The History of Rap and Hip Hop Music

The history of rap and hip hop music is often told through the stories of the artists who created it. In this blog post, we take a look at the origins of rap and hip hop and how it has evolved over the years.

Origins of Rap and Hip Hop Music

Rap and hip hop are terms used to describe a type of music that originated in the United States in the late 1970s. The term “rap” refers to the act of speaking or reciting lyrics in a rhythmic way, while “hip hop” refers to a broader cultural movement that includes rap music, DJing, break dancing, and graffiti art.

African American oral tradition

Rap and hip hop music are genres of music that are part of the African American oral tradition. This means that they are based on the way that black people in America have used oral communication to pass on their culture.

One of the earliest forms of rap and hip hop music was created by slaves who were taken from Africa to America. These slaves were allowed to keep their drums, which they used to communicate with each other. They would also use them to create songs and dances that expressed their feelings about their situation.

As time went on, black people in America began to develop their own style of music, which was influenced by the blues and jazz. This new style of music became known as R&B, or Rhythm and Blues. R&B artists like James Brown and Marvin Gaye began to fuse elements of rap into their songs, creating a new genre known as soul.

Soul music became very popular in the 1970s, with artists like Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin achieving mainstream success. At the same time, a new generation of black artists was beginning to experiment with rap music. These artists, including Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa, started incorporating elements of disco into their tracks, creating a new sound that would come to be known as hip hop.

Hip hop quickly became popular among black youth in inner-city neighborhoods across America. In the 1980s, artists like Run-DMC and Public Enemy helped to bring hip hop to a wider audience, crossing over into the mainstream pop charts. Today, rap and hip hop are two of the most popular genres of music in the world, enjoyed by people of all races and cultures.

DJ Kool Herc and the birth of Hip Hop

Hip hop music, also called hip-hop or rap music, is a music genre developed in the United States by inner-city African Americans in the 1970s. It consists of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted. It developed as part of hip hop culture, a subculture defined by four key stylistic elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching with turntables, break dancing, and graffiti writing. Other elements include sampling (or synthesis), and beatboxing. Hip hop music became popular outside of the African-American community in the late 1980s, with the mainstream commercial success of gangsta rap.

Disc jockey (DJ) Afrika Bambaataa is credited with first using the term to describe the subculture in which the music belonged; although it is also suggested that Hip Hop Culture was inspired by earlier aspects of African American culture such as Tap dancing. The term rap has been used to describe talking on records since at least 1971. Hip Hop as a musical genre is distinguished from other genres such as pop, rock, R&B or soul because it has developed specifically from African American culture; it also shares similarities with Reggae although Reggae developed from Caribbean culture and not from African American culture.

The Golden Age of Rap and Hip Hop

The Sugarhill Gang and “Rapper’s Delight”

The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” is often credited as being the first rap song, and it was certainly the first to achieve widespread popularity. Released in 1979, the song was an instant hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It introduced many people to the new genre of rap music and helped to launch the career of the group’s leader, Big Bank Hank.

Afrika Bambaataa and “Planet Rock”

In the early 1980s, Afrika Bambaataa and his crew, the Soulsonic Force, released the song “Planet Rock.” It was an instant hit, and is often credited as being one of the first hip hop songs to gain mainstream success. “Planet Rock” blended elements of techno and funk to create a new sound that was unlike anything that had been heard before. The song’s success helped to break down barriers between different genres of music, and paved the way for the rapid rise of rap and hip hop in the 1980s and beyond.

Run-D.M.C. and the birth of Rap Metal

In the early 1980s, a new style of music emerged from the African American community that blended elements of rap, hip hop, and heavy metal. This new style came to be known as rap metal and its pioneers were the group Run-D.M.C.

