History and Biography Of Hip Hop Music and Dance

History and Biography Of Hip
Hop Music and Dance


By Felicia McCaw
Saginaw Valley State University

Wednsday 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Introduction to Black Studies BLS 100
Partners
Ron Mullins
Dominique Matthews
Mathis Taylor
Ashley Jackson
Joi’ Fisher
Miracle Anderson


History and Biography of
Hip Hop Music and Dance
Felicia McCaw
Page 1

What is Hip Hop Music?

Hip Hop is a musical expression that encompasses several key elements: Rapping, Djing/Scratching, Sampling, Graffiti Art, Beat Boxing and Black Expressionism with its roots embedded within African Culture and Oral Tradition.

Rapping is a vocal style in which the artists use lyrics, rhymes and verse to tell the world his (her) story and witness of the pain, sorrow, hopes and dreams of black people all perfectly collaborated to an instrumental or synthesized beat. Also, because it is a pioneered effort in music there are no set rules.

Djing/Scratching is an artist’s beat mixing/matching and setting a turntable on flame with his genius in incorporating his music talents and beat juggling that contribute to remixes as looping, sampling and remixing of another’s music.

Graffiti Art is a form of art that expresses so many emotions that black people have - it is utilized in pictures, clothing, concert displays and throughout hip hop displays to express music or ideas.

Beat Boxing is a form of vocal usage and sound which involves the art of producing drum beats, rhythms and musical sound using one’s mouth, lips, tongue and voice. Further, it may involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, simulation of horns, strings and other musical instruments.

Black expressionism is a form of music that comes deep from the soul of black people and it includes so many facets that have contributed to modern hip hop today.

Beginning or Turning Point for Hip Hop Music Expression

DJ Kool Herc is recognized as the father of Hip Hop. The roots of Hip Hop music originated in African-American music, African music and was further influenced by Jamaican music. Due to positive reception of Hip Hop new style block parties in the 1970s became increasingly popular in New York particularly in the Bronx. Jamaicans were the ones who put the call and response chants out, often comprising of a basic chorus out there and ultimately lead to the rap style in Hip Hop music today. After this the rap style evolved further and began incorporating brief rhymes, often with sexual or scatological themes in an effort to differentiate themselves and entertain the audience.
History and Biography of
Hip Hop Music and Dance
Felicia McCaw
Page 2


Melle Mel is often credited as being the first rap lyricist to call himself an MC and was the pioneer where other artists followed in his footsteps. Hip Hop was not just a music style it was and is an outlet and voice for the disenfranchised youth of low-economic areas and reflected the culture of blacks, e.g., social, economic and political realities of their lives and this is why Melle Mel is looked up to as a mentor and idol.

Disco music had an influence on Hip Hop but was lost when Hip Hop became more popular although the disco instrumental loops/tracks were used and became the basis of which Hip Hop music is founded upon.

Acceptance of Hip Hop as a Music Contender

As time went by Hip Hop music was in! Recording started in 1979 and 1980 and marked the diversification of Hip Hop as the genre developed more complex styles. Prior to the 1980s Hip Hop was confined to the United States but during the middle of the 1980s it begun to spread all over the world.

Artists such as Melle Mel, Rakim, Chuck D and KRS-One revolutionized Hip Hop in a “Big Way” and transcended it to a mature art form! Grandmaster Flash, Furious Five, Cybotron, Hashim, Planet Patrol, Newcleus, Kurtis Blow brought it and fused electro music with elements of Hip Hop.

New School Hip Hop emerged from Old School Hip Hop and like they say all the talent came from the Big Apple – New York itself. New School Hip Hop came in with a bang characterized in form by drum machine-led minimalism with influences from rock music and Old School. Notorious for their taunts and boasts and hard hitting truth telling lyrics about life and the stresses of staying live and cold New School Hip Hop was in. Reflecting their stance on socio-political commentaries delivered in aggressive and self-assertive style that they attracted the interest and attention of all who heard them.

Still hitting hard and banging Hip Hop music proceeded to the Golden Age and this was the mainstream and time when diversity ruled and opened the door to quality, innovation and influence. Strong themes of Afrocentricity, political militancy were flying high with lots of musical experimental and sampling and eclectic was the word. Everything authentic and real came out of this era – heart, soul, guts all live and true.
History and Biography of
Hip Hop Music and Dance
Felicia McCaw
Page 3

Gangsta Rap and West Coast Hip Hop

Coming live and hard was Gangsta Rap and the fast cool talking and smooth true lyrics of the West Coast representing hard. Rappers of renown Schooly D, Ice T, Ice Cube, N.W.A. brought it real that life is hard for a brother and sister and living on the edge ain’t no game.


