Rapping (also known as emceeing, MCing, spitting, or just rhyming) is the rhythmic spoken delivery of rhymes and wordplay, one of the elements of hip hop music and culture. Rhythm (from Greek ῥυθμός - rhythmos, "any measured flow or movement symmetry" is the variation of the length and accentuation of This article is about the poetic technique For the form of ice see Rime ice. Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a Music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with Hip hop is a Subculture, which is said to have begun with the work of DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, and Afrika Bambaattaa

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Roots 2.2 1968 2.3 1970s 2.4 1980s 2.5 1990s 2.6 2000s 3 Vocal Techniques and Lyrics 3.1 Rhyme styles 3.2 Literary technique 3.3 Diction and dialect 3.4 Subject matter 4 Performance 4.1 Flow 4.2 Freestyle rapping 4.3 Battle rapping 5 Social impact 5.1 Race and class 5.1.1 Chicano rap 5.1.2 Rapcore Or Rap-Rock 5.2 Gender and sexuality 5.3 Derivatives and influence 5.4 Regional variations 5.4.1 Belgium/Netherlands 5.4.2 France 5.4.3 Greece 5.4.4 Portugal 5.4.5 Canada 5.4.6 UK 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading

Etymology

The use of the word to describe quick speech or repartee long predates the musical form,^[1] meaning originally "to hit". ^[2] The word had been used in British English since the 16th century, and specifically meaning "to say" since the 18th. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the It was part of the African American dialect of English in the 1960s meaning "to converse", and very soon after that in its present usage as a term denoting the musical style. African American Vernacular English ( AAVE) – also called African American English; less precisely Black English, Black Vernacular, ^[3]

Rapping can be delivered over a beat or without accompaniment. A beat is the basic Time Unit of a piece of Music; for example each tick sounded by a Metronome would correspond to a beat Stylistically, rap occupies a gray area among speech, prose, poetry, and song. Rap is derived from the griots (folk poets) of West Africa, and Jamaican-style toasting. A griot ( pronounced /gɹiɒ/ in English or in French, with a silent t) or jeli ( djeli or djéli in French The music of Africa is as vast and varied as the continent's many regions, nations and Ethnic groups Although there is no distinctly pan-African Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. Toasting, Chatting, or Deejaying is the act of talking or Chanting over a Rhythm or beat. It also has precedents in traditional Celtic music. Celtic music is a term utilised by artists record companies music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of Musical genres that evolved out of the Folk Modern rap battles, for instance, bear a striking resemblance to the Limerick Game, a traditional Gaelic drinking game in which people compete for notoriety by making up insulting limericks about each other, the loser having to buy the next round of drinks. Drinking games are Games which involve the drinking of Beer or other Alcoholic beverages These games commonly take place at house parties public bars or Likewise, puirt a beul, a form of Scottish mouth music was incorporated into Appalachian music and is an early ancestor of modern mouth percussion, or beatboxing. Puirt a beul (puirt à beul literally "tunes from a mouth" is a traditional form of song native to Scotland, Ireland, and Cape Breton Island The influence of Scottish and Irish music on hip hop is not direct, since virtually all of the originators of hip hop culture were African American, but were transferred indirectly by way of American roots music. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Old-time music is a form of North American Folk music, with roots in the Folk musics of many countries including England, Scotland, Roots music was created out of the fusion of African and Celtic music in the American South and is typified by the combination of African rhythms, Gaelic melodies, and (occasionally) vocal improvisation. It forms the basis of virtually all American musical styles from bluegrass to the blues, jazz, rock, funk, and country. Hip hop grew out of this same tradition; stripping down the melody, emphasizing the rhythm, and incorporating mouth music, battling, and vocal improvisation.

Rapping developed both inside and outside of hip hop culture, and began with the street parties thrown in the Bronx neighborhood of New York in the 70s by Jamaican expatriate Kool Herc and others. Clive Campbell (born April 16 1955 AKA Kool Herc, DJ Kool Herc and Kool DJ Herc, is a Jamaican-born DJ who is credited as originating Hip hop The parties introduced dancehall and the practice of having a "Master of Ceremonies," or MC, get up on stage with the DJ and shout encouragements to the crowd in a practice known as 'toasting'. Dancehall is a type of Jamaican Popular music which developed in the late 1970s initially as a more sparse and less political and religious variant of Reggae Over time, those shouts of encouragement became more longer and more complex and cross-pollinated with the spoken-word poetry scene to evolve into rap. From the beginning hip hop culture has been syncretic, incorporating sounds and elements from radically divergent sources. While Funk breaks formed the backbone of early hip hop, Kraftwerk and other early techno artists were widely sampled as well. Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended Soul music, Soul Kraftwerk (ˈkʁaftvɛɐk German for " power plant " or " Power station " is an influential Electronic music band from

History

Main article: History of hip hop

See also: African American music, Music of the United States, History of poetry, Jamaican music, and Caribbean music

Roots

See also: Roots of hip hop and Talking blues

Rapping hip hop music can be traced back in many ways to its African roots. Centuries before the United States existed, the griots of West Africa were delivering stories rhythmically, over drums and sparse instrumentation. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A griot ( pronounced /gɹiɒ/ in English or in French, with a silent t) or jeli ( djeli or djéli in French West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells Because of the time that has passed since the griots of old, the connections between rap and the African griots are widely established, but not clear-cut. However, such connections have been acknowledged by rappers, modern day "griots", spoken word artists, mainstream news sources, and academics. Spoken word is a form of literary Art or artistic performance in which Lyrics, Poetry, or stories are spoken rather than sung ^[4][5][6][7]

Blues music, rooted in the work songs and spirituals of slavery and influenced greatly by West African musical traditions, was first played by blacks (and some whites) in the Mississippi Delta region of the United States around the time of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Little is known about the exact origins of the music we now know as the Blues. A work song is typically a Rhythmic A cappella Song sung by people working on a physical and often repetitive task Spirituals (or Negro spirituals) are songs which were created by African slaves in America. Slavery in the United States began soon after English colonists first settled Virginia in 1607 and lasted until the passage of the Thirteenth The Mississippi Delta is the distinct northwest section of the state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers Technically The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. Grammy-winning blues musician/historian Elijah Wald and others have argued that the blues were being rapped as early as the 1920s. ^[8][9] Wald went so far as to call hip hop "the living blues. "^[8]

Jazz, developed from the blues and other African-American musical traditions, originated around the beginning of the 20th century. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States According to John Sobol, the jazz musician and poet who wrote Digitopia Blues, rap "bears a striking resemblance to the evolution of jazz both stylistically and formally. "^[10]

