Old-School Hip-Hop Music: What You Need to Know

Old-school hip-hop music is a genre that is often misunderstood. If you’re not familiar with the term, you might be wondering what old-school hip-hop music is all about. In this blog post, we’ll give you a crash course on old-school hip-hop music and what you need to know about it.

The Origins of Old-School Hip-Hop

Old-school hip-hop is a term typically used to describe the first wave of hip-hop music, which began in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This era is often credited with giving birth to hip-hop as a genre, and it is characterized by its simple, stripped-down beats and rhymes.

What is old-school hip-hop?

Old-school hip-hop is a term typically used to describe the first wave of hip-hop music and culture, originating in the late 1970s in New York City. This style of hip-hop was characterized by its Afrocentricity, heavy use of samples and breaks from funk and soul records, and distinctive rhythmic flows. MCing (rapping) and DJing (turntablism) were both central to old-school hip-hop, with DJs often using their turntables as musical instruments to create new sounds. Graffiti writing was also an integral part of the culture, often serving as a visual representation of the music.

The founding fathers of hip-hop

If there is one genre of music that can be said to have truly changed the world, it is Hip-Hop. This unique style of music has its origins in the African-American community in the Bronx, New York City in the 1970s. DJ Kool Herc is often credited as being the “father of Hip-Hop”, as it was his innovative use of two turntables that laid the foundations for this new musical style.

Hip-Hop quickly spread beyond its roots in New York, with artists like Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Afrika Bambaataa and Doug E. Fresh beginning to gain popularity in other parts of the United States. In the 1980s, Hip-Hop reached a new level of mainstream success with artists like Run DMC, LL Cool J and Beastie Boys becoming household names.

Today, Hip-Hop is one of the most popular genres of music in the world and its influence can be seen in everything from fashion to film. If you want to know more about this fantastic genre of music, check out our list of essential old-school Hip-Hop albums.

The Elements of Old-School Hip-Hop

Old-school hip-hop is the style of hip-hop that was popular from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. This style was characterized by its use of simple, often minimal beats and rhymes that were easy to rap to.

MCing

MCing, also called rapping, is one of the elements of old-school hip-hop music. It is a form of lyrical delivery in which the artist speaks or chants rhythmically over an instrumental track. MCs typically use a combination of metaphor, simile, alliteration and rhyme to create their lyrics. The best MCs are able to tell a story, paint a picture or convey a message with their words. MCing became popular in the 1970s when artists like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five began to gain traction with their innovative use of rhyme and delivery.

DJing

In the early years of hip-hop, the DJs were the stars. They were the ones who controlled the music, and their skills on the turntables were what set them apart from other DJs. The most famous DJ of all time is DJ Kool Herc, who is credited with inventing the break beat. His style of DJing involved playing two copies of the same record on two turntables and extending the break by using his mixer to switch back and forth between the two records. This technique, known as “Mixing,” would become one of the defining elements of hip-hop music.

Breakdancing

Breakdancing, or b-boying/b-girling, is another key hip-hop element that emerged in New York City during the 1970s. B-boys and b-girls would get together in block parties or parks and engage in dance battles, where they would show off their best moves to see who was the best dancer. These dance battles were often intense and aggressive, as dancers would try to one-up each other with more and more complex and daring moves.

Breakdancing eventually spread beyond New York City to other parts of the US, as well as to Europe and Asia. In the 1980s, breakdancing became widely popularized by mainstream media through movies such as Flashdance (1983) and TV shows such as Soul Train. Breakdancing has also been featured in many video games, most notably in the popular Dance Dance Revolution series.

The Legacy of Old-School Hip-Hop

Old-school hip-hop is a term typically used to describe the period of hip-hop music from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. This era of hip-hop was defined by its golden age, a time when the genre was just beginning to find its footing. The sound was fresh and new, and the artists were experimenting with different styles and techniques.

The influence of old-school hip-hop

Old-school hip-hop is a term typically used to describe the first wave of hip-hop music and culture, which emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This period is often considered to be the golden age of Hip-Hop, when artists such as Afrika Bambaataa, the Sugarhill Gang, and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five helped to pioneer a new musical genre.

During this time, Hip-Hop music was heavily influenced by other genres such as funk, soul, and disco. As the popularity of Hip-Hop grew, so too did the influence of its artists. Old-school Hip-Hop has since gone on to have a significant impact on popular culture both in the United States and around the world.

The golden age of hip-hop

Golden age hip-hop is a term used to describe the period of hip-hop music from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. It is often considered to be the most fertile and innovative period in the history of hip-hop, with artists such as Run DMC, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys and A Tribe Called Quest releasing some of their most classic material. This era was also notable for its Afrocentricity and positive messages, in contrast to the gangsta rap that would come to dominate the genre in the early 1990s.