Hip hop music has a rich heritage. From its beginnings at New York block parties to its current global popularity, it has gained global appeal.
In 1979, The Sugarhill Gang’s hit single “Rapper’s Delight” catapulted hip hop to national prominence and inspired an entire generation of artists to pursue it.
Origins
Hip hop music’s roots can be traced back to the 1970s in New York’s Bronx borough. DJs began isolating percussion breaks from disco, funk and soul songs to create short percussive beats that MCs or emcees could rap over.
Early MCs employed turntable techniques, scratching and freestyle in their performances. Furthermore, they found ways to make the music sound more exciting by speaking over it.
Eventually, this style of performance became popular and evolved into what we now know as hip hop rapping. Thus, hip hop has developed its own language composed of slang terms like dis and homie.
Hip hop was a hugely popular music genre during the late 1980s and 1990s, but it wasn’t long before some significant changes took place. These included the rise of gangsta rap which depicted inner-city teenagers’ lifestyles. Unfortunately, this style of rap is now widely seen as offensive by many due to its often violent references and endorsement of gangsta lifestyles.
Misogyny and drug use were also prominent themes, intended to boost sales and appeal to a broader audience. Unfortunately, this has been criticized for creating inaccurate representations of Black life.
Hip hop is an influential cultural force, but it also has oppressive roots. Its inception can be traced back to American cities during the 1950s and 1960s due to racial segregation as well as economic disadvantage for urban Black communities – factors which combined to birth a vibrant youth culture known as hip hop today.
Early Years
Hip hop culture began in the 1970s when DJs in New York City began isolating percussion breaks from funk, disco and R&B songs. Additionally, they started talking over the music – this became known as rapping.
Kool Herc, Disco Wiz and Grandmaster Flash were the early pioneers of this genre. They hosted block parties in the Bronx where they played a mix of funk, disco and soul records.
They also introduced MCs, or emcees, who spoke while the music played and encouraged audience members to dance, play instruments and sing along. These performances would eventually evolve into early hip hop raps that formed the basis of modern hip hop music.
Hip hop was created out of a need for people to express themselves creatively during periods of social, economic and racial unrest. These turbulent times presented many difficulties such as lack of opportunities and staggering poverty rates in urban neighborhoods.
A group of young people in the Bronx created various cultural expressions to address these issues. They formed four main pillars of hip hop culture: DJing/turntablism, MCing/rapping, B-boying/breaking and visual/graffiti art.
Hip hop music and culture has always been defined by these four elements, and each remains an essential aspect of its legacy. As hip hop’s influence spreads around the globe, its musical styles, fashion trends, and sounds continue to develop and progress.
Today, this multibillion-dollar industry is celebrated around the world. Its music and cultures have inspired millions of artists, musicians, and performers to craft their own distinct expressions of culture.
The ’80s
In the ’80s, hip hop underwent major transformations. Music became more diverse and global in scope; also this period witnessed great innovation within the industry as new technologies such as synthesizers and samplers were introduced to artists around the world.
Rap rock emerged during this decade, featuring more melodic rapping and hard rock guitar incorporated into their songs to create what would later be known as “rap rock.” These musicians would go on to become revered as pioneers of new school hip hop and were among the first artists featured on MTV.
Another major breakthrough was the TR-808 drum machine, which became an essential element in rap production. This marked a huge advancement in music technology and enabled it to produce powerful bass drum sounds.
In the early 1980s, hip hop artists began writing about socially conscious issues that affected them personally. This is often apparent in their lyrics; these artists weren’t afraid to tackle difficult subjects.
This period also marked the inception of street slang, which spread and continues to influence modern language. Famous examples include Snoop Dogg and E-40 who add “-izz” after words to make them sound shizznit.
In the 1990s, hip hop music continued its upward trajectory and spread globally. This period witnessed the emergence of several influential artists like Queen Latifah and Run-DMC that revolutionized the genre while inspiring many subsequent MCs.
The ’90s
Hip hop music began as a genre of music in the 1970s, featuring DJs and MCs (emcees) talking over percussion breaks at block parties. Influences from funk, disco and soul music inspired these songs which quickly gained traction across New York City before spreading throughout America as part of pop culture.
In the ’90s, rap artists began crafting more complex lyrics and themes than before. These creators also addressed social issues such as crime, gang violence, and misogyny. The West Coast experienced an explosion in gangsta rap during this time.
At this time, gangsta rappers achieved mainstream success as white suburban consumers began listening to their songs. This sparked an intense rivalry between East and West coast rappers; many of the biggest stars were based in both cities and hostilities between them intensified.
However, other hip hop artists were also able to break into the mainstream during this period. Maestro Fresh Wes, for instance, became a hugely successful rap star thanks to his single “Let Your Backbone Slide”.
Artists of Moroccan descent have become increasingly prominent in the hip hop scene, with Cilvaringz and Ali B being two prominent names from this group. Canada also sees an influx of rappers with South African heritage making waves on its music scene.
In the 1990s, Wu-Tang Clan emerged and released an impressive array of groundbreaking albums. As one of the few groups to achieve mainstream success during this era, their music helped shape what hip hop music stood for today – leaving its mark on all who appreciate quality craftsmanship and innovation.
The ’00s
The ’00s were an exciting era in hip hop music. Artists such as Eminem, Jay Z, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent rose to the top of the charts during this period, ushering hip hop into mass appeal. Additionally, new styles of rap were introduced during this era.
The classic school rap style, popular in the early 1970s, was party-oriented and featured live bands, Latin-influenced percussion and call-and-response chants. It included scratching and other turntable effects and lyrics often delivered in rhymed couplets (A-A-B-B).
New school artists such as Freeway and Mos Def took the A-A-B style of old school rap and added their own distinctive spin. They frequently employed internal rhymes that placed words in the middle of a line rather than at the end, plus they frequently addressed political and social issues in their lyrics.
G-Funk, a more relaxed style of hip hop, gained popularity in the ’00s. This genre blends jazz and funk grooves with an energetic hip-hop beat. The tempo is slower and its lyrics tend to be more positive than traditional gangsta rap.
Another major development during the ’00s was a move away from gangster imagery and explicit language. This enabled hip hop to become more inclusive, diverse, and allowed rappers to express their passions through writing.
Rap songs in the 2000s often addressed racial justice and social issues, spurred on by movements such as Black Lives Matter. Rappers took these topics to heart in order to express themselves creatively.
Kanye West was another influential figure of the ’00s who transformed how rappers were portrayed. His 2004 album College Drop Out, featuring hits such as Through the Wire and Jesus Walks, marked a major turning point in hip-hop’s evolution.