During the mid-20th century, the musical culture of the Caribbean was constantly influenced by the concurrent changes in American music. The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles From the 1950s through the 1970s, the descendants of Caribbean slaves in Jamaica were mixing their traditional folk music styles of mento music with the jazz, soul, rock and blues of America. Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. The article is about the Jamaican musical style For the DC comics character see Mento (comics. Soul music is a Music genre that combines Rhythm and blues and Gospel music, originating in the United States. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African In Jamaica, this influenced the creation of reggae music (and later dancehall). Reggae is a Music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s Dancehall is a type of Jamaican Popular music which developed in the late 1970s initially as a more sparse and less political and religious variant of Reggae As early as 1956,^[11] deejays were toasting (an African tradition of "rapped out" tales of heroism) over dubbed Jamaican beats. Not to be confused with Disc jockey A deejay (alternatively spelled DJ) is a Reggae or Dancehall musician who sings Toasting, Chatting, or Deejaying is the act of talking or Chanting over a Rhythm or beat. Dub is a form of music which evolved from Reggae in the late 1960s It was called "rap", expanding the word's earlier meaning in the African-American community—"to discuss or debate informally. "^[12]

1968

1970s

The dubbed dancehall toasts of Jamaica, as well as the disco-rapping and jazz-based spoken word beat poetry of the United States was a predecessor for the rapping in hip hop music. Disco is a Genre of dance-oriented music whose origins are hard to define Gil Scott-Heron, a jazz poet/musician who wrote and released such seminal songs as The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, H2OGate Blues Part 2: We Beg Your Pardon America and Johannesberg, has been cited as an influence on many rappers. Gil Scott-Heron (born April 1 1949) is an American Poet, Musician, and Author known primarily for his late 1960s and Jazz poetry can be defined as poetry that "demonstrates Jazz -like rhythm or the feel of improvisation" " The Revolution Will Not Be Televised " is a Poem and Song by Gil Scott-Heron. He released his first album in 1970. Similar in style, the Last Poets who formed in 1969 recited political poetry over drum beats and other instrumentation were another predecessor for rap music. The Last Poets is a group of poets and musicians who arose from the late 1960s African American civil rights movement's Black nationalist thread They released their debut album in 1970 reaching the top ten on the Billboard charts. One of the first rappers in the beginning of the Hip Hop period, in the end of '70s, was also hip hop's first DJ; Kool Herc. A disc jockey (also known as DJ or deejay) is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience Clive Campbell (born April 16 1955 AKA Kool Herc, DJ Kool Herc and Kool DJ Herc, is a Jamaican-born DJ who is credited as originating Hip hop Herc, a Jamaican immigrant, started delivering simple raps at his parties. As Herc would explain in a 1989 interview,

“

the whole chemistry came from Jamaica. I was listening to American music in Jamaica, and my favorite artist was James Brown. James Joseph Brown Jr (May 3 1933 – December 25 2006 commonly referred to as "The Godfather of Soul" the "King of Funk" and "The When I came over here I just had to put it in the American style.

”

^[13] Although rapping in hip hop began with the DJs, most rappers today don't DJ or produce on a regular basis; Coke La Rock is cited by Kool Herc as the first example of such a rapper. In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing Coke La Rock' is an American old school Rapper.For practical reasons he is considered to be the first hip-hop emcee ^[14] By the end of the 1979, hip hop had spread throughout New York, and was getting some radio play. Rappers were increasingly writing songs that fit pop music structures and featured continuous rhymes. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure Melle Mel (of The Furious Five) stands out as one of the earliest rap innovators. Melvin Glover (born May 15, 1961 in The Bronx New York) also known by his stage name Grandmaster Mele Mel, and formerly Grandmaster Melle Joseph Saddler (born January 1, 1958 in Bridgetown Barbados) better known as Grandmaster Flash, is an American Hip hop musician Two raps songs recorded in 1979 by separate artists were perhaps the first raps recorded at the beginning of the period where the Hip Hop movement began. Hip hop is a cultural movement which developed in New York City in the 1970s primarily among African Americans and Latinos. The first was recoded by the funk group Fatback Band (later simply "Fatback"). The Fatback Band (later simply Fatback) is an American Funk and Disco band The song is called King Tim III A week later Hip Hop/Funk group the Sugarhill Gang released Rapper's Delight which charted #36 on the U. The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop and Funk group known mostly for their biggest hit " Rapper's Delight " the first hip hop " Rapper's Delight " is a 1979 single by American hip hop trio The Sugarhill Gang; it was one of the first hip hop hit singles S. pop chart.

Some music during this period also contained fragmented spoken-word sections on top of standard group instrumentation. Gil Scott Heron and the Last Poets were part of a poetry-influenced genre, however R&B singers like Oscar Brown simply weaved rap-style speaking into their studio albums and live routines. Oscar Brown Jr ( October 10 1926 &ndash May 29 2005) was a Singer, Songwriter, Playwright, Poet,

1980s

See also: Old school hip hop and Golden age hip hop

From the 1970s to the early 1980s, Melle Mel set the way for future rappers through his sociopolitical content and creative wordplay. Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded Hip hop music (1979–1984 and often by extension the music in the period preceding it ( see Roots Hip hop's "golden age" is a name given to a period in mainstream Hip hop —usually cited as the late 1980s—said to be characterized by its diversity quality innovation Hip hop lyricism saw its biggest change with the popularity of Run-D. M. C. 's Raising Hell in the mid-1980s, known especially for the rap/rock collaboration with rock band Aerosmith in the song "Walk This Way". For the video by Iron Maiden, see Raising Hell (video Raising Hell is a 1986 album by Hip-hop group Rap rock is a fusion genre of rock and hip-hop. It blends vocal and instrumental parts of hip-hop and various forms of rock including punk and rock A musical ensemble is a group of two or more Musicians who perform instrumental or vocal Music. Aerosmith is an American Hard rock band sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston " and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" " Walk This Way " is a Song by American Hard rock group Aerosmith. This album helped set the tone of toughness and lyrical prowess in hip hop; Run-D. M. C. were almost yelling their aggressive lyrics.

The 1980s saw a huge wave of commercialized rap music, that with it brought success and international popularity. Rap music transcended its original demographic and passed on to the suburbs. The first rap hit of the 80s was Blondie's "Rapture", following on from "Rapper's Delight" in 1979 from The Sugarhill Gang. " Rapture " is a single by Blondie. It was released in January 1981 during the height of the band's success and became one of the first substantial hit singles " Rapper's Delight " is a 1979 single by American hip hop trio The Sugarhill Gang; it was one of the first hip hop hit singles The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop and Funk group known mostly for their biggest hit " Rapper's Delight " the first hip hop Rap music in this time kept its original fan base in the "ghetto" while attracting interest from mainstream consumers. A ghetto is described as a "portion of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social legal or economic pressure This decade also saw the emergence of what we now know as old school hip hop, artists such as Run-D. Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded Hip hop music (1979–1984 and often by extension the music in the period preceding it ( see Roots M. C. , LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and the white group Beastie Boys. James Todd Smith (born January 14 1968 better known as LL Cool J, is an American Rapper and actor Public Enemy, also known as PE, is an influential hip hop group from Long Island New York, known for its politically charged Lyrics, criticism This decade is also referred to as the golden age of hip hop by modern music historians. Hip hop's "golden age" is a name given to a period in mainstream Hip hop —usually cited as the late 1980s—said to be characterized by its diversity quality innovation Rap in the early 1980s centered mostly around self promotion e. g. , the amount of gold one wears or one's prowess with females. However, in 1987 Public Enemy introduced a more sociopolitical edge, with their debut album Yo! Bum Rush the Show. Yo! Bum Rush the Show is the debut album by Public Enemy, released by Def Jam / Columbia Records on January 26, 1987. Other artists such as the Jungle Brothers looked to Africa for inspiration. The Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop group who pioneered the fusion of Jazz and hip-hop and also became the first hip-hop group to use a house-music In 1987 the rap group N.W.A released their first album entitled N.W.A and the Posse, and included rap stars Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and MC Ren. NWA (also known as Niggaz with Attitudes) was a Compton, California -based hip hop group widely considered one of the seminal acts of the NWA and the Posse was a 1987 Macola Records release that compiled various Dr Andre Romelle Young (born February 18 1965 primarily known by his stage name Dr O'Shea Jackson (born June 15 1969 better known by his Stage name Ice Cube, is an American Actor, Screenwriter, producer, and Eric Lynn Wright (September 7 1963 – March 26 1995 better known by the stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper, producer, and Record executive Lorenzo Jerald Patterson (born June 14, 1969 in Compton, California) better known by his Stage name MC Ren, is a rapper This release marked the first shift from the golden age to the ensuing ages of gangsta rap and G-funk. For the Ice T album see Gangsta Rap (album. Gangsta rap is a term originated by the mainstream media to describe a certain subgenre G-funk, or Gangsta Funk, is a type of Hip hop music that emerged from West Coast Gangsta rap in the early 1990s

