Image By: [[File:Myl3z raps in a garage – July – 2019.jpg|Myl3z raps in a garage – July – 2019]]
I Greet all my Hip-Hop Heads. We’re Back with more value content just for you. I’m sure we all now know what Hip-hop is and how important it is in today’s youth culture. Rap, however, goes back a long time and has a unique story. A story that saw the light of day long before Hip-Hop itself. That art form lasted long enough to tell its own stories. Let’s get into it.
Topics that will be covered today:
•Rap Definition: What Does It Mean?
•What is Rap Music?
•The First Rapper: DJ Kool Herc
•Rapper’s Delight
•Gangstar Rap
•The Golden Age
Rap Definition: What Does It Mean?
The word “Rap” means talking or chatting in a simple and familiar way; reciting with a series of audible plays in order to attract attention.
In hip-hop, RAP is an acronym that means rhythm and poetry. It is made up of three main components:
Content: This often has to do with the message and setting of what is said.
Flow: Can be broken down into two aspects, which is rhythm and rhyme. It’s essentially what we call the style and showmanship of the way you convey your words in a rap
Delivery: Also consists of two parts, cadence and tone. Consider this a package delivery. The company’s reputation depends on how well that parcel gets delivered. If your rap verse has an outstanding delivery, then just like an actor, your raps will evoke anger, happiness and sadness.
Rap also integrates the vernacular language of the street which is done in different ways.
What is Rap Music?
Rap is a musical vocal delivery of speech which incorporates both rhyme and rhythm. Rap music started in 1973 over the block parts of New York . Prior to rap songs and rap music, rap artists were known as MCs. They were often invited to parties to present DJs, announce special guests, hit the fan and entertain the crowd. The MCs first spoke between the songs and sometimes told jokes.
In 1980, Kurtis Blow was the first rapper to acquire commercial success with his self-titled debut studio album “Kurtis Blow.” His single, “The Break”, was the first rap song that was certified gold.
A rap artist is a person who does rap. The roots of rap date back to the tradition of the griot of West Africa, in which oral historians and singers of praise delivered and sang rhythmically on drums.
The Last Poets, Martin Luther King and Muhammad Ali, were also known to have exhibited the features and elements of a rapper in their discourses and performances.
Contemporary rap has given rise to its own sub-genres such as:
•Gangstar Rap
•Alternative Hip-hop
•BoomBap Rap
•Conscious Rap
•Mumble Rap
•Horrorcore
•Christian Hip-hop
The First Rapper: Dj Kool Herc
Image By: [[File:Kool Herc.jpg|Kool Herc]]
Clive Campbell, known as DJ Kool Herc, is a DJ, rapper, producer, songwriter and hip-hop pioneer from Jamaica. He is well known as one of the fathers of hip-hop and his homecoming parties. That was our first rapper.
DJ Kool Herc came up with “the break”. He came up with the idea to have an extended instrumental beat to let people dance longer. He was also a master of ceremonies(MC) for his parties, always hyping and entertaining the crowd.
DJ Kool Herc’s back-to-school idea inspired the likes of:
•Afrika Bambaata
•Grandmaster Flash
Rapper’s Delight: The First Rap Song
Forty-two years ago, the song “Rapper’s Delight” made its debut on the Billboard Chart on October 13, 1979.
The Sugarhill Gang recorded and released the song on September 16, 1979 at SugarHill Records. Sylvia Robinson was the producer of the hit song, which was written by Grandmaster Caz.
Although it is considered as the first rap song, there is a debate on who it really is between The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” and The FatBack Band’s “Kim Tim III”
Gangster Rap:
Image By: [[File:Tom and NWA 1985.jpg|Tom and NWA 1985]]
Gangstar Rap was first discovered in 1980 by Ice-T. This is a sub-genre of rap that reflects on the reality of criminalized streets, asserting the value of street gangs and American crooks. Ice-T claims he had his influences from Scholly D in Gangstar Rap.
Scholly D had released “P.S.K” representing Park Side Killers. That wiped it out as part of the Gangster’s life. Ice-T was inspired by this song and later came up with his single “6 in Mornin.”
In those days, Gangster Rap was not popular because of its controversial content. It was only in 1988 that the famous West Coast rap band, NWA , released their hit album Straight Outta Compton.
After Scholly D, Ice-T and N.W.A did their part in the genre, a new group of rappers were inspired to follow.
Gangster Rap is often charged with controversy. There are lyrics that are said to promote crime, drugs and violence. In 1992, then US- Vice President of the United States, Dan Quayle protested against it alleging that it promotes the same drug-use, crime and violence in the youth.
Dan Quayle: “There is absolutely no reason that such a record should be published, It has no place in our society.”
Image By: [[File:Logo N.W.A grafit.JPG|Logo N.W.A grafit]]
The Golden Age of Hip-hop:
Image By: [[File:Chuck D. Slakthuset i Malmö 1991.jpg|Chuck D. Slakthuset i Malmö 1991]]
A golden age is a period of time when great things have been done. In Hip-hop, gold age refers to the period between 1985 and 1997. That’s where the most striking classics and masterpieces of hip-hop were created. In fact, when they talk about Old-School Hip-hop, many songs will be recalled during this era. That was the grand moment for hip-hop.
This is the era that opened doors for:
•Melle Mel
•Public Enemy
•Grandmaster Flash
•N.W.A
•KRS-One
•Eric B.
•Wu-Tang
•Tupac Shakur
•Notorious B.I.G and many more.
The Golden Age is not only known as the age of classics, but it is also a time when we witnessed the greatest rivalry from coast to coast. The climb of ganster rap on West Coast competition movement, east coast being at the beginning of that movement. The East Coast vs West Coast started.
The East Coast/West Coast rivalry was also affected by the rap rivalry between Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. This is the greatest rivalry in hip-hop, even to this day. The rivalry, known as beef, in Hip-hop had grown so much that the two men were killed.
Their murder cases became so much controversial even to this day. It sounded like a lesson for a young generation of rappers. Rap beef is now kept within the studio limits and is just considered as a marketing strategy and healthy competition.
In his dispute with Tory Lanez, Joyner Lucas said this in an interview on Billboard, when they asked him regarding their rivalry:
“Not everything needs to be physical and have negative animosity. That’s the competition right there! It’s a sport and I think we handled the situation well. We’ve come a long way from the Biggie and Pac thing.”
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