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| rap music | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rap music |
| Other names | Hip hop vocal style |
| Cultural origins | 1970s Bronx, New York City, New York City |
| Instruments | Turntables, drum machines, samplers, synthesizers, microphones |
| Subgenres | Gangsta rap, Conscious hip hop, Trap music, Drill (music), Boom bap, G-funk, Alternative hip hop |
| Regional scene | West Coast hip hop, East Coast hip hop, Southern hip hop, Midwest hip hop |
rap music is a vocal art form rooted in rhythmic spoken delivery, improvisation, and rhythmic timing performed over instrumental backing. Emerging from urban communities in the 1970s, it developed alongside block parties, sound system culture, and DJ techniques, becoming a dominant global musical and cultural force by the late 20th century. Key artists, collectives, venues, and recording innovations propelled rap music through evolving production technologies and cross-cultural exchange.
Early foundations trace to DJs and MCs at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx, New York City block parties hosted by figures like DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grandmaster Flash. The transition from party MCing to recorded forms involved releases on labels such as Sugar Hill Records and studios like Power Play Studios, where acts like The Sugarhill Gang and Kurtis Blow reached mainstream audiences. The 1980s saw regional rivalries crystallize around crews and boroughs—Queensbridge Houses‑linked artists, Compton collectives, and Harlem crews—while collectives like Native Tongues and producers at Tommy Boy Records broadened sonic palettes. The 1990s introduced commercial peaks and tragedies tied to figures in Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., shaping narratives around authenticity, rivalry, and label dynamics involving Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records.
Production centers on looped beats, sampled fragments from records by artists like James Brown and techniques influenced by Reggae sound system DJing. Producers use equipment such as the Akai MPC and the E-mu SP-1200, alongside turntable techniques pioneered by Grandmaster Flash and DJ Shadow. Song structures vary from verse-chorus to extended cyphers performed at venues like The Apollo Theater or on mixtapes circulated by DJs like DJ Clue. Collaboration between producers and engineers at studios including Electric Lady Studios and companies like Def Jam Recordings shaped signature sounds exemplified by producers Dr. Dre, Rick Rubin, J Dilla, and Pharrell Williams.
Lyricism ranges from storytelling exemplified by Nas and Slick Rick to politically charged work by Public Enemy and KRS-One, and introspective narratives by Common and Lauryn Hill. Delivery techniques include fast-paced flows popularized by Twista and Busta Rhymes, double-time patterns used by Eminem and Tech N9ne, and cadences central to crews like Migos. Themes span socioeconomic critique on records from N.W.A. and Ice-T to celebration and nightlife in tracks by Lil Jon and DJ Khaled, while battle traditions persist in cipher culture at events hosted by Smack/URL and festivals like Rolling Loud.
Distinct scenes formed: West Coast hip hop with G-funk innovators such as Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg; East Coast hip hop hubs in Brooklyn and Harlem producing artists like The Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z; Southern hip hop centers in Atlanta with artists and labels including OutKast, T.I., and LaFace Records; and Midwest hip hop voices from Chicago and Detroit like Kanye West and Common. Subgenres like Trap music emerged from producers and artists in Atlanta including Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy, while Drill (music) grew in Chicago and later in London via collectives and labels.
Rap music influenced fashion through designers and retailers associated with artists such as Dapper Dan and brands endorsed by Kanye West and Pharrell, and language adoption via mainstream media outlets and award shows like the Grammy Awards. Controversies include debates over lyrical content leading to congressional hearings involving Tupac Shakur’s contemporaries and industry responses to explicit material with organizations like the Parents Music Resource Center prompting parental advisory labeling. Legal disputes over sampling involved landmark cases in courts tied to labels such as Capitol Records and creators like Biz Markie, reshaping clearance practices.
Independent tape traders and mixtape DJs like DJ Drama fed grassroots distribution, later supplemented by labels including Def Jam Recordings, Interscope Records, and Cash Money Records. The rise of digital platforms—first peer-to-peer services such as Napster, later streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music—altered revenue models, charting practices at Billboard, and promotional strategies through social media platforms including YouTube and Instagram. Artist-owned imprints like Roc-A-Fella Records and conglomerate deals with entities such as Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group changed ownership structures and 360-degree agreements.
Rap artists expanded into film with roles and productions tied to Universal Pictures releases and independent cinema showcasing figures like Ice Cube and Queen Latifah, while literature includes memoirs and poetry collections by artists such as Jay-Z and Maya Angelou‑adjacent collaborations. Visual arts intersected with street art movements linked to venues in Harlem and graffiti culture documented by institutions like the Museum of Modern Art. Video games—titles developed by Rockstar Games—feature curated hip hop soundtracks, and television series on networks including HBO and FX dramatize scenes and biographies, reinforcing rap’s narrative reach.
Category:Music genres