What You Need to Know About Hip Hop Music Terms
Contents
If you’re new to hip hop music, you may be wondering what all those terms mean. Here’s a quick guide to some of the most common hip hop music terms.
Introduction
Hip hop music has been around for decades and has evolved considerably during that time. As the genre has changed, so too has the vocabulary used by those who create and enjoy it. If you’re new to hip hop, or if you’re just curious about some of the terms used to describe it, this guide will help you understand what they mean.
B-boy/B-girl
A b-boy or b-girl is a person who performs breakdancing, a style of dance that originated in the early 1970s. Breakdancing is characterized by bot out moves and spins as well as “freezes,” moments when the dancers suspend themselves in midair.
Beatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion in which the performer uses their mouth, lips, tongue, and voice to create percussive sounds. Beatboxing is often used in hip hop music to create rhythms and beats.
DJing
DJing is the art of playing pre-recorded music (usually vinyl records) on a turntable in order to create a continuous flow of music. DJs often use multiple turntables and mixers to create new and unique sounds.
Emceeing/Rapping
Emceeing (also known as MCing or rapping) is a form of spoken word poetry in which the performer speaks rhythmically over a beat. Raps can be improvised or pre-written, and they often contain rhymes and wordplay.
History of Hip Hop
Hip hop music has become one of the most popular genres of music over the past few decades. It has its roots in African American culture and is a style of music that is often associated with rap. Hip hop music has evolved over the years and there are now many different subgenres.
Origins in the Bronx
The first hip hop songs were created in the late 1970s. These songs were mostly party music or novelty songs, and they were not taken seriously by the mainstream music industry. Hip hop began to be taken more seriously in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when ‘street’, ‘urban’, and ‘ ghetto blaster’ music became popular among African American and Latino youth.
In the mid-1980s, hip hop reached a wider audience with the release of Run-DMC’s album ‘Raising Hell’. This album featured a harder sound than previous hip hop records, and it introduced the new style of rap known as ‘hardcore rap’. Hardcore rap was characterized by its aggressive lyrics and beats.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, gangsta rap became the dominant style of hip hop. Gangsta rap was characterized by its violent lyrics and street-oriented beats. Gangsta rap quickly became controversial due to its graphic depictions of crime and violence. However, gangsta rap also became one of the most commercially successful genres of music, due in part to its popularity with young African American and Latino listeners.
The Golden Age
The Golden Age of Hip Hop was a period in the 1980s and early 1990s when hip hop music was thriving. The term Golden Age is derived from Greek antiquity and typically refers to a time when an art form or genre is at its peak. For hip hop, the Golden Age would be considered a time when the music was fresh, innovative, and exciting. It was a time when artists were taking risks and pushing boundaries.
During the Golden Age, hip hop music was marked by several key elements: creativity, originality, entrepreneurship, and social consciousness. creativity was evident in the way that artists were using sampling to create new sounds. Originality was evident in the way that artists were experimenting with different rhyming patterns and flows. Entrepreneurship was evident in the way that artists were creating their own independent record labels. And social consciousness was evident in the way that artists were using their music to address issues like poverty, racism, and violence.
The Golden Age of Hip Hop came to an end in the mid-1990s as the genre became more commercialized and mainstream. However, the impact of the Golden Age can still be felt today in the way that hip hop music is created and consumed.
The decline of the genre
The mid-2000s brought a decline in popularity for the genre, with listeners turning to other genres such as pop, rock, and country. This was partly due to the commercialization and over-exposure of the genre, with many artists being accused of “selling out.” In response to this, some hip hop artists began to experiment with different styles and sounds, leading to the development of alternative hip hop.
Key Terms
Hip hop music terms can be confusing for those not familiar with the genre. In this article, we will explain some of the key terms used in hip hop music. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of the language used in hip hop music.
MC
An MC, or emcee, is a hip hop artist who performs vocals, usually rhyming lyrics, either over a pre-recorded instrumental track or “a capella.” MCs typically strive to display their lyrical skills and often write original songs or freestyle — that is, come up with lyrics spontaneously — over popular beats.
DJ
A DJ (abbreviation for disc jockey or deejay) is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Most common types of DJs include radio DJs, club DJs, mobile DJs, and Turntablists. DJs typically perform for a live audience in a nightclub or dance club or a TV, radio broadcast, or in an online music session. This can be done either by mixing vinyl records, CDs, or digital audio files on CDJs, turntables, DJ mixer, or by controlling digital music files on a laptop.
B-boy/B-girl
B-boying or breaking, often called “breakdancing”, is a style of street dance that emerged from the hip hop cultural movement in the 1970s. The dance is characterized by its usage of the upper body and distinctly improvisational nature, and has since evolved into a number of different sub-styles, each with their own distinct moves, styles and aesthetic traditions.
Graffiti
Graffiti is a type of street art that dates back to Ancient Greece, where it was often used to communicate political messages. Modern graffiti is usually done with spray paint or markers, and can be found on buildings, sidewalks, and trains. Some graffiti artists are considered to be very talented painters and their work can be quite valuable.
The Evolution of Hip Hop
Hip hop music has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the Bronx, New York City, in the late 1970s. Rap, the musical style that is the most distinctive element of hip hop, did not exist until the early 1970s.
The South
The South has historically been one of the most important regions in the development of hip hop music. The region is home to some of the earliest and most influential hip hop artists, including DJ Kool Herc, Sugarhill Gang, Outkast, and Memphis Bleek. The South is also home to a number of important hip hop labels, including Ruthless Records, Def Jam South, and Bad Boy South.
The West Coast
Lyrical content within West Coast hip hop is often characterized by relaxed, positive, and laid-back raps about everyday life, love, and other topics. The region is also known for its distinctive up-tempo style of production, which has been described as a “sense of urgency with a laid-back feel”, and for its slow groove tracks. West Coast artists such as Warren G, Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur are some of the most popular and influential hip hop artists of all time.
The Midwest
The Midwest is known for its contributions to the evolution of hip hop. Early midwest hip hop was influenced by disco, funk, and soul music. Chicago was home to early hip hop groups like the Electric Circus and the Skull Snaps. Detroit is known for its contributions to the techno and house genres of music. Detroit-based producer and DJ Juan Atkins is considered to be one of the pioneers of techno music.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of different hip hop music terms out there. This is just a small sampling of the most commonly used terms. As you listen to more hip hop music, you’ll likely come across other terms that aren’t included here. When in doubt, just ask a fellow hip hop fan or look up the term online.