Run-D.M.C. was formed in New York City in 1981 by two high school friends, Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. The duo was soon joined by a third member, Jason “Jam-Master Jay” Mizell, and they began performing at local clubs and parties. Run-D.M.C.’s style of music was strongly influenced by the heavy metal bands of the time, such as Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, as well as by the pioneering hip hop groups like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Run-D.M.C.’s debut album, 1984’s ‘Sucker MCs’, is widely considered to be the first rap metal album ever released. The album’s lead single, ‘Rock Box’, features heavy metal guitar riffs played over a hip hop beat, creating a sound that would become characteristic of rap metal. ‘Sucker MCs’ was a commercial success, selling over half a million copies in the United States alone, and it helped to make Run-D.M.C. one of the most popular groups in rap music history.

Since then, rap metal has become its own distinct genre of music with many different artists contributing to its evolution. Some of the most notable rap metal artists include Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, Linkin Park, and System of a Down.

The Birth of Gangsta Rap

In the late 1980s, gangsta rap became the dominant subgenre of hip hop. Gangsta rap is a subgenre of hip hop that evolved from hardcore hip hop and gangster rap. The genre was pioneered by artists from the West Coast, such as Ice-T, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg.

Schoolly D and “P.S.K.”

Schoolly D’s “P.S.K. (What Does It Mean?)” is considered by many to be the first gangsta rap song. Schoolly D, a black rapper from Philadelphia, rose to prominence in the mid-’80s with his raw and violent lyrics. “P.S.K.” detailed the activities of a drug-dealing street gang called the ParkSide Killers. The song’s graphic images of violence and drug use shocked many people, but it also resonated with inner-city youths who were struggling to survive in a brutal environment.

With its frank depiction of drug dealing and other illegal activities, “P.S.K.” helped pave the way for the future success of gangsta rap artists like N.W.A., Ice-T, and Tupac Shakur. While some critics condemned gangsta rap for glamorizing criminal behavior, others praised it for giving a voice to marginalized groups that had been ignored by the mainstream music industry.

N.W.A. and “Straight Outta Compton”

In the late 1980s, a group of West Coast rappers, including Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre, came together to form the rap group N.W.A. They released their debut album, “Straight Outta Compton” in 1988. The album was a huge success, and its single “Fuck tha Police” became an anthem for the African American community.

The album’s success launched the careers of several members of N.W.A., including Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. They went on to become two of the most successful rappers in the history of rap music. “Straight Outta Compton” is considered one of the most important albums in the history of rap music and its impact is still felt today.

Ice-T and “Cop Killer”

In July of 1992, Time Warner released the Body Count album, which featured the song “Cop Killer.” The song was written by Ice-T andErnie C, and it caused an immediate uproar. Critics accused Ice-T of promoting the murder of police officers, and they called for a boycott of Time Warner’s products. The furor eventually died down, but “Cop Killer” remains one of the most controversial songs in rap history.

The East Coast-West Coast Rivalry

Hip hop music first gained mainstream popularity in the early 1990s with the release of several mainstream rap albums, such as “The Chronic” by Dr. Dre and “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” by the Wu-Tang Clan. This was followed by a period of East Coast-West Coast rivalry in the mid-1990s, which was characterized by a number of high-profile beefs, such as the one between Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.

The Notorious B.I.G. and “Ready to Die”

The Notorious B.I.G.’s debut album, “Ready to Die,” is considered one the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The album was released in 1994, during the height of the East Coast-West Coast rivalry, and it played a large role in escalating the feud.

B.I.G. was from New York City, and “Ready to Die” features several references to the city and its boroughs. The album’s cover art even caused some controversy, as it depicted B.I.G. holding a gun to his own head (a clear nod to Biggie’s East Coast roots).

West Coast rapper Tupac Shakur took offense to the album cover, as well as some of the lyrics on the album (particularly those on the track “Who Shot Ya?”). He felt that B.I.G.’s album was a diss against him and the West Coast, and he responded with a series of tracks in which he attacked B.I.G. and East Coast rap in general.

