Roots of hip hop
Encyclopedia
Hip hop music
is an element within Hip hop culture, which includes MCing, DJing, graffiti
and b-boying
. Hip hop music originated within early-1970s block parties
in New York City
, specifically African American sections of The Bronx
, as an alternative to ethnic gangs that proliferated during that era. These large, often outdoor parties were thrown by owners of loud and sometimes expensive stereo equipment, which they would use for community functions, or to compete among themselves in a manner similar to Jamaican sound systems.
Rap music emerged from block parties after DJs isolated and looped percussion breaks
favored among dancers. Later, MCs began speaking over the beats
in a manner similar to Jamaican toasting. Lil Rodney Cee, of Funky Four Plus One More and Double Trouble, cites Cowboy, of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
, as, "the first MC that I know of...He was the first MC to talk about the DJ."
On August 11, 1973, Jamaica
n-born DJ Kool Herc
was a DJ and Emcee at a party in the :recreation room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue
in the Bronx
, adjacent to the Cross-Bronx Expressway. This location is ofen referred to as the "Birthplace of Hip Hop," though the genre
actually developed in several places in the 1970s
. DJ Kool Herc:
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
is an element within Hip hop culture, which includes MCing, DJing, graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
and b-boying
B-boying
B-boying, often called "breakdancing", is a popular style of street dance that was created and developed as part of hip-hop culture among African Americans and Latino youths in New York City. The dance consists of four primary elements: toprock, downrock, power moves and freezes...
. Hip hop music originated within early-1970s block parties
Block party
A block party is a large public party in which many members of a single neighbourhood congregate, either to observe an event of some importance or simply for mutual enjoyment. The name comes from the form of the party, which often involves closing an entire city block to vehicle traffic...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, specifically African American sections of The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, as an alternative to ethnic gangs that proliferated during that era. These large, often outdoor parties were thrown by owners of loud and sometimes expensive stereo equipment, which they would use for community functions, or to compete among themselves in a manner similar to Jamaican sound systems.
Rap music emerged from block parties after DJs isolated and looped percussion breaks
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
favored among dancers. Later, MCs began speaking over the beats
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
in a manner similar to Jamaican toasting. Lil Rodney Cee, of Funky Four Plus One More and Double Trouble, cites Cowboy, of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was an influential American hip-hop group formed in the South Bronx of New York City in 1978. Composed of one DJ and five rappers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was an influential American hip-hop group formed in the South Bronx of New York City in...
, as, "the first MC that I know of...He was the first MC to talk about the DJ."
On August 11, 1973, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n-born DJ Kool Herc
DJ Kool Herc
Clive Campbell , also known as Kool Herc, DJ Kool Herc and Kool DJ Herc, is a Jamaican-born DJ who is credited with originating hip hop music, in The Bronx, New York City...
was a DJ and Emcee at a party in the :recreation room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue
1520 Sedgwick Avenue
1520 Sedgwick Avenue is a 102-unit apartment building in the Morris Heights neighborhood in The Bronx borough of New York City, New York, United States of America...
in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, adjacent to the Cross-Bronx Expressway. This location is ofen referred to as the "Birthplace of Hip Hop," though the genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
actually developed in several places in the 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
. DJ Kool Herc:
External links
- Back in the Days — Vibe
- Rap/Hip-Hop Timeline
- Did Ali invent rap? (ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
). - All Latin Rap / Hip-Hop Artists