Hip hop culture provides an outlet for inner city youth who are struggling with poverty, drugs and gang violence. The music‘s values foster community cohesion, peace and unity.
Sugarhill Gang’s 1979 track “Rapper’s Delight” introduced an unsuspecting nation to rap. Subsequent MCs and rappers developed personae as cool, macho or tough; boasting about their skills while honing their craft.
Origins
Hip hop was created from its roots in urban communities during the ’70s. Many African-American, Latino-American, and Caribbean-American youths lived in rundown neighborhoods with little hope of an improved future; art became their vehicle for expression and empowerment – thus giving birth to rap music as a genre that continues to speak up for those often unheard of or overlooked in society.
The first rap recordings are widely believed to have been created at New York City block parties in the late 70s and 80s, when DJs isolated and extended the percussion breaks in dance music that could then be spoken over by MCs (or rappers) speaking rhymed words over each beat. Sugar Hill Gang became one of the first groups to popularize this style when their song, “Rapper’s Delight”, made its debut nationally.
Soon, artists such as Doug E. Fresh, Buffy and Biz Markie developed vocal percussion techniques known as human beatboxing to produce rhythm, beats and musical sounds using only their mouth, lips, tongue and voice – creating an entirely new method for producing hip hop music that was not only melodic and catchy but also provided access to an array of electronic sounds unobtainable with any other instrument.
Breakdancers and graffiti artists helped spread hip hop culture beyond its core audience of MCs and DJs. Films like Spike Lee’s 1989 “Do The Right Thing,” 1991’s “Boyz N the Hood,” and 2015’s “Straight Outta Compton” gave audiences insight into urban rap music’s world; eventually it was widely accepted as an art form with its own distinct styles and culture.
Hip hop may have initially received negative connotations; however, its impact has since spread globally with different scenes and styles emerging in each city. Furthermore, its influence has extended into music such as funk, house techno and reggae productions.
Hip hop music has proven itself an influential political tool, galvanizing activism against injustice through protests such as those that followed the 2016 killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, with Kendrick Lamar providing soundtrack for protestors’ rallies against police brutality.
Styles
Hip hop music is defined by rhythmically spoken words and powerful beats. Its creators draw upon longstanding African-American musical traditions to rework them into new ways. DJ Kool Herc is often credited with pioneering this culture movement by spinning records at dance parties in the early 1970s; using twin turntables he would use to isolate and extend percussion breaks, the most danceable sections of songs; this technique became known as sampling.
Rappers quickly evolved beyond dance music to address social issues through lyrics. Beginning in the early 1980s, an emerging style known as conscious hip hop emerged; initially this term described any rap considered progressive for its time – from Melle Mel’s visions of urban poverty in Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s The Message to J Cole’s observations on addiction in KOD. Also during this era drum machines like Roland’s TR-808 enabled musicians to create their own beats instead of relying solely on DJ breakbeats.
As hip hop gained momentum, its fans spread its culture through street and club DJing, graffiti art, fashion and other aspects of lifestyle. Additionally, various magazines and websites devoted solely to hip hop emerged; some focused on specific audiences while others were more general in nature.
Although rap music remains the cornerstone of hip hop, there are numerous styles within its realm. A common element among them is the beat created by DJs or producers from recordings or synthesizers; often this will be joined by one or more rappers who perform rhythmic lyrics using techniques such as assonance and alliteration.
Gangsta rap can reflect and glorify the violent nature of inner city living, using street and gang language that may offend some listeners. Hip hop has also been accused of endorsing drug use and mistreating women.
More recently, a style of hip hop has evolved that features artists who create their own beats and lyrics, becoming increasingly popular with younger generations and giving rise to new styles of rap music.
Influences
Hip hop culture has had an immense effect on society and people’s way of living, helping to foster unity in communities that were suffering from poverty, drugs, violence and lack of employment opportunities. Hip hop art began its evolution in Bronx borough of New York City during the early 70s before spreading worldwide today.
Hip hop’s roots can be traced back to an experimental DJ named Kool Herc who pioneered its distinctive sound in August 1973. By spinning two copies of one record simultaneously on two turntables and toggling between them to isolate and extend percussion breaks–the most danceable sections of a song–Kool Herc created an electric beat which allowed MCs (rappers) to rhyme over. His success inspired other DJs to compete against each other and develop unique styles; competition remains an essential motivating force within hip hop circles today.
Hip hop culture also incorporates graffiti art, which involves writing words and pictures with spray paint on walls or other surfaces. Graffiti can often be spontaneous or inspired by its surroundings; graffiti art has long been an integral component of the hip hop movement because it allows artists to express themselves freely while also communicating their life views through visual representations.
Breakdancing, one of the three primary components of hip hop dance, combines elements from jazz, ballet and gymnastics into an acrobatic form of dance that includes rapid rhythm changes and acrobatic moves. Dancers may incorporate freestyle elements in order to make up their own moves. Hip hop breakdancing has quickly become one of the world’s most beloved forms of dance today and remains one of the world’s most beloved forms of expression.
Hip hop music has been influenced by many sources, from urban culture and politics to sociopolitical factors and social problems. Critics have accused rappers of glorifying violence and drug use through their lyrics; however, most do not intend to glorify such subjects; instead they simply describe their environments and local struggles in an honest fashion.
Significance
Hip hop culture has had a tremendous impact on American and world cultures alike. It has taken root among youth, who embrace its values while creating their own styles of music and dancing. Hip hop’s origin in urban areas has brought with it new forms of youth energy and an entirely different way of living life.
Music has also become a powerful form of social commentary and protest, reflecting urban life’s struggles while giving voice to those often disregarded by society. Additionally, its influence can be found across genres including fashion, graffiti art and film production.
Hip hop was birthed when rappers and producers started incorporating elements from various genres into their work, leading to the development of a style combining pop, rock, reggae, and jazz elements – giving rise to what would later be termed hip hop in the early 80s.
At its birth in urban America in the late 70’s and 80’s, hip hop quickly rose to fame among African Americans before expanding beyond it’s initial home base. Led by influential artists such as Run-DMC, LL Cool J and Public Enemy; hip hop has since evolved into a multifaceted cultural phenomenon comprising four elements: deejaying (turntablism); rapping/MCing/MCing speech patterns with rhythmic or rhyme schemes; graffiti painting; B-boying or break dancing and B-boying/break dancing (sometimes also called knowledge of self by some scholars). Some scholars also include knowledge of self as part of this phenomenon – see note 5.
Though some have accused hip hop of glorifying drug use and violence, others have noted its ability to give voice to those often disregarded by society. With roots firmly planted in the ghettos across America, its roots help expose injustices while drawing attention to issues which would otherwise go ignored in mainstream media coverage.
Hip hop culture has inspired dance and fitness styles that emphasize body rhythm. Clothing lines were developed and it even helped other genres such as ska, punk and disco become influential forms of music. Hip hop has even become an outlet for youths living in war-torn nations to heal themselves emotionally while discovering strength within themselves.