Some of my friends listen to certain genres of rock music, some listen to hip-hop. Despite our friendship we have differing views upon each genres of music. Having listened to both genres of music at one point in my life I have an understanding of why some rock listeners would be quick to reject hip-hop as meaningful, complex and valid art form.
The production of hip-hop music first consisted of two turntables and a microphone. The originators of the music who embraced the essence of spoken word in a rhythmic format, were working with the best of what they had living in a situation of poverty. As time and technology progressed, and became cheaper, the production of hip-hop became digital. Beat machines, computer programs that sequenced samples and DAT players that recorded vocals all combined in a computer to produce a finishing product known as hip-hop. Rock music consisted of a drummer, a guitar and a bassist. As time and technology progressed the instruments of this music also changed. The introduction of the electric guitar connected to amps and speakers. Guitar players were able to distort the sound giving it a louder angrier tone. Although technological progress has changed the method in which hip-hop is produced, rock music is still traditionally played with guitarists, drummer and bassists.
The actual music being played in hip-hop is simplistic. Traditional hip-hip will not exceed 8 bars of music and is looped over and over again. It is usually a repetition of one-note with quarter note intervals or mere arpeggios, or just the use of a sample with simple bass and constant drum line. There is a reason for this simplicity. If hip-hop were more melodic, it would clutter the MC. Therefore the beat in hip-hop plays a secondary role, accompanying the MC. The focus of hip-hop music is not in the actual music being produced but is the content of the message that the MC is attempting to portray. Of course some have more meaningful things to say than others. The simplicity of hip-hop is where most of the rock listeners find hip-hop music unappealing, because of the “lack of skill” in the production of music compared to that of rock. Majority of rock music is more complex than hip-hop concerning the actual music being played. There is more effort in the production of the notes being played as it grows from a theme and is harmonized, while the drums play a more active role, as the song progresses and reaches its climax.
The lyrics in today’s hip hop music are completely pointless. An example of this is 2Chainz “Birthday Song,” in which the rapper says, “She got a big booty so I call her Big Booty,” the song continues with “I’m in the kitchen, yams everywhere.” The majority of hip hop songs on the radio involve three main themes: money, drugs, and women. Rappers brag about the massive amount of money they have, along with their intake of drugs. Hip hop also sexually degrades women by labeling them with offensive words, and overall all being very misogynistic towards women. The message that the new hip hop today is sending is incredibly negative for the audience as well. The negative message that the music is sending poses a large effect on the young listeners. Young listeners are influenced by the antagonistic lyrics in these hip hop songs that they are listening to. Unlike today’s hip hop, old school rap music had meaningful lyrics and when hip hop went to the mainstream media the message was destroyed. Old school rap music has lyrical significance. Rappers wrote lyrics about important subjects such as racial inequality, politics, life struggles, and police brutality. An example of a lyric with actual meaning is N.W.A.’s “Express Yourself,” “I’m expressing with my full capabilities. And now I’m living in correctional facilities.” This lyric explains how the very act communicating their beliefs will cause trouble and could possibly lead to
Underground hip-hop is filled with groups such as The Pharcyde, The Roots, Jigmastas, and Jurassic 5 who use live instruments to not only enhance their lyrical talents, but also to give audiences a great show. All four of these groups are dedicated to preserving hip-hop culture. Emcees battle to prove they are iller, Djs do the same thing, and breakers, break dancers, poppers, whatever you want to call them, continue the tradition of mixing their dance art form of popping, locking and spinning using the music to help create different techniques.
Certains ideals such as hyper sexuality, material possesions, and hegemonic masculinity found in hip hop certainly highlights some of its negative aspects. Hip-hop in a sense at times can promote feminism in the sense of sexual freedom (at least in the lyrics provided) where certain songs condemn women for the same freedoms. It is suggested that many young people especially young black people begin to monitor and interrupt some of the messages and ideals that are taken in /followed. Personally the ideals in much of hip-hop do not reflect my own values or views on femininity or masculinity although I do listen to most of the music. Being an educated young black man I in a sense can see through most of the gimmicks and fads that of the music portrays and keep to my personal values more times than not. That said there are times that I do find myself reciting lyrics or enacting the same negative ideals that I personally do not believe because I may like a song. This is where education and awareness comes in and I am able to recognize and correct my behavior which is something I would like to see become more popular amongst my
Back in the disco days, in the early 1970’s, began a new genre called Hip Hop. It was born in the crime ridden neighborhoods of the South Bronx. Hip Hop is the extracting rhythms of melodies from existing records and mixing them up with searing poetry chronicling life in the hood. Though, hip hop started on the east coast, it did spread rapidly throughout all the clubs and hotels in New York. Then later on, it began to spread to the west coast in Los Angeles. This is where hip hop began to develop its own musical style. Hip hop is known and described as the voice of a generation that refused to be silenced by urban poverty. It is a genre that is fueled up with a lot of passion and truth that is spreading across the entire world. Hip hop is
"I think the element of hip-hop left when rap music started being created on a slow tempo...It just stayed there for years. Right now, a lot of rap music today is being created at very low tempos. There 's no more of that 'wave your hands in the air like you just don 't care ' - you know, something that makes you want to get out there and breakdance...Rap music has lost that element right now, mainly over in America. There’s not too many great hip-hop records out there, but there are some great rap records.” (“The Difference Between Rap & Hip-Hop,”
There are many things I like about hip-hop. Including the beat, artists, and the big variety of voice styles. I love how most hip-hop songs have fast and upbeat tempos. It really makes me enjoy the music more. Also, a lot of artists include different meanings in their songs. Some may have been written when they were feeling down, energetic, or excited. I really enjoy how the different artists all have different voice styles. Some sing better than others but I like that.
