Hip hop music is a cultural phenomenon that emerged in the 1980s and ’90s. This style blends rhythmic or rhyming speech with accompanying music to form an incredibly versatile genre.
Hip hop’s origins began with DJs playing a blend of disco, funk and Jamaican dub records as MCs rapped over them. Soon enough, this genre spread like wildfire around the world.
The origins of hip hop
Hip hop music evolved during the early 1970s in South Bronx, New York. There, African Americans and Latinos were struggling to survive in an economically depressed environment; this spawned a music genre that combined dance, style and socially aware philosophy.
DJs began isolating percussion breaks in funk, soul and disco songs to create unique sounds. These DJs would often speak over the music as well, which became known as rapping. These same DJs and MCs would perform live at parties or concerts as well.
These performances would include exhortations to dance, jokes and anecdotes. As rapping’s popularity grew, DJs and MCs started competing with one another to craft the best songs.
In the early 1980s, synthesizers and drum machines became more affordable and accessible to hip hop artists. This revolutionized how music was produced, enabling producers to create original rhythms. Roland’s TR-808 drum machine had a major impact on this genre; its influence helped shape hip hop into what it is today.
Another significant milestone in the evolution of hip hop was the introduction of samplers, which allowed producers to record sounds without relying on other people’s recordings. This marked a change in the genre’s style from being heavily sampled to being more creative and experimental.
Hip hop’s evolution is an amazing tale, and it’s worth learning more about its cultural roots. If you’re interested in becoming a producer for this unique culture, ICON Collective is a music production school that imparts core technical abilities while encouraging your individual creative process. Discover more about our programs by visiting our website today!
The golden age of hip hop
Hip hop has become a mainstay of modern music. Its meteoric rise from underground music to an influential multi-billion dollar industry has cemented it as one of the most influential styles worldwide. Rappers revolutionized hip hop’s boundaries, turning it into an innovative musical genre never seen before.
The golden age of hip hop was from 1986 to 1996, renowned for its creative energy and stylistic variety. This period saw iconic album releases by Run DMC and the Beastie Boys as well as the passings of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.
This period saw the birth of groundbreaking albums from artists such as LL Cool J, KRS-One and Public Enemy. It was during this time that hip hop production saw a major change with the introduction of samplers.
Rappers also showed their creativity, using samples to craft new musical forms that combined hip hop with rock and punk, producing songs more sophisticated than anything they had ever done before. While much of this was controversial, it also inspired a whole generation of hip hop artists who would go on to revolutionize the genre.
Rakim’s masterful lyricism, combined with James Brown samples he and other emcees used, set the bar for complex yet message-driven rap music. Native Tongues artists’ inclusive, sample-packed songs also set them apart with their positivity and Afrocentric focus.
Despite their success, many of these pioneers were struggling to make ends meet. Ice Cube in particular had financial disputes that forced him out of N.W.A. He then released AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, an album which he describes as “message rap.”
The 1990s
The 1990s marked a pivotal period in hip hop music history, with artists such as Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul at its zenith.
At this time, rappers from different parts of the world developed their own distinct styles of hip hop. New York City-based artists set the bar high with hardcore rap that featured swinging hip hop beats and martial-arts samples.
Another notable trend of the 1990s was breakdancing, an energetic form of dance originally from South Africa. This style quickly gained notoriety and many record labels began investing in it.
Hip hop music began to utilize sampling during this era, allowing emcees to incorporate parts of songs into their own creations for a unique sound.
However, several copyright owners became concerned about unauthorized uses of their songs and demanded compensation for them. This sparked a major conflict within the rap community, with artists such as Biz Markie suing musicians for using parts of their tunes without authorization.
Gangsta rap’s explosive rise to popularity in the 1990s was met with controversy, yet it didn’t deter its spread across America. Artists like N.W.A and 2 Live Crew, who brought attention to street violence head-on, also became catalysts for an epic East Coast-West Coast rivalry that ultimately resulted in Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G’s deaths; nonetheless, music from this era remains influential to this day.
The 2000s
The 2000s marked an exciting era for hip hop music. Artists weren’t afraid to venture outside their comfort zones and push boundaries within their genre, creating music with greater appeal that would reach more listeners than ever before.
Music industry saw many influential names emerge, including rappers such as Eminem and Nelly. These artists were able to carve out a unique path and break records with each album they released.
Missy Elliott was another artist who broke through music industry barriers and created an innovative style of music with great impact on the industry. She blended her lyrical raps with R&B, creating a new sound that had an immense effect on hip hop culture and scene alike.
As the music industry became more digital, many artists took their content online to reach a wider audience. They created mixtapes which they released to fans and used social media to gain more followers. These mixes allowed them to reach their desired audience and achieve success within the industry.
Hip hop artists also began releasing their music through websites and streaming services, marking a huge departure from the past when only physical copies of songs could be purchased.
Rap songs began to reflect more luxury, with many rappers creating songs about their luxurious lives instead of lamenting poverty. This became an outlet for artists to flaunt their wealth.
The music industry was highly political, with many rap songs featuring strong political messages. This was in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and other pressing social issues of the day.
The present
Hip hop music continues to have an immense effect on society today. It provides young people with a platform to express their ideas and beliefs through music that mirrors their unique perspectives, connecting them to basic ideas of social awareness, identity, and purpose.
Hip hop has a longstanding legacy of challenging the status quo through lyric content. The Black Lives Matter movement serves as an excellent example of this. The messages contained within these songs remain pertinent today and provide young people with a powerful platform to express their opinions and fight for what is right.
Rap is an innovative form of writing that has profoundly shaped the literary world. It has given birth to a generation of African American, Latino and feminist writers who share stories that many in mainstream America might not have otherwise encountered.
Many rappers can sing while they rap, adding an innovative element to their work and reaching a wider audience. People tend to connect more with songs that feature singing rather than just rapping, so this combination can really draw people in.
Modern rap songs increasingly incorporate electronic instruments, adding another layer to an already complex sound. It is not unusual to hear beats without MCs anymore, allowing producers to explore various sounds and genres.
Today, there are a plethora of successful hip hop artists. Names such as Future, Lil Baby and Jack Harlow have all achieved enormous success through their music. They continue to release hit singles that prove they’re hitmakers in the industry.