What Type of Music is Used for Hip Hop?

Hip hop music is typically characterized by strong rhythms and rhyming lyrics. It often contains samples and loops from other songs, which are sometimes combined with original vocals.

Origins of Hip Hop

The history of hip hop music is often traced back to the block parties of the late 1970s in New York City, where DJs would play music for people to dance to. However, the origins of hip hop can be traced back even further.

African American culture

While it is impossible to say hip hop is “about” any one thing, it is perhaps most accurately described as a reflection of the African American experience. In its earliest days, hip hop was a way for young people in urban neighborhoods to express themselves and connect with their peers. Hip hop culture includes the musical styles of rap, turntablism (or DJing), and break dancing, as well as the graffiti art, fashion, and slang that are associated with it.

The term “hip hop” is believed to have been coined by Afrika Bambaataa, a DJ from the South Bronx who is credited with helping to spread the genre from its origins in New York City to other parts of the country. Hip hop music first gained popularity in the 1970s with songs like “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang and “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. In the 1980s and 1990s, artists like Public Enemy, N.W.A., and Tupac Shakur continued to raise awareness of social issues through their music.

Today, hip hop is one of the most popular genres of music in the world, with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, and Drake topping charts around the globe. While some critics argue that hip hop has lost its way in recent years, others point to the continued success of socially conscious artists like Chance the Rapper and J Cole as proof that the genre is still capable of effecting positive change.

DJing and MCing

DJing and MCing are the two most important elements of hip hop music. DJing is the art of playing pre-recorded music on a turntable, while MCing is the art of rhyming over the music. Hip hop was born in the 1970s, when African American and Puerto Rican youths in New York City started toying with these two elements to create their own new style of music.

Sampling

In hip hop music, sampling is the technique of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a sound recording in a different song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically manipulated tape loops or vinyl records on a phonograph.

Taking a small section of another song

In hip hop music, sampling is the reuse of a portion or sample of a sound recording in a new song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically manipulated tape loops or vinyl records on a phonograph. By the late 1960s, the use of tape loop samplers such as the Mellotron and the Chamberlin helped create synthesized sounds that were not possible to achieve with previous electronic keyboard instruments. Hip hop producers made use of samplers from the 1980s onward in drum machine-based tracks, to give them more dynamic control over equalization and mix automation when using digital audio workstations such as Ableton Live, Logic Pro and Pro Tools.

Making it your own

As with any genre, there are a few key things that make hip hop what it is. But as the music has developed, artists have taken elements of other genres and made them their own, resulting in a sound that is truly unique. This has allowed the music to evolve and stay fresh, while still maintaining its core essence.

One of the most important elements of hip hop is the beat. The rhythm is what drives the music and sets the tone for the artist to flow over. Hip hop beats are typically created with drums, basslines and samples, which can be looped or played in short bursts. The tempo is usually between 60 and 120 beats per minute (bpm), although some songs may go faster or slower.

The other key element of hip hop is the rapper’s flow. This refers to the rhythm and delivery of the lyrics, which should match the beat of the music. rappers often use rhyming schemes and wordplay to create their verses, and many will include references to pop culture, current events or personal experiences in their lyrics.

While these are two of the most important elements of hip hop, there are also other important aspects that make up the genre. These include:

-Graffiti: While not everyone involved in hip hop will be a graffiti artist, many see it as an important part of the culture. It’s often seen as a way to express yourself creatively and can be used to tell a story or convey a message.

-Breakdancing: Another key element of hip hop culture is breakdancing. This started out as a way for people to show off their skills on the streets but has now evolved into a competitive dance form with its own set of rules and moves.

-DJing: DJs have always been an important part of hip hop culture, providing the soundtrack for parties and events. They often use turntables to scratch records and create new sounds, which can be accompanied by MCs rapping over them.

Breakbeats

Breakbeats are a type of music usually used for hip hop. They are characterized by a strong, often repetitive bassline and percussion. The term “breakbeat” is often used interchangeably with “beats” or “grooves”.

Funk

Funk is a music genre that emerged in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues (R&B). Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground.

Like much of African American vernacular music, funk typically consists of a complex groove with instruments playing interlocking rhythmic parts. Funk uses the same richly-colored extended chords found in bebop jazz, such as minor sevenths and elements of modal jazz. Melodic basis for funk songs typically came from R&B, including blues scales, cyclical “hooks” and embellishments.

Soul

Soul is a type of popular music that originated in the United States in the 1950s. It combines elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues, and jazz. Soul music became popular for dancing and listening in the United States, where record companies such as Motown, Atlantic, and Stax were influential during the Civil Rights Movement. Soul also became popular around the world, directly influencing rock music, disco, pop, and hip hop.

Jazz

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as “America’s classical music”. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression. It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression, and in African-American music traditions including blues and ragtime.

Modern Hip Hop

Hip hop music originated in the 1970s in New York City, and was a style of music that was created by African Americans. The music typically consisted of rapping, DJing, and graffiti art. In the 1980s, hip hop music became more popular, and artists began to experiment with different styles. This resulted in the development of different subgenres, such as rap, soul, and R&B.

Trap

Trap is a subgenre of hip hop that originated in the early 2000s in the Southern United States. It is typified by its aggressive lyrical content and sound, where the instrumentals are driven by 808 kick drums or heavy basslines. Trap music is often characterized by its use of hi-hat and triplet flow. The term “trap” refers to places where drug deals are transacted slangily called “trap houses” or “traps”.

Drill

Drill is a subgenre of hip hop that originated in the South Side of Chicago in the early 2010s. It is characterized by its dark, violent, and often nihilistic lyrical content, as well as its distinctive trap-influenced beats. Drill music first gained mainstream attention in the UK in 2013 with the song “3K visits” by UK drill group 170, which went viral on social media. The genre has since been adopted by American and British rappers such as Drake, Cardi B, and Skepta.

Cloud Rap

Cloud rap (also known as trillwave or based music) is a microgenre of hip hop music that emerged in the early 2010s. It is characterized by its use of surreal samples, pitched-down vocals, and lo-fi aesthetics. Production techniques include the use of analog synthesizers, drum machines, and laptops. The term “cloud rap” has been used to describe the style of several Alternative Hip Hop acts who rose to prominence in the 2010s, such as A$AP Rocky, Lil B, Main Attrakionz, Clams Casino and Danny Brown.