Most people believe that they know what hip hop is. Yet, these same people are more familiar with rap music than hip hop. Rap music tends to b the music broadcasted on television and radio stations alike. Hip-Hop itself is relates to a culture and history of peoples. Hip-Hop tells the stories of people oppressed in urban ghettos in all cities, and it promotes change and a transition in those oppressed. Dr. Charles Pinckney author of The Influence of Hip Hop Culture on the Perceptions, Attitudes, Values and Lifestyles of African American College Students states that "Hip hop culture is a form of musical art in words and stories that describe critical messages that are spoken over music" (Pinckney). William Boone who has conducted research in hip hop best explains the phenomenon of Hip Hop as, " Art in "the hood". Hip Hop is the antitheses of economic discrimination and social alienation in Americas impoverished African American communities" (Boone).These origins of ...
Hip-Hop/Rap is one of the biggest growing genres of today. From its early stages in the 1970’s to today’s pop culture, it has grown quite a lot. Unfortunately, it has developed a terrible reputation of drugs, violence, abuse, and gangs. When people associate Hip-Hop with things it is usually a negative image that comes to the person’s mind. Which is sad, Hip-Hop/Rap has a great artistic quality to them that gets so easily overlooked. There is true poetry and emotion behind these lyrics and beats, but not everyone is willing to sit down and listen to it. They quickly judge this music genre and the immediately dislike it without giving it a second thought. Rappers pour their emotions and their souls into their songs and it really speaks to people who would stop and listen to them. Hip-Hop/Rap has evolved over time. From the early stages of Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and others to today’s rap stars like Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. Each decades style is different but each style is still good. What really made Rap huge was the Sugarhill Gang’s own song called “Rapper’s Delight” the entire song is around 15 minutes long with just three emcee’s rapping, Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank, and Master G. An emcee is another word for a rapper. Most emcees are the head of whatever event is being taken place, kind of like people that do skits in a talent show to introduce the next act. Hip-Hop/Rap today is filled with emcees and rappers. Today we find a more complex and more diverse style than what we would find back in the 70’s. There are different styles to different rappers. Each one unique in its own way and it makes that rapper stand out compared to everybody else. Also, another thing today that is different from the past is the flow of a rapp...
Hip Hop’s according to James McBride article “Hip Hop Planet” is a singular and different form of music that brings with it a message that only those who pay close attention to it understand it. Many who dislike this form of music would state that it is one “without melody, sensibility, instruments, verse, or harmony and doesn’t even seem to be music” (McBride, pg. 1). Though Hip Hop has proven why it deserves to be called music. In going into depth on its values and origins one understands why it is so popular among young people and why it has kept on evolving among the years instead of dying. Many of Hip Hop values that make it unique and different from other forms of music would be that it makes “visible the inner culture of Americas greatest social problem, its legacy of slavery, has taken the dream deferred to a global scale” (McBride, pg. 8). Hip Hop also “is a music that defies definition, yet defines our collective societies in immeasurable ways” (McBride, pg. 2). The
Black culture in our society has come to the point where it is allied with pop culture. The most popular music genres, slang terms, to dance forms it all comes from black culture. Hip hop emerged from black culture, becoming the soul of it that is seen in the media. Hip hop helped the black community by creating new ways of expressing themselves, from breakdance, graffiti, rap and other music, to slang. This culture was rooted in their tradition and created from something new. Hip hop created a new form of music that required the use of turn tables, ‘cuts’, loops, rhythm, rhyme, stories, and deep-rooted emotions, but also incorporated black oral forms of storytelling using communal authors.
Hip-hop is one of the major music genres of today like the blues were in the 1950's. Stanley Crouch views hip-hop as being vulgar and obscene while he sees the blues as being one of the classic music genres. In actuality, these two genres are similar in many ways.
As Told Franck The Butcher : “ “Hip-hop was one of the first music genres that was born of the common people. With any other genre of music there was potentially a costume or some sort of uniform that separated the entertainer from the average person. Hip-hop was the genre of music where it was accepted, promoted, and preferred that the artist looked like the fan” Brooklyn ‘s Lo-Life Crew.
Hip Hop and Rock music are today’s people choice of music. People will find that teens and adults from the age of 20 to 34 listen to these two types of music. Not too often will you see or hear a teen listening to Blues, Opera, Reggae, or Oldies. Reason being is that they were raised up in toady’s society where really all they will here is either Hip Hop or Rock. There is a lot of argument that these two different types of music are the same old sing about money, drugs, and sex. But actually they are tot...
The blend of the hip-hop style of music all beautifully comes together to me. Without beats, what could a song go in tune with? When I listen to hip-hop music, I can actually feel the music. Any song can actuallly describe the way I feel. It could be a slow song, fast upbeat song, or even a monotone song and you can still the effort made into the the song. Hip-hop can descrobe all my moods in just one song, pretty awesome right?
Hip-hop music is portrayed by an entertainer rapping over a track that regularly comprises of loops or specimens of other music woven together (Selke INT). Hip-hop originally appeared in the Bronx around the 1970s and steadily turned into the predominant mainstream music structure by the 1990s, representing a multi-billion dollar industry today (Selke INT). Hip-hop music can additionally have some positive impacts. For example, its verbal imagination can motivate audience members to play with dialect, and acknowledge musicality and rhyme (Selke INT). Just like poetry, hip-hop can be a way of expressing oneself.