A History Of Hip Hop

By Courtney Owens

Rap Defined

A rhymed form of storytelling and expression that articulates the black urban experience, and is accompanied by cutting edge electronically based music.

Links To African Culture

ToastingSignifyingGriotsRhythmic Layering of MusicRepetition of Music

Historical Backdrop

Economic Changes Urban Renewal Job Market Shifts Information Flow Disrupted Everything from music to advertising

geared for suburbs

The Result

Many people mostly Blacks and Latinos are relocated to overcrowded areas in the South Bronx NYYouth are cut off from aesthetic and economic resourcesSouth Bronx: Example of “American Woes"

Hip Hop Emerges In Response

Rapping DJ’s/ScratchingBreak DancingGraffiti

Started By TakiUses themes, formats, and stylesWork CrewsExposure

Physical manifestation of Hip Hop: Response to DJ’s beatsResembles African dances/Capoiera Crews competed for territory by dancing

Toasting and dub talks over Reggae.Party Shout outs.Call and Response.Emceeing.

• Battles for territory

• DJ battles• Club gigs• Tape

Circulation

Rap Hits the Mainstream

Block party battles attract attention“Rappers Delight” by the Sugar Hill GangUnfair recording contracts

1st Artists to Hit it Big Kurtis Blow Grandmaster

Flash and the Furious Five

Afrika Bambaata w/ Soul Sonic Force

Female Rappers

Heavily discriminated against in Breaking and Graffiti.

Male/Female battles get lots of airplay.

Have a unique style.

Hurricane Gloria.Funky Four Plus

One More.Roxanne Shante

1st “queen of rap.”Sha Rock: beat

box innovator.

Commercial Status Rises

Themes ComplexityStory Telling

Run DMC KRS OnePublic EnemyLL Kool J

Rap Expands

Gansta Rap. Economic Problems

in Compton?Watts Districts.

Stories about Black experience in LA. Snoop Dog. Dr. Dre. Ice Cube. South Central

Cartel.

Different Styles New Jersey:

Naughty by Nature

Bronx: Redman

Detroit: Boss Atlanta:

Outkast

Rap Is….

A response to political changes.Revolutionary.Redirected Frustration as a form of expression.

Promotes UnderstandingMakes lots of MoneyUses “Contemporary issues and ancestral forces