The Different Types of Hip-Hop Music

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Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

There are many different types of hip-hop music, each with its own unique style. In this blog post, we’ll explore the different types of hip-hop music and how they differ from one another.

Introduction

Hip-hop is a type of music that originated in the United States in the 1970s. It is typically characterized by rapper vocal styling and often incorporates elements of other genres such as R&B, Funk, Soul, Reggae, and Trap. While there is no one single defining characteristic of hip-hop music, it is typically recognized by its use of rhythm and blues (R&B) beats and rhymes.

Hip-hop has several sub-genres, each with their own distinct style and sound. The most popular sub-genres include trap, gangsta rap, East Coast rap, West Coast rap, and conscious rap. Trap music is a sub-genre of hip-hop that originated in the early 2010s in the Southern United States. It is characterized by its heavy use of electronic drums and synthesizers, as well as its lyrical focus on drug dealing and other criminal activities. Gangsta rap is a sub-genre of hip-hop that developed in the mid-1980s in the West Coast region of the United States. It is characterized by its aggressive lyrical content and themes of violence and crime. East Coast rap is a sub-genre of hip-hop that developed in the late 1980s in the New York City area of the United States. It is characterized by its use of samples from Jazz and Funk recordings, as well as its focus on social issues such as racism and poverty. West Coast rap is a sub-genre of hip-hop that developed in the mid to late 1980s in the Los Angeles area of the United States. It is characterized by its laid back beats and lyrics focusing on topics such as partying, drugs, and women. Conscious rap is a sub-genre of hip-hop that developed in the early 1990s among artists who sought to raise awareness about social issues such as poverty, violence, and racism.

What is Hip-Hop?

Hip-hop is a style of music that was created in the 1970s by African American and Latino youths living in the Bronx in New York City. The music typically consists of a DJ mixing sampled beats or tracks from records, which are then rapped over by MCs.

There are four main elements to hip-hop music: MCing, DJing, break dancing, and graffiti art. MCing, which stands for “microphone control” or “mike checking,” is the rhythmic spoken delivery of verses and rhymes. This is the most important and distinctive element of hip-hop and is what sets it apart from other genres of music.

DJing is the process of selecting and playing pre-recorded music, usually for a live audience. Break dancing is a type of dance that evolved as part of the hip-hop culture. It involves acrobatic moves that are often performed headspinning and handstands. Graffiti art is another important element of hip-hop culture, although it is not often associated with the music itself.

There are many different types of hip-hop music, each with its own distinct style and sound. Some of the most popular subgenres include rap, trap, conscious hip-hop, and underground hip-hop.

The Origins of Hip-Hop

The history of hip-hop music is often traced back to the block parties held in New York City’s Bronx borough during the late 1970s. These parties were organized by DJ Kool Herc, who is credited with creating the musical style that would come to be known as hip-hop. Herc’s style of music was built on an innovative use of the drum machine and turntable, and it quickly caught on with other DJs and MCs in the Bronx.

From these humble beginnings, hip-hop has gone on to become one of the most popular and influential genres of music in the world. Today, hip-hop is characterized by a wide variety of subgenres, each with its own distinct style and sound. Below is a brief overview of some of the most popular types of hip-hop music.

Old-School Hip-Hop
Old-school hip-hop is characterized by its simple yet catchy beats, as well as its use of traditional instruments such as pianos, guitars, and drums. This type of hip-hop often features rap vocals that are chanted or sung over the course of a song, rather than being delivered in a rapid-fire style. Early examples of old-school hip-hop include songs like “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang and “The Breaks” by Kurtis Blow.

Golden Age Hip-Hop
Golden age hip-hop refers to a period in the 1980s and early 1990s when rap music achieved significant mainstream success. This type of hip-hop is often characterized by highly skilled MCs who delivered complicated rhymes with incredible speed and precision. Golden age rap groups like Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul are often cited as some of the best examples of this type of music.

Gangsta Rap
Gangsta rap is a subgenre that emerged from Golden age hip-hop in the mid-1980s. This type of rap music is characterized by lyrics that focus on crime, violence, drug use, and other controversial topics. Gangsta rap groups like N.W.A., Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., and Snoop Dogg helped to make this type of music one of the most popular genres in the world during the 1990s.

The Different Types of Hip-Hop

There are many different types of hip-hop music. Some of the most popular types are trap, crunk, and gangsta rap. Each type has its own unique style and sound. let’s take a closer look at each type.

Hip-Hop Old School

The term “old school” is used to describe anything that is from an earlier era or time period. In hip-hop, old school refers to the beginnings of the hip-hop music genre. This period is typically thought to span from the early 1970s to the mid 1980s, a time when hip-hop first began to emerge as a distinct music genre. During this time, many of the genre’s most iconic and influential artists first rose to prominence, helping to shape the sound and style of hip-hop for years to come. Some of the most well-known old school hip-hop artists include Afrika Bambaataa, The Sugarhill Gang, and Run DMC.

Hip-Hop New School

The hip-hop new school is the period between 1985 and 1992. This is when rappers started to break away from the simple rhyming schemes of the old school and experiment with more complicated flows and lyrical content. This is also when rap music started to become more mainstream, with groups like Run-DMC and Public Enemy releasing albums that were both commercially and critical successes. Some of the most popular new school artists include:

-Run DMC
-LL Cool J
-Public Enemy
-Boogie Down Productions
-Eric B. & Rakim
-N.W.A.

Hip-Hop East Coast

Conceived in the Bronx in the 1970s, East Coast hip-hop was the first type of hip-hop music to gain mainstream popularity. It is characterized by its heavy use of Bronx slang, as well as samples from classic R&B and jazz records. Notable artists from this region include The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas, and Wu-Tang Clan.

##Heading:Hip-Hop West Coast
##Expansion:
West Coast hip-hop is a subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the West Coast region of the United States during the 1970s. Unlike its East Coast counterpart, which is characterized by a heavy use of Bronx slang and samples from classic R&B and jazz records, West Coast hip hop is known for its laid-back vibes and use of funk and soul samples. Notable artists from this region include Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, and N.W.A.

Hip-Hop West Coast

Gangsta rap is a subgenre of hip hop that evolved from West Coast hardcore rap and gangster rap. Gangsta rap is characterized by themes and lyrical content that generally emphasize the “gangsta” lifestyle. The genre evolved from hardcore rap into a distinct form, influenced by the heavy followed beat, originating in South Central Los Angeles, California. Early gangsta rap was characterized by its aggressive lyrics and sound, which featured sampling from 1970s tracks. More recent gangsta rap has been marked by a return to the ‘hardcore’ styles of 1970s tracks.

Hip-Hop Dirty South

The Dirty South is a region of the United States that is known for its hip-hop music. The term was first used in the early 1990s, when it was used to describe the southern rap scene. The Dirty South has since become a popular term used to describe any Southern hip-hop music.

Dirty South music is characterized by its slow, heavy beats andits focus on bass and drums. The lyrics often have a ‘gangsta’ or ‘mafioso’ theme, and many songs feature references to drugs, violence, and sex. Dirty South music began to gain popularity in the early 2000s, with the release of several albums by artists such as Outkast, Goodie Mob, and 8Ball & MJG.

In recent years, the Dirty South sound has been adopted by many mainstream artists, including Eminem, Jay-Z, and Kanye West.

Hip-Hop Midwest

Midwest hip hop is a regional genre of hip hop music Performers of Midwest hip hop tend to rap about issues regarding African American communities and drug culture. Early innovators in the style include Crazy Legs, Twista, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, DJ Premier and Do or Die. device that helped to distinguish the region. G-funk was a subgenre of hip hop that often blended gangsta rap with a more slick and smooth production style. G-funk became more dominant throughout the 1990s especially in Los Angeles due to the popularity of Dr. Dre’s album The Chronic featuring Snoop Dogg during that time.

Conclusion

All in all, there are a variety of hip-hop genres that have arisen over the years. While some may be more popular than others, all of them have their own unique style and sound. If you’re a fan of hip-hop, be sure to check out the different types of music available and see which one you like the best.

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