Hip Hop as a Fundamental

Hip Hop as a Fundamental Cultural Force

Far from being the marginal subculture it started out as, hip hop has since grown to become a fundamental aspect of world music culture. This paper will examine the history and various aspects of hip hop in an effort to show that hip hop is not merely a musical genre of the dis-empowered, but a fundamental aspect of contemporary discourse that plays a vital role in our globalized culture.

History of Hip Hop

The roots of hip hop can be traced back to the 1970s, when a Jamaican-born DJ by the name of Clive Campbell (also known as "Kool Herc") moved to New York. Herc came out of a dancehall tradition, and soon began integrating reggae sounds with the Jamaican tradition of toasting, or improvising poetry and spoken word over funk, reggae, and disco music during parties held in the parks of the Bronx in New York (Kenner 350-357). Herc and other DJs would tap into power lines in the parks in order to activate their equipment and perform. This equipment, according to Kenner, consisted of one or more microphones, turntables, and huge stacks of speakers (350-357). During this period, Herc also developed break-beat deejaying, in which the percussive breaks of funk songs were isolated and repeated on a loop so that people could dance all night.

Grandmaster Flash then entered the scene, further developing the usage of break beats, including cutting and scratching (Davey D.). The style of Herc and DJs such as Grandmaster Flash soon spread from the Bronx and began to be copied all over. By the late 1970s, 12" DJ records were being released for the sole purpose of rapping on top of them. One of the more popular of these was "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugar Hill Gang.

Hip hop continued to evolve throughout the early 1980s. A major step in the development of hip hop was the release of the track "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force in the year 1983. This track is known for incorporating synthesizer technology into the language of hip hop, as well as the rapidly evolving drum machine technology of the '80s. The most vital medium for spreading the hip hop message in the 1980s, however, was the birth of the music video (Rose 192). Finally, in the 1980s, hip hop music began to cement its message by adding socially relevant themes to its lyrics (Rose 53-55).

Lyrics & Writing Styles

In the words of Davey D., "Signifying, testifying, Shining of the Titanic, the Dozens, school yard rhymes, prison 'jail house' rhymes and double Dutch jump rope' rhymes are some of the names and ways that various forms of rap have manifested." The lyrical and writing style of hip hop is known as rapping. Historians have traced the origins of rapping back to the ancient tradition of the Griots in Western Africa. Aside from the flow and rhythmic delivery of a rap, one of the chief concerns in writing lyrics is the rhyme.

Technical issues aside, rap is seen as a powerful, affirmative source for the injection of individuals' personalities into the music. As Davey D. goes on to note of hip hop's early days:

If you were laid back, you could rap at a slow pace. If you were hyperactive or a type-a, you could rap at a fast pace. No two people rapped the same, even when reciting the same rhyme. There were many people who would try and emulate someone's style, but even that was indicative of a particular personality.

As hip hop developed in urban environments, it has historically concerned itself with themes addressing the minorities dwelling in these communities. This is a tradition that has continued up to the present day. The main concern in hip hop lyrics is with the "struggle." This struggle can be personal or political in nature. In addition, there is also one strain of hip hop rapping known as "party rhymes" that are meant to pump a crowd at a party. This is particularly popular in old school hip hop. Gangsta rap contains lyric that traditionally celebrate crime and the "ghetto" lifestyle. Another more recent development in hip hop, Christian rap, helps spread messages of a spiritual theme.

Producing and Recording

Today, hip hop has become a big part of the American music industry. The production and recording side of hip hop is a complex world that has elevated a number of obscure artists to the level of superstardom.

Typically, hip hop production makes use of samplers, drum machines, synthesizers, turntables, sequencers, and live instruments. Hip hop producers are typically those individuals who oversee the instrumental side of recording hip hop music.

Famous Artists

In the early days of hip hop, Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash were instrumental in the development of the genre. Other, lesser known artists of the 1970s include Grand Wizard Theodore ad the Fantastic Romantic Five, Funky Four Plus One More, Crash Crew, Master Don Committee (Davey D.). Moving into the 1980s, hip hop began to branch out in various directions. Some of the seminal hip hop groups of this period include Run DMC, the Fat Boys, Doug E. Fresh, LL Cool J, and Jazzy Jay. In addition, Public Enemy was among the first hip hop groups to add a distinctly political message to their music. And contrary to the claim that hip hop is a misogynistic, male-dominated genre, female rappers such as Salt N' Pepa and Queen Latifah added their distinctly feminine voices to the growing discourse of hip hop music (Rose.)