Hip hop music is a dance music genre characterized by rapping and break beats, which stems from its cultural foundation as self-expression through community service and work ethic.
Hip-hop originated in the Bronx during the 1970s as an effective response to socioeconomic hardship and limited recreational outlets. Deejays like Kool Herc used turntables to mix percussive fragments from older records with popular dance songs to form hip-hop beats.
Hip-Hop
Hip hop refers to a cultural movement that began in the 1970s. It blends elements from rap music with street art, graffiti writing, beatboxing, and various dance styles such as break dancing or graffiti writing. Hip hop was distinguished by its minimalist street sound as opposed to orchestrated club music that used prerecorded instrumental tracks as backing. Early performers included MCs (masters of ceremonies or rappers), DJs who used and modified prerecorded instrumental tracks while DJing; it also included break dancers and graffiti writers among others.
Hip hop emerged in African American and Puerto Rican neighborhoods of urban America. Although its earliest practitioners were predominantly men, women have since become influential participants of this movement that has greatly impacted fashion, politics, dance styles, break dancing and its global popularity.
Since no single individual can claim sole credit for the birth of hip hop, Kool Herc is often considered the pioneer MC and deejay of modern hip hop music. He introduced large sound systems to inner-city parties while mixing percussive fragments from older records with popular dance songs to form what would eventually become hip hop music. Kool Herc then isolated and extended “break beats”, or parts where all but drums drop out, by playing two copies of one record on two turntables (a technique later perfected by Grandmaster Flash) creating continuous streams of music that inspired dancing as well as coining its term: b-boys/break dancers.
Dre and Krush Groove were pioneering hip hop producers who added funk samples into their productions, including menacing bass beats and high-pitched synthesizers to an already jazzy rhythm with trumpets and piano. Through this approach, these musicians helped reposition hip hop from its stereotypical image as violent street trash to one that could appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners.
In the early 90s, New Orleans experienced the rise of a distinct form of hip hop music that combined southern beats and an infectiously catchy cadence similar to British grime lyricism. This movement quickly caught on among young black residents living there and quickly became popular; while different than its northern counterpart, its core themes remained similar: violence against minority communities and social inequality.
EDM
EDM stands for electronic dance music, and has become an immensely popular genre. DJs and producers use synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, and samplers to craft beats which they then sync up together into rhythmic sounds that can be enjoyed both on dance floors and clubs alike. EDM incorporates elements of other musical genres like funk, hip-hop and pop.
Rappers have taken to EDM music in order to stay relevant in youth culture. Many rap artists have begun working with EDM producers such as RL Grime, Baauer, Diplo and Flosstradamus who produce EDM tracks with crossover appeal for both audiences.
The convergence of dance music and hip-hop is an evolving trend that has raised debate among musicians. While some contend it to be detrimental, others maintain it will lead to an enhanced musical experience for all involved. Even if collaborations fail, both genres can learn from one another to create better songs moving forward.
Rap is often thought of as a subgenre of hip-hop music; however, its characteristics also share elements with other forms of music such as soul. This amalgamation of genres has enabled artists to craft more complex and engaging songs than would normally be found within traditional hip-hop songs; furthermore, its combination of genres gives rap a matured and varied sound which has captured listeners around the globe.
EDM music uses similar instrumentation as hip-hop, such as guitars, keyboards and drums, but with additional vocal effects and electronic instruments being utilized to produce an exciting and innovative soundscape. EDM has become an integral component of today’s music industry.
Electronic Dance Music (EDM), made popular by artists such as Tiesto, Hardwell, and Skrillex has quickly become one of the most popular forms of musical expression today. EDM encompasses many distinct musical genres such as techno, dubstep, house music and many subgenres such as trance and hardstyle that are defined by specific instrumentation, tempos and vocal samples.
Collaborations
Collaborations in music are the cornerstone of creativity. Joining artists of different genres allows them to draw from each other’s experiences, pool their collective experiences and produce something greater than the sum of their individual parts. Hip-hop’s most legendary collaborations have gone far beyond simple song-making: They have led cultural movements, challenged societal norms and expanded pop culture horizons; from Rihanna and Kanye West on “Watch the Throne” to G-funk on Dr. Dre’s “Nuthin But A G Thang”, these examples showcase how dance and rap can work wonders together with astounding results.
The most acclaimed rap-EDM collaborations have typically involved producers and rappers combining two seemingly disparate styles. Dubstep producers often incorporate hip-hop beats into their basslines when making club music featuring club chants or sayings; electronica and techno genres also manage to incorporate some form of rap into their soundscapes, from minimalist icy compositions of James Blake to Chance the Rapper’s synthesizer-heavy synthesizers.
But perhaps the most acclaimed example of dance and hip-hop collab magic came when rapper Eve teamed up with No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani on “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” an explosively catchy track which helped propel Pussycat Dolls to fame and solidified both artists’ success.
Trap music has emerged as an innovative subgenre of EDM since 2010, merging rap and EDM elements together into an intoxicating combination that is now part of popular culture. Producers such as Scotland’s Hudson Mohawke and Montreal’s Lunice are widely credited with furthering this subgenre and giving Kanye West his distinctively dark sound of Yeezus.
One of the greatest examples of collaboration between hip-hop and dance music came when Q-Tip joined DJ duo the Chemical Brothers for “Dope Song,” released in 2004. This collaboration marked one of the first times sung-rap style had been used on mainstream production by this collective; and remains an incredible testament to how dance and hip-hop can meet at their most powerful points when brought together in creative collaboration.