heres a very basic summary of the story of Gilgamesh: Its a Mesopotamian poem about a hero who sets off on a quest to find the secret to immortality. Along the way, he forms a deep friendship and fights many battles.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
When Wassily got the assignment to create something new based on the ancient text, he went right to work.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Not even a day after like right after school I got to work producing a beat, a good rhythm, like a fast-paced rhythm for what Im going to be doing,\" he said. \"Cause thats what Im most comfortable on.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Wassily said he drew inspiration from some of his favorite artists, like Denzel Curry, XXXTentacion and Zillakami.<\/p>\n
They just have really good energy, really good lyrics,\" Wassily said. \"And their delivery is just, like, perfect, for me. Their production team, their engineering, its just all really good.<\/p>\n
His song is called G and Enkidu, and it's about a minute long. He said to compose it, he focused on matching the rhythm he created on an app on his cellphone to the emotion in the poem.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
For example, take Humbaba, a monster in the story. Gilgamesh and his friend, Enkidu, embark on a journey to kill Humbaba.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Gilgamesh is the son of a goddess and a mortal, and a fierce king. But hes also undiplomatic and greedy. So his mother helps create another man, Enkidu, out of a piece of clay to serve as Gilgameshs friend and distract him from his immoral ways.<\/p>\n
The stuff I was rapping about, or singing about, was fast-paced as well, so it kind of fit really good,\" said Wassily. \"They were fighting Humbaba.<\/p>\n
Wassily chose to rap about Gilgamesh mourning Enkidu because of the powerful emotions each sentence evokes.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\"Hes laying him down on a magnificent bed, a bed of honor,\" Wassily said. \"Hes saying the rulers of the underworld will kiss your feet. Like, all of this stuff, just for him.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, Wassilly said, he wants to continue producing music, but it probably wont be based on ancient poems.<\/p>\n
Listen to the full song here:<\/p>\n
Here are the full lyrics:<\/p>\n
g and enkidu on a quest for glory<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
slayin humbaba is the start of his story<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
our heroes make it to the gate<\/p>\n
but before they serve h his fate<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
their knees begin to shake<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
they feel their stomachs ache<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
couple minutes later kidu slashin with his saber<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
the repercussions of this act kidu gonna feel later<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
enkidu lay down before g<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
his tears flow down both his cheeks<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
in his dreams<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
he could see<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
that the underworld is where he will be<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
his side kick<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
12 days sick<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
en ki du will cease to exist<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
accepted by his mother<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
un replaceable by another<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
g left without a brother<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
now his heart is in the gutter<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
no more enkidu g alone now<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
he let everybody know in his home town<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
that he and enkidu separated no more bro now<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
now he walk around like a husk with a bold frown<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
he can't process that he's gone now <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
this is the end of gilgamesh's song now<\/p>\n
Contact the author at izzy@kdlg.org<\/a> or 907-842-2200.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n More here:<\/p>\n How this Dillingham teenager turned an ancient epic poem into a rap - KDLG<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Dillingham high school literature class recently had a unique assignment: Write a skit, essay or song about the worlds oldest known epic poem, the story of Gilgamesh. One student decided to apply his passion for rap to the text. Continue reading