This back-and-forth between Tupac and B.I.G., combined with some other highly publicized beefs between East Coast and West Coast rappers, escalated the rivalry to new levels of violence and hatred. In September 1996, Tupac was shot and killed in Las Vegas; six months later, B.I.G., was also gunned down in Los Angeles. To this day, their murders remain unsolved.

Tupac Shakur and “All Eyez on Me”

All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row Records and Interscope Records. The album features the commercially successful single “How Do U Want It”, as well as the title track “All Eyez on Me”, which features guest vocals from fellow rappers Snoop Doggy Dogg and Nate Dogg. The album’s themes mostly revolve around the rapper’s newfound fame as a successful recording artist and actor, as well as his loyalty to his friends and comrades in the rap industry.

The murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.

The murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. brought the East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry to a tragic end.

Tupac Shakur, a rapper from the West Coast, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 7, 1996. He was 25 years old. Six days later, on September 13, 1996, The Notorious B.I.G., a rapper from the East Coast, was shot four times in the chest while riding in a car in Los Angeles, California. He was 24 years old.

The murders remain unsolved to this day, but many people believe they were retaliation for each other’s shootings. Tupac’s shooting came just six months after he was shot five times during a robbery attempt in New York City. The Notorious B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace, had been feuding with Tupac before his death.

The rivalry between the East Coast and West Coast rap scenes had been brewing for years before it boiled over into violence. The two sides disagreed on everything from style to substance, and the rivalry became increasingly heated as both sides tried to one-up each other with diss tracks andincreasingly violent lyrics.

The deaths of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G., two of rap’s biggest stars, brought the East Coast-West Coast rivalry to an abrupt and tragic end.

The Post-Gangsta Era

In the early 2000s, a new era of rap and hip hop music emerged. This era was marked by a more positive and optimistic outlook, and a focus on personal narratives and social issues. This shift away from the gangsta rap of the 1990s was led by a new generation of rappers, who were not afraid to experiment with new styles and sounds.

Eminem and “The Marshall Mathers LP”

The year 2000 was a special one for Eminem. Not only did he see the release of his much-anticipated sophomore album The Marshall Mathers LP, but he also solidified himself as the biggest star in rap and cemented his reputation as one of the most controversial artists in all of music.

The Marshall Mathers LP was a scathing, unapologetic attack on everyone and everything that Eminem felt was holding him back: the music industry, pop culture, his own family, and especially his critics. The album was a commercial and critical success, selling over 1.78 million copies in its first week and winning the Grammy for Best Rap Album.

Eminem would go on to release four more albums over the next decade, but none would have the same impact as The Marshall Mathers LP. In many ways, it marked the end of an era; not just for Eminem, but for rap music as a whole.

Outkast and “Stankonia”

In the fall of 2000, Outkast released their fourth album, “Stankonia.” The album was a critical and commercial success, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200 and eventually being certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA. “Stankonia” is widely considered to be one of the greatest rap albums of all time, and it is credited with helping to bring southern hip hop to the mainstream.

“Stankonia” was Outkast’s first album to be released on a major label (LaFace/Arista Records), and it featured a more polished sound than their previous releases. The album’s success helped to usher in a new era of rap music, one that was marked by increased commercialization and a greater focus on profitability.

In the years following the release of “Stankonia,” Outkast released two more albums, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” (2003) and “Idlewild” (2006). Both albums were highly successful, with “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” winning a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

Outkast is widely considered to be one of the most influential rap groups of all time, and their impact can still be felt in today’s hip hop landscape.

Kanye West and “The College Dropout”

Kanye West’s debut album “The College Dropout” is one of the most important albums in hip hop history. The album was released in 2004, at a time when hip hop was becoming increasingly commercialized and focused on hedonism and materialism. “The College Dropout” was a breath of fresh air, with its focus on conscious, uplifting lyrics and its celebration of working-class African American life. West’s use of samples, particularly from gospel music, also helped to create a more soulful sound that would become characteristic of his later work. The album was highly successful, both commercially and critically, and is widely regarded as one of the best rap albums of all time.