World Hip Hop Music

Around the world rappers are expressing themselves poetically telling the story of living the game and what they have to bring to it.

West Coast Hip Hop Music

Snoop Dogg rocked from the West Coast showing versatility and staying power. Showing life is what you make it … Bringing hard hitting lyrics, romance, danger and coolness to this playing field.

Beastie Boys, House of Pain, 3rd Bass and let’s not forget and we never will Eminem debut and rule
and who is one of our finest white cool dudes that say I’m down and got what it takes to bring it to the game. Also, and let’s not forget our sweet fine Vanilla Ice -- Where you at man? – We want you back!

Eminem, Nelly, Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins, Lil Wayne, 50 cent, solid as we want them to be – hitting the charts with lightning bolts reinforcing that Hip Hop music is a true art form and we love it and will continue to and for all the ones not mentioned – we know who you are and we love y’all.

Crunk and Snap Music

Coming from the sweet Southern States of Memphis, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia bringing it live and fresh with the focal point of Crunk was and is using more beats and music than lyrics. This form of Hip Hop is the flavor needed at a party to open it wide open.





History and Biography of
Hip Hop Music and Dance
Felicia McCaw
Page 4

Alternative Hip Hop Music

This style of Hip Hop became the crossover and the marketable asset due to declining commercial viability of Gangsta Rap. Featuring artists of renown Outkast, Kanye West, Gnarls Barkley and others found the key to appeal to listeners of all ages and span numerous musical genres.

Hip Hop Music Affect on the Fashion World

Hip Hop is not only music but it has grown to encompass a clothing style of its own. These artists represent themselves by being real and further design, create and promote every aspect of Hip Hop and have great influence by being extremely marketable in various aspects in the music world. Hip Hop is alive and evolving and has great potential to reach the young people and market.

Hip Hop Music Affect on Dance

Hip Hop music was the catalyst that started Hip Hop Dance which is the social or choreographed dance styles primarily danced to Hip Hop music or that evolved as part of Hip Hop culture. This includes a wide range of styles, e.g., break dancing, locking, popping which was developed in the 1970s by Black and Latino Americans. The great facet about Hip Hop Dance that separates it from other dance forms is that it freestyle (improvisational) and allows the dancer to be uniquely creative and dancers frequently engage in battles (formal or informal freestyle dance competitions). Informal freestyle sessions and competitive sessions (battles) are usually performed in a cipher (a cipher is a circular dance space that forms naturally once the dancing begins). Three elements that are the key components of Hip Hop Dance is freestyling, battles, and ciphers and has been in existence for over thirty years. Afrika Bambaataa classified breaking as one of the five pillars of Hip Hop culture along with MCing, DJing, graffiti writing, and knowledge.

Breaking/B-boying includes four foundational dances: toprock, footwork performed on the floor using the hands to support weight, downrock, footwork performed on the floor using the hands to support weight, freezes, stylish poses done on your hands, power moves, difficult and impressive acrobatic moves.

Locking looks similar to popping and thus frequently gets confused with popping but in locking a dancer holds their positions longer and the primary move in locking is the lock.

History and Biography of
Hip Hop Music and Dance
Felicia McCaw
Page 5

Popping is based on the technique of quickly contracting and relaxing muscles to cause a jerk in the dancer’s body, referred to as a pop or a hit. Each hit or pop such be in sync with the music or rhythm in coordination with the beats of the music. The movements are so smooth that they don’t
look like popping but fluid and flowing.

Hip Hop Music and Dance Mainstay

Anchoring on to the hottest artists, e.g., Kayne West, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Outkast, Gnarls Barkley, Jay-Z, T.I., MC, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, ODB, DMX, ‘Pac, Young Jeezy and
among others these are the ones who are constantly evolving this new dynasty with a bang and making us proud.

The End.

Keep It Real Always!




















Bibliography


Hip Hop Dance – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip-hop_dance

Hip Hop Music – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip-hop_music

The History of Hip Hop
http://www.daveyd.com/rapphist3.html

Hip Hop – All About Hip Hop
http://dance about.com/od/types of dance/p/Hip_Hop.htm