1990s

See also: Golden age hip hop and Gangsta rap

Rap in the 1990s saw a substantial change in direction of the style of rapping. Hip hop's "golden age" is a name given to a period in mainstream Hip hop —usually cited as the late 1980s—said to be characterized by its diversity quality innovation For the Ice T album see Gangsta Rap (album. Gangsta rap is a term originated by the mainstream media to describe a certain subgenre While the 1980s were characterized by verses mostly constrained to straightforward structures and rhyme schemes, rappers in the 1990s explored deviations from those basic forms, freeing up the lyrical flow and switching up the patterns to create a much more fluid and complex style. The style on the East Coast became more aggressive, pioneered by artists like the Wu-Tang Clan and Notorious B.I.G., while West Coast hip hop became more laid-back and smooth, as made popular by Dr. Dre and 2Pac. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21 1972 – March 9 1997 popularly known as Biggie Smalls (after a Gangster in the 1975 film Let's Do It Again West Coast hip hop is a style of Hip hop music that originated in California in the early 1980s Andre Romelle Young (born February 18 1965 primarily known by his stage name Dr Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16 1971 &mdash September 13 1996 also known by his Stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper

In terms of subject matter, the 1990s saw a shift from personal promotion and glorification to narratives of street experience and darker social observation, although this shift was more pronounced on the East Coast than the West.

The 1990s were also marked by a tense rivalry between MCs of the East and West Coast, including a feud between Sean "Puffy" Combs' (Bad Boy Records) in the East, including the Notorious B. The East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry was a feud in the early-mid 1990s between artists and fans of the East Coast and West Coast hip-hop scenes I. G. , and Dr. Dre and Suge Knight's Death Row Records (including 2pac and Snoop Dogg). Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr (born October 20 1971 His mother nicknamed him " Snoopy " as a child because of the way he dressed and because of his love of Freestyling became a skill that demonstrates an MC's versatility and creativity, but also as a verbal duel or spar. Freestyle rap is an Improvisational form of Rapping, performed with few or no previously composed Lyrics, which is said to reflect a direct mapping of the The mid 1990s were marked by the violent deaths of Tupac Shakur, Notorious B. I. G. , Freaky Tah, and Big L, among others. Raymond Rogers ( May 14, 1971 - March 28, 1999) better known by his stage name Freaky Tah, was a Hip-hop artist from Lamont Coleman ( May 30, 1974 - February 15, 1999) also known by his Stage name Big L, was an American By the end of the 1990s, hip hop became widely accepted in mainstream music.

The stereotypical image of male rappers in the 1990s often depicted someone wearing the Rastafari colors (red, yellow, and green), oversize jeans worn below the waist that commonly exposed the underwear, and oversize shirts and jackets. The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, New Testament These fashions were then imitated by youngsters and created a separation beyond the rappers' circle by dividing economic classes in the public eye, meaning that lower-class youth dressing in this manner stuck out among the middle to upper-class youth. ^[15] This image, idealized by urban youth, was further supported by the lyrics of rap underground. The lyrics often reflect the culture and lifestyles of urban and gang violence, drugs, corruption, and sexuality. The expansion of rap across cultures and borders allowed for expansion and transformation of the music and the image of what rap was.

2000s

Hip hop in its modern iteration has been increasingly influenced by other musical forms. Notably, remixes of existing hits with current notable rappers has become an increasing trend. The influence of rap has increased internationally with independent styles, such as grime, trip hop, and hyphy. Grime is a genre of music which emerged in London, UK, primarily a development of UK garage, Dancehall, and hip hop. Trip hop is a music Genre also known as the Bristol sound or Bristol acid rap. Hyphy (ˈhaɪfiː HYE-fee) is a slang word created by Bay Area Rapper Keak Da Sneak which is used in the San Francisco Bay Area that literally means Southern, Northern, and Midwestern, and even Native American rap have also gained increasing popularity, and penetrated the coastal markets on a large scale for the first time

Alongside the increasing commercialization of rap and hip hop culture, some artists such as Nas have claimed that "hip hop is dead". Nasir Jones, nɑːˈsiər (born September 14 1973 better known by his Stage name Nas, nɑːz formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper

Vocal Techniques and Lyrics

Rhyme styles

See also: Rhyme scheme

Aside from "flow" (the voice and tone of a particular MC), and rhythmic delivery, the only other central element of rapping is rhyme. A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming Lines in a Poem or Song. This article is about the poetic technique For the form of ice see Rime ice. In classical poetry, rhymes that span many syllables are often considered whimsical, but in hip hop the ability to construct raps with large sets of rhyming syllables is valued. Rap can contain any and all forms of rhyme found in classical poetry such as consonance, assonance, half rhyme, or internal rhyme. Assonance is repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming within Phrases or Sentences, and together with Alliteration Half rhyme, sometimes called slant, sprung, near rhyme, oblique rhyme, off rhyme or imperfect rhyme is Consonance In Poetry, internal rhyme or middle rhyme is Rhyme which occurs in a single line of verse. Rappers are known for their style of rhyming. Juelz Santana often avoids full rhymes in favor of assonance, consonance, half rhymes, and internal rhymes. LaRon Louis James (born on February 18 1983 better known by his Stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper, producer and occasional actor Eminem, on the other hand, often focuses on complex and lengthy multisyllabic rhyme schemes, while "flowas" like Rakim use metaphorical, emotional, rhyming, and story telling to communicate a message. Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17 1972 known as Slim Shady and his primary Stage name Eminem, is an Academy Award -winning In Rapping, multisyllabic rhymes contain two or more syllables Rakim (pronounced Rah-KIM (full name Rakim Allah, born William Michael Griffin Jr

Literary technique

Main article: Literary technique

Rappers use double entendres, alliteration, and other forms of wordplay that are also found in classical poetry. A literary technique or literary device is an identifiable Rule of thumb, convention or Structure that is employed in Literature Not to be confused with Puns which employ multiple phrases A double entendre is a Figure of speech similar to the Pun, in Alliteration is the repetition of the first Consonant sound in a phrase Similes and metaphors are used extensively in rap lyrics; rappers such as Fabolous and Lloyd Banks have written entire songs in which every line contains similes, whereas MCs like Rakim, GZA, and Jay-Z are known for the metaphorical content of their raps. SIMILE is a research project focused on developing tools to increase the interoperability of disparate digital collections Metaphor (from the Greek: μεταφορά - metaphora, meaning "transfer" is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects John Jackson (born November 18 1977 better known by his Stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper. Christopher Charles Lloyd (born April 30 1982) better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American Rapper and member of the Gary Grice, better known as GZA ( Genius/GZA, or The Genius, (born August 22, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4 1969 better known as Jay-Z, is an American Rapper and former CEO of Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Lil Wayne is also known for his frequent use of smilies and metaphors. Dwayne Michael Carter Jr (born September 27 1982 better known by his Stage name Lil Wayne, is an American Rapper.

