How Hip Hop Music Originated

A comprehensive history of how hip hop music originated in the 1970s.

Introduction

Hip hop is a music genre that originated in the African-American community in the 1970s. The term hip hop is often used interchangeably with rap music, but hip hop is actually a broader cultural movement that includes four elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching, graffiti writing and break dancing.

DJ Kool Herc is often credited as being the first hip hop artist, as he was the one who invented the “break beat.” His style of playing records at parties – which included lengthening the instrumental sections so that people could dance longer – caught on, and soon other DJs began doing the same thing. As they extended the breaks, they also began adding their own commentary over the music, or “toasting.” These toasts eventually developed into rap lyrics.

The Birth of Hip Hop

In the late 1960s, a new form of music called hip hop began to emerge in the streets of New York City. This new style of music was a combination of rap, DJing, and graffiti. Hip hop music quickly gained popularity among inner-city youth and soon became a worldwide phenomenon.

DJ Kool Herc

DJ Kool Herc is a Jamaican-American DJ who is credited with being one of the originators of hip hop music. Herc was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1955 and moved to the Bronx, New York in 1967. It was in the Bronx that Herc began throwing parties that would later be known as block parties.

At these parties, Herc would play two turntables at the same time and extend the breakdown sections of popular songs to allow for more dancing. He also began to experiment with using different drum patterns and breaks in his mixes. These innovations laid the foundation for the development of hip hop music.

Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa is a Bronx-born DJ who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop music. He is often credited as the father of hip hop, and his influence can be heard in the music of today.

Bam began his career as a DJ in the early 1970s, spinning records at block parties and clubs around the Bronx. He quickly developed a following, and by the late 1970s, he was one of the most popular DJs in New York City. Bam’s parties were known for their eclectic mix of music, which included R&B, soul, funk, disco, and rock.

In 1980, Bam released “Planet Rock,” a track that would become one of the most influential songs in hip hop history. “Planet Rock” fuse

The Golden Age of Hip Hop

Hip hop music originated in the 1970s in the Bronx in New York City. It is a style of music that is characterized by rhyming lyrics that are spoken or chanted over a pumping, danceable beat. The first hip hop record is generally considered to be “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang, which was released in 1979.

The Sugarhill Gang

In 1979, a group called the Sugarhill Gang released a song called “Rapper’s Delight.” It was fifteen minutes long and was based on the bass line from Chic’s song “Good Times.” “Rapper’s Delight” became a number one hit on the pop charts, and it is credited with being the first hip hop song.

Run-DMC

Run-DMC is an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York, founded in 1983 by brothers Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. The duo signed to Russell Simmons’ Def Jam Recordings at the recommendation of Rick Rubin after meeting while Rubin was managing the Beastie Boys. Run-DMC is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential groups in the history of hip hop culture and one of the most famous hip hop acts of all time. They were the first group in the genre to have a gold album (Run-DMC), and be nominated for a Grammy Award (Raising Hell). Run-DMC was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, becoming the second hip hop group to be inducted following Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five in 2007.

The group’s sound was a rap style that contained elements of rock music, as well as a heavy use of sampling that helped their music appeal to a wide audience. As one of the earliest rap groups to achieve mainstream success, Run-DMC helped pave the way for other artists and groups in the genre.

The Birth of Gangsta Rap

In the late 1980s, hip hop music was dominated by party rap and G-funk, but all of that changed with the release of N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton in 1988. This album ushered in a new era of rap, one that was focused on the harsh realities of life in the inner city. This new style of rap, which came to be known as gangsta rap, quickly took the country by storm.

N.W.A

N.W.A. is widely considered the first gangsta rap group, their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton is often cited as the first gangsta rap album. The album was a huge success, reaching number two on the Billboard 200 and selling over three million copies in the United States. It is considered by many to be one of the greatest and most influential hip hop albums of all time.

N.W.A was formed in 1986 in Los Angeles, California, by Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and Ice Cube. They were initially signed to rapper/producer Jerry Heller’s Ruthless Records label. Arabian Prince left the group before they released their debut album, and Ice Cube would leave soon after due to disagreements with Heller and N.W.A’s manager, Suge Knight.

