Hip Hop Genre Research

For My AS Media coursework I will be basing my magazine on the Hip Hop genre.

 Hip Hop as a music genre has been around since the early seventies and first emerged as a movement in the south Bronx NY, Hip Hop has had increasing influences on popular culture, from movies and T.V shows, to fashion, as a genre, Hip-Hop can be described as a collection of samples, most often from funk, disco soul and jazz, with an emphasis on percussion elements, as well as rhythmic spoken word in the form of rapping/MCing.

Hip Hop gained worldwide recognition throughout the 1980's and led to a more commercial genre, and the creation of the first Hip Hop magazine. (The Hip Hop Hit List)

However, Hip Hop in the 80's was generally socially conscious, and focused on the social problems faced by the African American society in poor areas, as well as politics, racism and capitalism, artists who reflected upon troubles in society, as well as politics include Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Nas Gil Scott-Heron etc. In contrast, Hip Hop music from the 90's onwards has been mostly about gang violence, drug taking, misogyny, and weapons and is personified by artists such as Cypress Hill, Notorious B.I.G 2pac, Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, N.W.A, Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep among others. This sub-genre of Hip Hop is known as gangsta rap, and is arguably the most commercially successful aspect of Hip Hop. Hip Hop as a genre has continued to grow commercially and socially as an impact upon popular culture, and western society in general. Although criticisms have been made, of the newer forms that Hip Hop is taking, and its commercialism.

 Because of the wide variety of forms that are apparent in Hip Hop as a genre, there are an uncountable amount of artists that are defined as being Hip Hop artists, or have had significant influences in Hip Hop culture. (Gil Scott-Heron) However, the artists that are the most well regarded  musically include: Wu-Tang Clan (this includes the famous solo careers from RZA, GZA ODB, Raekwon the Chef, Gostface killah, U God, Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa) MF DOOM (this includes his collaboration with madlib) Madlib, Death Grips, Big L, Biggie Smalls, 2pac, Cypress Hill, N.W.A, Roots Manuva, nas, A Tribe Called Quest, The Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, Grandmaster Flash, Sugarhill gang, KRS-ONE, immortal technique, Public Enemy, Dr. Dre, Eazy-e, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Busta Rhymes.

 Hip Hop charts are generally taken with a pinch of salt by Hip Hop fans, Artists such as Drake, Lil' Wayne, Jay-Z, T.I, Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J, Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan are currently in the US billboard Top 10, and the only bare any resemblence to the original genre in the top 10 are Eminem and Jay-Z.

 

Hip Hop as a music genre already has a plethora of music magazines that are focused on it, the most notable mentions are Hip Hop Connection, XXL, Scratch, The Source and Vibe.

Fashion in Hip Hop has changed over the years since its inception, early Hip Hop musicians would often wear colourful African clothes, because of the Genre’s Roots in west African and Jamaican music. Throughout the 1980’s the fashion for Hip Hop was baggy, comfortable clothes, often using bright colours, as well as clothes typically worn by break dancers, this is due to Hip Hops close relationship to Breakdancing as an art form. In the 1990’s the fashion leant more towards baggy shirts, T-shirts, Basketball shirts, expensive jewellery, Tims (Timberland boots) Pagers, sneakers, and tracksuits, towards the end of the 90’s fashion in Hip Hop also became more formal, with the use of suits and trousers, with black loafers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the music video for Scenario by A Tribe Called Quest, it is a great example of pre-gangsta rap Hip Hop, it sticks to the conventions of early Hip Hop music videos, it is less about guns and explosions, and has a happier vibe to it, this is mainly because it was released in 1991 part of the D.A.I.S.Y age of Hip Hop.

 

 

 

This is a music video for the song Spread Eagle Cross The Block by Death Grips, it is a montage of people skating, and is a good example of how Hip Hop music links to skateboarding and breakdancing. The song also has lyrical themes revolving around capitalisation and the commercialism of Hip Hop.