Hip hop lyrics often make passing references to popular culture and other topics. An example is the song "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin' Ta Fuck Wit" by the Wu-Tang Clan, in which RZA rhymes,

I be tossin', enforcin', my style is awesome
I'm causin more Family Feuds than Richard Dawson
And the survey said - you're dead
Fatal flying guillotine chops off your fuckin' head

Such allusions serve to illustrate or exaggerate a statement, or are simply used for humor. Robert F Diggs (born July 5, 1969) better known as RZA (pronounced) is an American Music producer, Rapper, and occasional Richard Dawson aka 'The Kissing Bandit'(born November 20, 1932) is a British - American Actor, Comedian, Game show An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference or representation of or to a well-known person place event literary work myth, or work of art Some of these references are overtly political, while others simply acknowledge, credit, or show dismay about aspects of the rapper's culture and life.

Diction and dialect

Many hip hop listeners believe that a rapper's lyrics are enhanced by a complex vocabulary. Kool Moe Dee claims that he appealed to older audiences by using a complex vocabulary in his raps. Mohandas Dewese (born 8 August 1962) better known as Kool Moe Dee, was an American old-school MC prominent in the late 1970s throughout ^[16] Rap is famous, however, for having its own vocabulary—from international hip hop slang to regional slang. Some artists, like the Wu-Tang Clan, develop an entire lexicon among their clique. African American Vernacular English has always had a significant effect on hip hop slang and vice versa. Certain regions have introduced their unique regional slang to hip hop culture, such as the Bay Area (Mac Dre, E-40), Houston (Chamillionaire, Paul Wall), Atlanta (Ludacris, Lil Jon, T.I.), and Kentucky (Nappy Roots). Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U Andre Hicks ( July 5, 1970 – November 1, 2004) better known by his Stage name, Mac Dre. Earl Stevens (born November 15, 1967) best known by his Stage name E-40, is a Bay Area rapper, part of the Bay Area rap Hakeem Seriki (born November 29 1979 better known by his Stage name Chamillionaire (pronounced Ka-MIL-yin-air kəˌmɪljəˈnεər a Portmanteau of Paul Slayton, better known by his Stage name Paul Wall, was born March 11, 1981. Jonathan Mortimer Smith (born January 27, 1971) better known by his Stage name Lil Jon, is an American producer, promoter and Clifford Joseph Harris Jr (born September 25 1980 better known by his Stage name T The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Nappy Roots is an American alternative Southern rap Quintet that originated in Bowling Green Kentucky in 1995 and is best known for The Nation of Gods and Earths, a religious/spiritual group spun off from the Nation of Islam, has influenced mainstream hip hop slang with the introduction of phrases such as "word is bond" that have since lost much of their original spiritual meaning. The Nation of Gods and Earths, sometimes referred to as the Five-Percent Nation, the Five-Percent Nation of Islam, or the Five Percenters was founded in The Nation of Islam ( NOI) (أمة الإسلام Ummah al-Islāmu) is a group founded in Detroit, Michigan,

Preference toward one or the other has much to do with the individual; GZA, for example, prides himself on being very visual and metaphorical but also succinct, whereas underground rapper MF DOOM is known for heaping similes upon similes. Daniel Dumile (duːməleɪ is a British born American hip hop artist who has taken on several Stage names in his career most famously MF In still another variation, 2Pac was known for saying exactly what he meant, literally and clearly.

Subject matter

"Party rhymes", meant to pump up the crowd at a party, were nearly the exclusive focus of old school hip hop, and they remain a staple of hip hop music to this day. A party is a Social gathering for Celebration and Recreation. In addition to party raps, rappers also tend to make references to love and sex. Love raps were first popularized by Spoonie Gee of the Treacherous Three, and later, in the golden age of hip hop, Big Daddy Kane, Heavy D, and LL Cool J would continue this tradition. Spoonie Gee (born Gabriel Jackson) was the nephew of veteran R&B producer Bobby Robinson and one of the earliest rap artists The Treacherous Three was a pioneering Hip Hop group that was formed in 1978 and consisted of DJ Easy Lee, Kool Moe Dee, L Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968 in Brooklyn New York) better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an African-American Heavy D & the Boyz was an American hip hop group led by Heavy D. James Todd Smith (born January 14 1968 better known as LL Cool J, is an American Rapper and actor 2 Live Crew, a Miami bass group, were among the first hip hop act to be temporarily banned in the United States, for the overtly sexual and profane content of their raps. 2 Live Crew is a hip hop group from Miami Florida. They caused considerable controversy with the Sexual themes in their work particularly on their Miami bass (also known as booty music, a term that may also include other genres such as Dirty rap) is a type of Hip hop music that became

The roots of raps are in the beat poetry of The Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron. The Last Poets is a group of poets and musicians who arose from the late 1960s African American civil rights movement's Black nationalist thread "The Message", written by Melle Mel and performed by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, pioneered the inclusion of political content in hip hop rhymes, expanding beyond basic personal issues and party raps. "The Message" is an old school hip hop song by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. In the golden age of hip hop, Public Enemy emerged, with a focus on political and social issues. Hip hop's "golden age" is a name given to a period in mainstream Hip hop —usually cited as the late 1980s—said to be characterized by its diversity quality innovation Public Enemy, also known as PE, is an influential hip hop group from Long Island New York, known for its politically charged Lyrics, criticism Modern East Coast hip hop artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, Nas, and dead prez are known for their sociopolitical subject matter. Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973) better known by his stage name Mos Def, is an American MC and Actor. Talib Kweli Greene (born October 3, 1975) better known as Talib Kweli, is an American MC from Brooklyn, New Dead prez is an underground Political hip hop duo comprised of Stic Their West Coast counterparts include Emcee Lynx, The Coup, Paris, and Michael Franti. Lynx, or Emcee Lynx is an Anarchist hip hop artist from Oakland California in the San Francisco Bay Area who has achieved significant The Coup is a Political hip hop group based in Oakland California. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Michael Franti (born April 21, 1966, in Oakland California) is an American Poet, Musician, and Composer

