Hip hop is a cultural movement encompassing rapping, DJing, graffiti and breakdancing. Its early musicians didn’t possess musical instruments themselves so they sampled grooves from classic records to craft their beats.
Rappers, or MCs, used rhythmic street poetry over beats as their lyrics became increasingly metaphysical and explored various topics. Boom-bap eventually evolved into conscious hip hop in the ’90s with groups such as A Tribe Called Quest and NWA taking political stands against one another.
Definition
Hip hop music and culture originated in New York’s Bronx borough in the early 1970s, before spreading worldwide over time. Its four core components are MCing (rapping), DJing with turntables, breaking dance, and graffiti writing – although initially focused on inner city poverty it has now become a lifestyle chosen by young people all around the globe.
Hip hop’s popularity has given birth to numerous subgenres, such as trap, grime, gangsta rap, b-boying and crunk. Furthermore, it has been heavily influenced by jazz, indie rock and punk rock genres – giving rise to artists such as Jay-Z, Missy Elliott and Kanye West. Conscious hip hop came into fashion during the mid 1990s thanks to groups such as A Tribe Called Quest and NWA calling attention to police brutality towards black communities as well as social injustices against black communities – this style of rapping continues today and helps give rise to modern rappers such as Common and Kendrick Lamar.
Hip hop music and culture has long been revered for its unique fashion sense and slang, helping shape generations’ looks while being an integral part of popular culture around the globe. Influences from this form can be found across fashion, food and even sports industries; KRS One once declared “hip hop isn’t something you listen to; it’s something you live.” And this continues to hold true today.
Hip-hop recordings first hit the charts in 1979 with Sugarhill Gang’s album “Rapper’s Delight.” These records showcased three core aspects of the culture – rapping, DJing and break dancing. Hip-hop soon spread among minority populations both domestically and abroad thanks to music videos which allowed it to reach wider audiences.
The 1980s witnessed hip-hop grow significantly during this era with increased experimentation involving drum kits, more complex sampling, and metaphorical rap lyrics. This transitioned to alternative hip-hop which heavily borrowed influences from punk and jazz music as it began transforming itself. Outkast, Jay-Z, and Kanye West all utilized these influences in order to craft sophisticated sounds of their own that set apart them from mainstream sounds of that period.
Origins
Hip hop music emerged in New York housing projects during the 1970s before spreading globally as an artistic movement. Hip hop includes four distinct elements: DJing, MCing, graffiti art and dance – its controversial roots aside it has remained one of the most beloved music genres ever!
Hip hop’s roots can be traced back to urban America, specifically New York City’s Bronx borough. Hip hop emerged as a culture among inner-city African American, Afro-Caribbean and Latino communities struggling with poverty, crime, drug use and gang violence; hip hop provided them an outlet to express themselves differently from mainstream culture, while also giving them a sense of identity and empowerment.
DJ Kool Herc was playing records at a block party when he noticed that certain drumbeats could be repeated to create a beat, eventually creating the foundation of hip hop music. By 1979, Rapper’s Delight by Sugarhill Gang had been released as the first recorded rap song and introduced an even wider audience to hip hop’s sound.
At first, rappers used short vocal phrases to tell stories about their lives and problems they encountered in their neighborhoods. They also utilized rhythmic vocal tones as instruments to convey emotion and intensity. The best rappers were known for their flow – the ability to seamlessly rhyme without stopping for breath – as well as jazz elements that were popular within African American diaspora culture at that time.
As hip hop became more prevalent, more DJs and MCs formed duos to collaborate in developing its music. They experimented with new sounds and techniques such as sampling short drum breaks, scratching records, and creating their signature style of rapping known as “flow.” Over time, the movement expanded to encompass both gangsta rap from California artists like Ice-T and N.W.A and conscious rap by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five; The Notorious B.I.G; KRS-One.
Subgenres
Hip hop music genre has evolved over time into numerous subgenres, such as crunk, chillhop, bounce, mumble rap Latin hip hop rock (or nu metal). A key aspect of hip-hop is the beat – an infectious, rhythmic drum pattern which forms the backbone for most songs in hip-hop genre. Finding one suitable to your rapper’s style and flow is important when selecting an ideal beat; other important components include rapping (a rhythmic type of chant which interplays with rhythm of beat) singing spoken word content as well as autotune (autotune).
Hip-hop has had a massive effect on society since its birth and continues to shape global culture today. From music, fashion and technology to language and dance – even education and politics – hip-hop has changed our world for good. And its influence extends well beyond negative connotations: many young people find hope and success through this movement.
Gangsta rap became one of the genre’s most iconic subgenres during the 1980s. This type of hip-hop focused on depicting harsh lifestyles and cultures found in ghetto neighborhoods; often glorifying drug dealing and street violence while criticizing society’s issues. Some critics consider gangsta rap offensive to women and children, but its supporters believe that its power of expression can change lives for the better.
Hip-hop rapidly spread throughout America during the ’80s and adopted new ideas and sounds from different regions of America, becoming more commercial and mainstream with each decade that followed – in which modern drum kits, more complex sampling, metaphorical lyrics and rappers such as Sugarhill Gang, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and Naughty by Nature became prevalent.
Hip-hop again experienced another paradigm shift as artists released their works on streaming services to reach a much broader audience. Mumble rap and trap were introduced as new forms of expression within hip-hop at this time; though these styles sometimes face backlash from older rappers, they continue to push forward the genre’s development.
Artists
Hip hop music has long been an influential creative medium that attracts creative people of all backgrounds. While men still dominate rap and hip hop genres, women, mixed duos/groups/non-binary artists also have strong representation within these musical forms. While hip hop covers a broad spectrum of styles and sounds that set it apart from other musical genres.
Hip hop music is rhythm driven. Most hip hop songs fall between 80-110 beats per minute; most beats are created using electronic instruments or samples from older recordings; these beats may be either relaxed and laidback or harsh and aggressive depending on the artist. Furthermore, most hip hop beats tend to feature minimal musical complexity so as not to distract from lyrics and flows of rappers.
Hip hop music has evolved over time from rhythmic chants into lyrics with deeper themes, while some influential MCs in hip hop have used their lyrical skills to raise awareness of social issues and focus attention on specific causes – an approach known as conscious hip hop. Artists such as KRS One of Boogie Down Productions, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five Rakim Akala Boots Riley and Talib Kweli are widely respected for both their activism as well as musical talents.
By the late 1990s, hip hop had become a cultural phenomenon and had expanded into various subgenres. This period is known as the golden age of hip hop. Artists began taking liberties with their sound, leading to numerous subgenres today.
Hip hop became a mainstream genre during the early 2000s due to crossover success from artists like Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne. This trend continues today with Kendrick Lamar and Drake both earning massive album sales figures.
Hip hop music has inspired other forms of music such as grime, which emerged on London council estates early 21st century East London. While some might contest that grime falls under the umbrella of hip hop genre, there are certainly similarities between both styles that bear witness to one another; such as its sound being similar to old school hip hop which evolved out of disco and funk influences.