Dr. Dre and Eazy-E would go on to have hugely successful solo careers, with Dre becoming one of the biggest names in music as a producer and Eazy-E becoming one of the most successful rappers of all time with his debut solo album, Eazy-Duz-It.

Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur was born in 1971 in New York City. His mother, Afeni Shakur, was a member of the Black Panther Party. Tupac’s birth name was Lesane Parish Crooks, but his mother changed it to Tupac Amaru Shakur when he was a child. Tupac grew up in New York and New Jersey. He dropped out of high school but later earned his GED.

Tupac became a successful rapper and actor. He was nominated for five Grammy Awards and won one. His albums include “Me Against the World” (1996) and “All Eyez on Me” (1996). Tupac also starred in several movies, including “Poetic Justice” (1993) and “Gangsta Rap: The Glockumentary” (2005).

Tupac was shot and killed in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 7, 1996. He was 25 years old.

The Evolution of Hip Hop

Emerging in the Bronx in the 1970s, hip hop was a response to the violence, crime and neglect that characterized many inner-city neighborhoods. This new music style quickly spread throughout the country and the world, evolving into many different subgenres along the way. While it has changed a lot since its earliest days, hip hop still has the same core elements that make it such an enjoyable and popular genre.

Outkast

Outkast is an American hip hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The duo is one of the most successful hip-hop groups of all time, having won six Grammy Awards. They achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success in the 1990s and early 2000s, helping to popularize Southern hip hop while experimenting with a variety of musical genres including funk, soul, punk rock, electro, and rock and roll.

André 3000 and Big Boi met in 1992 at Lenox Square shopping mall when they were both just teenagers. The two attended Tri-Cities High School together, where they began rapping as a duo. They took their stage name from the local OutKasts gang. After being signed to LaFace Records in 1992, they released their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik in 1994 to both critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching number four on the US Billboard 200 chart and selling over two million copies. Their second album, ATLiens (1996), was also a critical and commercial success; it reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over two million copies. In 2000, they released their third album Stankonia to even greater success; it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over four million copies in the US alone. The following year, the duo went on hiatus but returned with a new album in 2003 titled Speakerboxxx/The Love Below; it topped the Billboard 200 chart for nearly a month upon its release and won multiple Grammy Awards including Album of the Year at the 2004 ceremony.

Since Outkast’s hiatus began in 2003, both members have had solo careers in music; André 3000 released The Love Below as his own solo album in 2003 while Big Boi released Speakerboxxx / The Love Below as his own solo album in 2003 as well. In addition to their solo work, both members have been featured on several other artists’ tracks as well as having participated in various film and television projects.

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is one of the most popular and influential rappers of our generation. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California. Compton is known for its low socio-economic status and high gang activity. Despite this, Kendrick Lamar’s parents encouraged him to pursue his musical talents. Kendrick Lamar began rapping at the age of eight. As a teenager, he joined a hip hop group called Compton Effect and began to release mixtapes under his own name.

Kendrick Lamar’s big break came in 2012 with the release of his major label debut album good kid, m.A.A.d city. The album was a commercial and critical success, earning Kendrick Lamar numerous awards and nominations, including seven Grammy nominations. Kendrick Lamar’s follow-up album To Pimp a Butterfly was released in 2015 to even greater acclaim. The album won five Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album, and cemented Kendrick Lamar’s place as one of the most important rappers of our time.

Conclusion

It is impossible to pinpoint the exact moment when hip hop music originated, but we can trace its origins back to the Bronx in New York City in the 1970s. Hip hop was born out of a desire for self-expression and creativity in a time and place where there were limited opportunities for young people of color.

Since its humble beginnings, hip hop has grown to become one of the most popular genres of music in the world. It has also been a force for social change, helping to give a voice to marginalized communities and bringing people together across racial and cultural divides. As hip hop continues to evolve, it remains an important part of our shared cultural history.