Other rappers take a less critical approach to urbanity, sometimes even embracing such aspects as crime. Schoolly D was the first notable MC to rap about crime. Schoolly D is the moniker of American Rapper Jesse B Weaver Jr ^[17] Early on KRS-One was accused of celebrating crime and a hedonistic lifestyle, but after the death of his DJ, Scott La Rock, KRS-One went on to speak out against violence in hip hop and has spent the majority of his career condemning violence and writing on issues of race and class. Lawrence Krishna Parker (born August 20 1965) better known by his stage name KRS-One, is an American Rapper. Scott "La Rock" Sterling ( March 2, 1962 – August 27, 1987) was the original DJ for the hip hop group Boogie Several years later, he would go on to influence Ice T, who had more overtly "gangsta" lyrics. Gangsta rap, made popular largely because of N.W.A, brought rapping about crime and the gangster lifestyle into the musical mainstream. For the Ice T album see Gangsta Rap (album. Gangsta rap is a term originated by the mainstream media to describe a certain subgenre NWA (also known as Niggaz with Attitudes) was a Compton, California -based hip hop group widely considered one of the seminal acts of the

Various politicians, journalists, and religious leaders have accused rappers of fostering a culture of violence and hedonism among hip hop listeners through their lyrics. ^[18][19][20] However, there are also rappers whose messages may not be in conflict with these views, for example Christian hip hop. Christian hip hop (originally Gospel rap, also known as holy hip hop or Christ hop) is a form of Hip hop music which uses Christian

In contrast to the more hedonistic approach of gangsta rappers, some rappers have a spiritual or religious focus. Christian rap is currently the most commercially successful form of religious rap. Aside from Christianity, the Five Percent Nation, a gnostic religious/spiritual group, has been represented more than any religious group in popular hip hop. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Nation of Gods and Earths, sometimes referred to as the Five-Percent Nation, the Five-Percent Nation of Islam, or the Five Percenters was founded in Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems Artists such as Rakim, the members of the Wu-Tang Clan, Brand Nubian, X-Clan, Busta Rhymes, and Nas, have had success in spreading the theology of the Five Percenters. Brand Nubian is a hip hop group from New Rochelle New York, consisting of three MCs Grand Puba (born Maxwell Dixon March 4, 1966 X-Clan is a hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York, originally consisting of Grand Verbalizer Funkin' Lesson Brother J Professor X the Overseer Paradise Trevor George Smith Jr, (born May 20 1972 better known as Busta Rhymes, is an American actor and Musician of Jamaican descent Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective See the article on hip hop and religion for a more in-depth discussion. Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a Music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with

Performance

Flow

Rap delivery, or "flow", is defined by prosody, cadence, and speed. In Poetry, the meter or metre is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse. In Western Musical theory, a harmonic cadence (Latin cadentia, "a falling" is a formula of two chords that conclude 2266-Tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl or TEMPO is the Chemical compound with the formula (CH23(CMe22NO Cadence deals with the dynamics and patterns of the rhythm. In addition to rubato (changes in tempo for the purpose of expression), cadence can also serve to reinforce song structure through ritardando (the gradual slowing down of tempo). Old school rappers generally maintained a simple cadence, without much deviation,^[21] while golden age rappers such as Rakim experimented extensively with cadence. Hip hop's "golden age" is a name given to a period in mainstream Hip hop —usually cited as the late 1980s—said to be characterized by its diversity quality innovation ^[16] Present day popular rappers like Method Man, Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Busta Rhymes, Big Pun, and André 3000 are considered to have a versatile cadence because of their ability to rap over disparate beats equally well. ---- Clifford Smith (born April 1, 1971) better known by his Stage name Method Man, is an American hip hop artist, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American Hip hop group from the Glenville section of Cleveland Ohio. Christopher Lee Rios ( November 9, 1971 - February 7, 2000) better known as Big Punisher or Big Pun, was a Puerto André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975) better known by his Stage name André 3000, is an American Rapper -

A common way MCs judge how to flow in a verse is by writing a rhyme such that the most stressed words coincide with the beat in a way that makes the rhyming sound more musical (as opposed to spoken word) and that better combines the MC's voice with the musical backdrop. Rakim—whom many credit with changing the way most rappers flow on a song—experimented not only with following the beat, but also with complementing the song's melody with his own voice, making his flow sound like that of an instrument (a saxophone in particular). ^[22]

The ability to rap quickly and clearly is sometimes regarded as an important sign of skill. In certain hip hop subgenres such as chopped and screwed, slow-paced rapping is often considered optimal. CategoryHip hop genres Hip hop music can be subdivided into various subgenres fusions with other genres and regional hip hop scenes Screwed and Chopped refers to a technique of Remixing Hip hop music which developed in the Houston hip hop scene in the 1990s The current record for fastest rapper is held by Chicago native Rebel XD, who rapped 852 syllables in 42 seconds (20. 3 syllables per second) on July 27, 2007. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[23] Kenyan rapper MC Delicate is also one of the African rappers capitalizing on speed rap, due to his ability to roll over several syllables in a couple of seconds.

To successfully deliver a nicely flowing rap, a rapper must also develop vocal presence, enunciation, and breath control. In Phonetics, enunciation is the act of speaking Good enunciation is the act of speaking clearly and concisely Vocal presence is the distinctiveness of a rapper's voice on record. Enunciation is essential to a flowing rap; some rappers choose also to exaggerate it for comic and artistic effect. Breath control, taking in air without interrupting one's delivery, is an important skill for a rapper to master, and a must for any MC. An MC with poor breath control cannot deliver difficult verses without making unintentional pauses.

Raps are sometimes delivered with melody. West Coast rapper Egyptian Lover was the first notable MC to deliver "sing-raps. Egyptian Lover (born Greg Broussard on August 31, 1963) is an American Electro-hop musician vocalist producer and DJ and was an "^[17] Popular rappers such as 50 Cent and Ja Rule add a slight melody to their otherwise purely percussive raps whereas some rappers such as Cee-Lo are able to harmonize their raps with the beat. Jeffrey Atkins (born February 29 1976 Music career Atkins began his rap career in 1994 with the group Cash Money Click In Western music, harmony is the use of different pitches simultaneously and chords actual or implied in Music. The Midwestern group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony was one of the first groups to achieve nationwide recognition for using the fast-paced, melodic and harmonic raps that are also practiced by Do or Die, another Midwestern group. Do or Die is an American Rap trio originally from Chicago Illinois. Another rapper to harmonize his rhymes is Nate Dogg, a rapper part of the group 213. Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (born August 19 1969 better known by his Stage name Nate Dogg, is a Grammy -nominated American R&B /

Freestyle rapping

See also: Freestyle rap

There are two kinds of freestyle rapping: one is scripted (recitation), but having no particular overriding subject matter, the second typically referred to as "freestyling" or "spitting", is the improvisation of rapped lyrics. Freestyle rap is an Improvisational form of Rapping, performed with few or no previously composed Lyrics, which is said to reflect a direct mapping of the Freestyle rap is an Improvisational form of Rapping, performed with few or no previously composed Lyrics, which is said to reflect a direct mapping of the When freestyling, some rappers inadvertently reuse old lines, or even "cheat" by preparing segments or entire verses in advance. Therefore, freestyles with proven spontaneity are valued above generic, always usable lines. ^[24] Rappers will often reference places or objects in their immediate setting, or specific (usually demeaning) characteristics of opponents, to prove their authenticity and originality.

Battle rapping

See also: Battle rap

Battle rapping, which can be freestyled, is the competition between two or more rappers in front of an audience. Freestyle rap is an Improvisational form of Rapping, performed with few or no previously composed Lyrics, which is said to reflect a direct mapping of the Freestyle rap is an Improvisational form of Rapping, performed with few or no previously composed Lyrics, which is said to reflect a direct mapping of the The tradition of insulting one's friends or acquaintances in rhyme goes back to the dozens, and was portrayed famously by Muhammad Ali in his boxing matches. "The Dozens", also known as "Yo Momma Fights" is an element of the African American oral tradition in which two competitors usually males Biography Early life Cassius Clay Jr was born on January 17 1942 The winner of a battle is decided by the crowd and/or preselected judges. According to Kool Moe Dee, a successful battle rap focuses on an opponent's weaknesses, rather than one's own strengths. Mohandas Dewese (born 8 August 1962) better known as Kool Moe Dee, was an American old-school MC prominent in the late 1970s throughout Television shows such as BET's 106 and Park and MTV's DFX host weekly freestyle battles live on the air. MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. Battle rapping gained widespread public recognition outside of the African-American community with rapper Eminem's movie, 8 Mile. Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17 1972 known as Slim Shady and his primary Stage name Eminem, is an Academy Award -winning 8 Mile is a 2002 American Drama film, directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Eminem, Kim Basinger,

The strongest battle rappers will generally perform their rap fully freestyled. This is the most effective form in a battle as the rapper can comment on the other person, whether it be what they look like, or how they talk, or what they wear. It also allows the rapper to reverse a line used to "diss" him or her if they are the second rapper to battle.

Social impact

Race and class

See also: Race in hip hop

By the United States 2000 Census, three quarters of the United States' population is white, while one eighth is black. Although Hip hop is a primarily However, most mainstream rappers in the United States are black. ^[25] Some believe this discrepancy is a good thing; popular rapper Kanye West has said: "I hate music where white people are trying to sound black. Kanye Omari West (ˈkɑnjɛj born June 8 1977 is a ten-time Grammy Award -winning American Rapper, Record producer and Singer. The white music I like is white". ^[26] Other artists reject such distinctions and argue that it's absurd to racially segregate music four decades after the civil rights movement. Some prominent Caucasian MCs include Eminem, Aesop Rock, Paul Wall, R.A. The Rugged Man, and the UK's The Streets. Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17 1972 known as Slim Shady and his primary Stage name Eminem, is an Academy Award -winning Aesop Rock (born Ian Matthias Bavitz on May 11 1976 is an American hip hop artist Paul Slayton, better known by his Stage name Paul Wall, was born March 11, 1981. RA Thorburn, better known as RA the Rugged Man, is a emcee from Suffolk County New York on Long Island. Mike Skinner (born 27 November 1978) more commonly known by his stage name The Streets, is a Rapper from Birmingham, England

Very few white hip hop artists claim Anglo-Saxon or Caucasian ancestry; virtually all of them are members of other ethnic groups that have faced varying degrees of discrimination only to be later assimilated. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, commonly abbreviated to the Acronym WASP, is a sociological and cultural Ethnonym The Caucasian race, sometimes the Caucasoid race, is a term of Racial classification, coined around 1800 by Johann Friedrich Blumenbach for the " For artists like House of Pain, the Beastie Boys, and Beltaine's Fire; hip hop culture provides a way to reject that assimilation and differentiate themselves from the dominant Anglo-American culture by asserting a separate ethnic identity. House of Pain was an Irish -styled American Hip-hop group who released three albums in the early to mid 1990s before lead rapper Everlast A region or society where several different groups are spontaneously assimilated is sometimes referred to as a Melting pot. right|250px|right|thumb|Anglo-America dark green indicates countries traditionally included in the region ([[Canada]] and the [[United States]]

While they have been successful, artists such as the Beastie Boys and Vanilla Ice are labeled as sub-categories of rap, alternative and gimmick respectively. Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born October 31, 1967) best known as Vanilla Ice, is an American Rap artist known for the 1990 smash hit White hip hop artists have advanced the genre of rap by bringing in a larger and more diverse audience and recognition for rap as a musical genre, however they have had much less of an effect on the overall musical trajectory of the rap scene than their counterparts. ^[27]

Wealth and class have always been significant issues in hip hop, a culture which was developed mainly among the lower and lower-middle class blacks of inner-city New York. Any view of money that can be seen in real life can also be seen in the lyrics of rap—just as there are rappers who often brag about their extravagant wealth or more specifically their "rags to riches" stories, there are political militants who decry materialism. Although most of hip hop's famous and influential rappers have come from inner-city ghettos,^[28] hip hop has always represented a variety of economic backgrounds. For example, Run-D. M. C. , Beastie Boys, Soulja Boy, Rakim, Black Sheep, and Kanye West^[29] were middle-class when they began rapping. Black Sheep is an Alternative hip hop duo from Queens, New York, comprised of Andres "Dres" Titus and William "Mista Lawnge" Kanye Omari West (ˈkɑnjɛj born June 8 1977 is a ten-time Grammy Award -winning American Rapper, Record producer and Singer.

Race issues often intersect with class issues. Vanilla Ice, a white pop rapper, went so far as to lie about his place of origin, claiming that he came from the inner-city of Miami, Florida, when he was actually from suburban Texas. Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born October 31, 1967) best known as Vanilla Ice, is an American Rap artist known for the 1990 smash hit Pop rap (or hip-pop) is hip hop with a Pop music influence The style became popular in the early 1990s as hip hop music found commercial success South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. According to Vanilla Ice, he was encouraged to lie by his record company to increase their profits. ^[30] In juxtaposition to Vanilla Ice stand the Beastie Boys, a rap group composed of white Jewish teenagers. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut The Beastie Boys didn't lie about their middle-class and suburban upbringing, and managed to sell millions of records while maintaining the respect of the hip hop community. ^[31]

House of Pain, an Irish-American crew with members from Los Angeles and New York, were downright assertive about their ethnicity, including footage of a St. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Patrick's Day parade in the music video for their first hit single Jump Around and name-checking prominent Irish Americans in their lyrics. " Jump Around " is a hit single by the band House of Pain. They also incorporated time signatures associated with traditional Irish folk music such as jigs and reels into their songs—a major deviation from mainstream hip hop where virtually every song is done in 4/4 time. Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the entire island of Ireland, North and South of the border The jig (port is a Folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type popular in Ireland. The reel is a Folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type.

The most recent mainstream exception to the skin color trend in mainstream rap is Eminem, who is of mainly Scottish descent, and who grew up in the primarily black city of Detroit. Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17 1972 known as Slim Shady and his primary Stage name Eminem, is an Academy Award -winning The Scots people ( Scots Gaelic: Albannaich) are a Nation and an Ethnic group indigenous to Scotland. ^[32] In his song "White America", Eminem attributes his selling success to his being more easily digestible by a white audience, because he "looks like them. "

Other prominent American rappers of primarily European decent include Sage Francis, Paul Wall (who is 1/4 Mexican), Emcee Lynx, Mike Shinoda (who is half Japanese), El-Producto, Aesop Rock, and many others. The European peoples are the various Nations and Ethnic groups of Europe. Paul "Sage" Francis (born November 2, 1977 in Miami Florida) is a hip-hop artist based in Providence, Rhode Island Paul Slayton, better known by his Stage name Paul Wall, was born March 11, 1981. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Lynx, or Emcee Lynx is an Anarchist hip hop artist from Oakland California in the San Francisco Bay Area who has achieved significant Michael Kenji Shinoda (born February 11 1977 is an American Musician, record producer and Artist from Agoura Hills California. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Aesop Rock (born Ian Matthias Bavitz on May 11 1976 is an American hip hop artist Race, class, and ethnicity remain prominent themes in hip hop music in general, regardless of race. Emcee Lynx in particular is notable for addressing these issues from an explicitly anti-racist and anti-imperialist perspective in his music, while referencing his Scottish and Irish heritage as a point of pride. Lynx, or Emcee Lynx is an Anarchist hip hop artist from Oakland California in the San Francisco Bay Area who has achieved significant

Despite the fact that the majority of American rap artists in the mainstream are black, some statistics indicate that most hip hop record purchasers are white, reflecting demographics and economics. According to musicologist Arthur Kempton, "Today 70 percent of hip-hop is bought by white kids". Musicology ( Greek: μουσική = "music" and λόγος = "word" or "reason" is the scholarly study of Music ^[33] Boots Riley has criticized these figures, pointing out that they only count SoundScan sales, which exclude the mom-and-pop record stores located in majority black and Latino neighborhoods that major music chains tend to avoid, and thus dramatically underrepresents the number of sales made in such communities. The Coup is a Political hip hop group based in Oakland California. Nielsen SoundScan is an information system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada

According to political rapper Zion of Zion I, socially conscious hip hop in particular has a majority white audience: ". Zion I (pronounced "Zion Eye" are a hip hop duo from Oakland California. . . so many black people don't want to hear it. They want that thug shit. " In addition to Zion, several other underground rappers such as Boots Riley of The Coup, report nearly all white audiences. ^[34]

Chicano rap

Main article: Chicano rap

Chicano rap is a subgenre of hip hop music, Latin rap, and gangsta rap that embodies aspects of West Coast and Southwest Mexican American (Chicano) culture and is typically performed by American rap singers and musicians of Mexican descent. Chicano rap is a subgenre of Hip hop music, Latin rap and Gangsta rap that embodies aspects of West Coast and Southwest Mexican American ( For the Ice T album see Gangsta Rap (album. Gangsta rap is a term originated by the mainstream media to describe a certain subgenre

The first widely recognized Chicano rap artist was Kid Frost, whose 1990 debut album "Hispanic Causing Panic" driven by the hit single "La Raza" brought new attention to Chicano rappers in hip hop. Arturo Raymond Molina Jr (born May 31, 1962 in East Los Angeles California) better known as Frost (Originally Kid Frost) is a

Cuban-American artist Mellow Man Ace was the first Latino artist to have a major bilingual single, which was attached to his 1989 debut. Ulpiano Sergio Reyes (born April 12 1967) is a Cuban Rapper known as Mellow Man Ace and original member of the rap group Cypress Although Mellow Man often used Chicano slang as a result of his East Los Angeles upbringing, Kid Frost receives the credit as the first major Chicano rapper, given that Mellow Man was not of Mexican descent. Mellow Man, referred to as the "Godfather of Latin Rap", brought mainstream attention to Spanglish rhyming with his platinum single "Mentirosa". Cypress Hill, of which Mellow Man Ace was a member before going solo, is sometimes considered to produce Chicano rap due to their use of Spanish and popular Chicano slang, as well as the lead rapper's background of being part Mexican. Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from Los Angeles California. They were the first Latino rap group to reach platinum status, with Big Pun credited as the first Latino solo artist to reach platinum sales for an LP.

One of the most widely recognized Chicano rappers today is Lil Rob of San Diego, whose single "Summer Nights" was considered a major crossover and received heavy rotation on radio station and video programs not directly related to Chicano rap music.

Many Chicano rappers have been heavily influenced by Mexican history, including many themes relevant to the Mexican and Chicano people living in the United States and Mexico. Chicano rap is mainly enjoyed by hip hop listeners in the United States and has also established a cult fan base following in Japan, although its main audience consists of Hispanics or Latinos living on the West Coast, the Southwest, and the Midwest. Its ability to reach large audiences without mainstream airplay or media promotion is due in part to nationwide lowrider car tours and their accompanying concerts headlined by Chicano rappers. This environment allows ChicanorRap artists to earn significant incomes through independent label releases while promoting directly to a target audience.

Rapcore Or Rap-Rock

Main article: Rap rock

It is a form of music featuring rap lyrics over rock, hardcore punk and funk beats. Rap rock is a fusion genre of rock and hip-hop. It blends vocal and instrumental parts of hip-hop and various forms of rock including punk and rock Rapping (also known as emceeing, MCing, spitting, or just rhyming) is the Rhythmic spoken delivery of Rhymes wordplay and Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Hardcore punk (now usually referred to as simply hardcore) is a subgenre of Punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended Soul music, Soul Well known rapcore artists include The Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C., Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Papa Roach. Run-DMC was a pioneering hip hop group during the 1980s founded by Joseph "[The Reverend] Run" Simmons, Darryl "D Limp Bizkit is an American Nu metal band from Jacksonville, Florida. Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Papa Roach is a four-piece rock band from Atlanta Georgia. They broke into the mainstream with their three times platinum major-label debut album Infest

Gender and sexuality

See also: List of female rappers

Almost all popular rappers identify themselves as heterosexual. Heterosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the opposite sex or to a heterosexual orientation A dislike for homosexuals is prevalent in hip hop culture, as is the use of the word "faggot. BenPhelpsJPG|thumb|right|Westboro Baptist Church picket signs with Ben Phelps grandson of Fred Phelps Faggot or fag, in modern North American and Australian English is a word and generally a Pejorative slur term for a gay or " Some heterosexual rappers, such as Kanye West, have spoken out against the homophobic themes which are common in rap music. Kanye Omari West (ˈkɑnjɛj born June 8 1977 is a ten-time Grammy Award -winning American Rapper, Record producer and Singer. ^[35]

Though the majority of rappers are male, there have been a number of female rap stars, including Lauryn Hill, MC Lyte, Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Da Brat, Eve, Trina, Foxy Brown, and Lisa Lopes from TLC. Lauryn Noel Hill is a Grammy Award -winning American Singer, Rapper, Musician, Songwriter, producer, and MC Lyte (born Lana Michele Moorer on October 11, 1971 in Brooklyn, New York) is a female rap artist and the Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1 1971 is a five-time Grammy Award -winning American rapper, singer, Songwriter, and Shawntae Harris (born April 14, 1974) better known by her Stage name Da Brat is an American female rapper. Eve Jihan Jeffers (born November 10 1978) better known as Eve, is a Grammy Award -winning Rapper, Singer, Actress Katrina Laverne Taylor better known by her Stage name Trina, is a famous rapper from Miami known for her raw and raunchy style Inga Fung Marchand (born September 6, 1979) better known as Foxy Brown, is an American rapper known for her solo work as well Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27 1971 – April 25 2002 better known by her Stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper, Singer, TLC was a Grammy Award -winning American Contemporary R&B, hip hop and pop group consisting of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins

Derivatives and influence

Throughout hip hop's history, new musical styles and genres have developed that contain rapping. Entire genres, such as rapcore (rock/metal/punk with rapped vocals) and hip house have resulted from the fusion of rap and other styles. Rap rock is a fusion genre of rock and hip-hop. It blends vocal and instrumental parts of hip-hop and various forms of rock including punk and rock Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Hip-house, also known as house rap, is a musical genre that mixes elements of House music and hip-hop. Many popular music genres with a focus on percussion have contained rapping at some point; be it disco (DJ Hollywood), jazz (Gang Starr), new wave (Blondie), funk (Fatback Band), contemporary R&B (Mary J. Blige), Reggaeton (Daddy Yankee), or even Japanese dance music, such as (Soul'd Out). Disco is a Genre of dance-oriented music whose origins are hard to define DJ Hollywood (born December 10, 1954) is an American Old school hip hop DJ and Rapper. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Gangstar redirects here For the video game see Gangstar Crime City. New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s Blondie is an American rock band that first gained fame in the late 1970s and has so far sold over 60 million records Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended Soul music, Soul The Fatback Band (later simply Fatback) is an American Funk and Disco band Contemporary R&B (also known as R&B, urban) is a Music genre of western Popular music (predominantly American and Canadian Mary Jane Blige (surname pronounced /blaɪʒ/) (born January 11, 1971) is an American Singer-songwriter, Rapper Reggaeton (also spelled reggaetón, and known as reguetón and reggaetón in Spanish) is a form of urban music which became popular Ramón (Raymond Ayala (born February 3 1977 known artistically as Daddy Yankee, is a Latin Grammy Award -winning Puerto Rican Reggaeton recording SOUL'd OUT is a Japanese hip-hop band that consists of three members Diggy-MO' (Main MC Bro UK garage music has begun to focus increasingly on rappers in a new subgenre called grime, pioneered and popularized by the MC Dizzee Rascal. UK Garage ( UKG) is an umbrella term that refers to several different varieties of modern Electronic dance music generally connected to the evolution of house Grime is a genre of music which emerged in London, UK, primarily a development of UK garage, Dancehall, and hip hop. Dylan Mills (born 1985 in Bow, East London) known professionally as Dizzee Rascal, is a British Rapper, Record producer and Increased popularity with the music has shown more UK rappers going to America as well as tour there, such as Sway DaSafo possibly signing with Akon's label Konvict. Derek Andrew Safo (born 5 September, 1982) is a British hip hop Rapper of Ghanaian origins who uses the stage names Aliaune Thiam Konvict Muzik is a Record label owned and founded by Melvin Brown and R&B singer Akon. Hyphy is the latest of these spin-offs. The style originated in Oakland California and gained national attention in 2006, beginning with E-40's album My Ghetto Report Card. Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Earl Stevens (born November 15, 1967) best known by his Stage name E-40, is a Bay Area rapper, part of the Bay Area rap My Ghetto Report Card is an album by long-time Bay Area rapper E-40. It is typified by slowed-down atonal vocals with instrumentals that borrow heavily from the rave scene and lyrics centered on illegal street racing and car culture. A rave (or rave party) is a term in use since the 1980s to describe Dance Parties (often all-night events Another Oakland, California group, Beltaine's Fire, has recently gained attention for their Celtic fusion sound which blends hip hop beats with Celtic melodies. Celtic fusion is an umbrella term for modern music which incorporates influences considered "Celtic" or Celtic music which incorporates modern music Unlike the majority of hip hop artists, all their music is performed live without samples, synths, or drum machines, drawing comparisons to The Roots and Rage Against the Machine. The Roots are an American hip-hop band from Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Rage Against the Machine (sometimes shortened to RATM or Rage) is

Bhangra, a widely popular style of music from Punjab (India) has been mixed numerous times with reggae and hip hop music. Bhangra (ਭੰਗੜਾ pa-PK بھنگڑا pə̀ŋgɽäː is a lively form of music and dance that originated in the Punjab region of Pakistan and India Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. The most popular song in this genre in the United States was "Mundian to Bach Ke" or "Beware the Boys" by Panjabi MC and Jay-Z. " Mundian To Bach Ke " (ਮੁੰਡਿਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਬੱਚ ਕੇ muṇḍiāṁ tōṁ bac kē) also titled " Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Panjabi MC (real name Rajinder Singh Rai) is a British Indian Musician. Although "Mundian To Bach Ke" had been released previously, the mixing with Jay-Z popularized the genre further.

Regional variations

In the 21st century, rap and hip hop are transcending cultural lines like never before. The YouTube phenomenon has made it relatively simple for any computer user around the world to find professionally produced rap in nearly any major spoken language, including Chinese, Mongolian, Hungarian, Haitian, Tamil, Amharic, Malagasy, Maori, and Persian rap, which has recently been targeted for censure by the Iranian government. YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload view and share Video clips YouTube was created in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees The Mongolian language (mn [[ImageMonggol kelesvg 17px]] Mongɣol kele, Cyrillic: Монгол хэл Mongol khel) is the best-known member of Hungarian ( magyar nyelv) is a Uralic language (more specifically a Ugric language) unrelated to most other languages in Europe. Haitian Creole language ( kreyòl ayisyen) often called simply Creole or Kreyòl ( pronounced) is a language spoken in Haiti Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Amharic (አማርኛ amarəñña) is a Semitic language spoken in North Central Ethiopia by the Amhara. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ^[36]

Belgium/Netherlands

Main article: Dutch hip hop

Nederhop is hip hop with Dutch rapping. Dutch hip hop or Nederhop is Hip hop music created by musicians in the Netherlands. The first successful Nederhop record was "Rap Around the Clock" (7", 1986) by Extince, which was followed by rap duo MC Miker G & DJ Sven with the 12" "Holiday Rap", a Benelux #1 hit that was distributed in 34 countries. Extince (also known as "Exter-O-naldus" or "De Exter" is one of the first Dutch language rappers (See also Nederhop) in The MC Miker G & Deejay Sven were a hip hop duo from the Netherlands. The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe that includes three neighboring monarchies, '''Be'''lgium, the '''Ne'''therlands, and The rap group Osdorp Posse from Amsterdam stood in the late 80s at the base of Dutch rap. When Rapper Def P, the frontman of Osdorp Posse, began translating idiomatic English lyrics with "ghetto" themes literally into Dutch, the term Nederhop was coined. Osdorp Posse was one of the first rap groups to produce rap music in the Dutch language. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A ghetto is described as a "portion of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social legal or economic pressure

Famous Nederhop rappers and groups include Opgezwolle, The Opposites, Cilvaringz, Osdorp Posse, ABN, Appa, Fata Morgana, