Essay on History of Rap - 1451 Words

History of Rap The most popular and influential form of African-American pop music of the 1980s and 1990s, rap is also one of the most controversial styles of the rock era. And not just among the guardians of cultural taste and purity that have always been counted among rock n rolls chief enemies--Black, White, rock and soul audiences continue to fiercely debate the musical and social merits of rap, whose most radical innovations subverted many of the musical and cultural tenets upon which rock was built. Antecedents of rap are easy to find in rock with other kinds of music. Music is often used to tell a story, often with spoken rhymes over instruments and rhythms. Talking blues, spoken passages of sanctified prose in gospel,†¦show more content†¦Jamaican DJs (DJ Kool Herc has been credited as the first) mixed sounds from several turntables, devices that would become a rap trademark. Although mixing from large sounds systems began to be employed at New York house parties in the 1970s, it d idnt really emerge as a recorded sound until the Sugarhill Gangs Rappers Delight in 1979. While many critics and listeners shrugged the song aside as a fluke novelty hit, the early rap sound--usually composed of slangy, boastful spoken rhymes over basic bass and percussion grooves--continued to spread in the early 80s, due in large part to the efforts of the Sugarhill label itself. Grandmaster Flashs hard-hitting 1982 single, The Message, really stands as raps watershed mark, with a massive impact belied by its relatively modest peak on the pop charts. No longer could rap be ignored as a frivolous microgenre; here was straight up social commentary, reporting from the front lines of the ghetto with more immediacy than almost any newspaper or television broadcast. From its inception, rap indured a lot of hostility from listeners--many, but not all, White--who found the music too harsh, monotonous, and lacking in traditional melodic values. However, millions of others--often, though not always, young African-Americans from underprivileged inner city backgrounds--found and immediate connection with the style. Here was poetry of theShow MoreRelatedThe History Of Rap Music1751 Words   |  8 PagesThis paper will trace the history of rap music (also known as hip-hop). The origins of this music are found in the experiences of urban African Americans during the 1970s. One of the most unique elements of rap music is its vocal style. In 1979, the record â€Å"Rapper’s Delight† by the Sugar Hill Gang defined this style with its use of â€Å"speedy staccato word play and verbal dexterity† (Perkins 11). However, as pointed out by one of rap’s early leaders, Afrika Bambaataa, the true roots of this vocalRead MoreHistory Of Hip Hop And Rap Essay1411 Words   |  6 PagesOwen Shields English IV 22 September 2015 The History of Hip-Hop and Rap The controversy of Hip-Hop and Rap being that it is â€Å"only about violence† or â€Å"uninfluential† is one that has been around since the eighties. But is it really all about violence, sex, drugs, or protest? Yes, there are rap groups that only rap about violence, sex, drugs, or protest, but that is a genre called â€Å"trap† music. When mentioning of the original artists in the trap music genre, rappers such as Waka Flocka Flame, GucciRead MorePopular Culture in Rap Music1037 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish Comp 1 4/21/12 Popular Culture in Rap Music The history of rap music started in Africa with rhythmic beats using drums. From Africa to the Caribbean islands it came to America and started its influential change on American Music. The first rap song to take flight and make its mark on the up and coming rap culture was the Sugar Hill Gang in 1979. In 1986 rap music finally reached the top of the music charts and was show on MTV for the first time featuring Run-DMC. Continuing to changeRead MoreWomen Of Hip Hop Culture Essay1723 Words   |  7 PagesWomen have decided to consume hip hop regardless of the sexism and machismo of their rap artist spouses. Historically, black women who have sex with other women haven’t been recognized in the Black community. Also, the expectations are the same in hip hop culture because men reject lesbians. An example is the murder in 2003 of Sakia Gunn after she declared her lesbian identity to a group of males. We all know that in hip hop culture men predominate and precisely masculine. Wom en can achieve a higherRead MoreRap Music And Its Influence On Society1209 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout history, music has been used to express the feelings of people or groups whom may have no other outlet to express themselves. The best example of this occurrence would be the lower class of America’s use of rap music. Rap music started out as a fun variation of disco with the purpose to make people dance and enjoy themselves, but it later transformed into one of the best outlets to express the struggles of poverty in the United States. The genre gained popularity when the song â€Å"RapperRead MoreRap : The Black Community With Vigor And Mass Appeal1534 Words   |  7 PagesRap which originated in Africa was used by storytellers known as Griots, to relay stories about family history or current events, set to the rhythm of a drum. This culture was then brought to the west during the 1600’s when Africans were captured and made slaves in America ( (Mize) Instead of storytellers relaying family history, rap evolved to hidden communication between slaves that were undecipherable by their oppressors. These songs were more about the struggle of the life of a slave, and allRead MoreHow Hip Hop Is Influenced By African Americans And Hispanic Americans909 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent from rap because it also includes elements of pop ,some say it was a beautiful, prideful expression of music, art, and dance from a backdrop of poverty. Since that ignition in a New York City borough, it has inspired people from all across the world to produce this genre of music. However in 2015 Hip-Hop Continues to modernize and change ,these days caucasian rappers have begun to climb the Hip-Hop charts ,and this has spiked controversy all over,some believe that the culture of rap should remainRead MoreCharles Dickens A Christmas Carol Essay922 Words   |  4 Pagestelevision shows. Each rendition of A Christmas Carol provides its own spin, but none a re quite as unique as the â€Å"Epic Rap Battles of History: Donald Trump vs. Ebenezer Scrooge.† This rap battle uses key phrases, symbolism, and the assumption that the viewer is familiar with A Christmas Carol to tell Scrooge’s story with an unmistakably modern twist. A typical Epic Rap Battle of History contains two main characters or groups competing against one another to see who can spew the vilest insults. EpicLLOYDRead MoreHip-hop was a cultural movement. It emerged in the early 1970s from the South Bronx. Hip-hop came1300 Words   |  6 Pagesnot many rap about the need for change. By exploring the change of hip-hop from the civil rights movement to the modern day hip-hop this paper will attempt to show that hip-hop has been grown from a powerful tool of social awareness in to a monster of mass consumption. Annotated Sources. Aldridge Derrick â€Å"Introduction: Hip Hop in History: Past, Present, and Future.† The Journal Of African American History 90.3 (2005): 190-195. Association for the Study of African American Life and History. AldrigeRead MoreThe Music Of The Hip Hop1412 Words   |  6 Pagesbasically a cultural movement that originated in the Suburbs of cities. It was began to evolve in 1970 and in particular by the Americans who of African descent (American Africans) . Rap is a type of singing. It combines the performance of different rap utter words without committing to a particular tune, and rhythm. Rap began in Kingston, Jamaica City at the end of the sixties as a kind new musical was derived from dancehall. It has spread in the United States at the beginning of the seventies in the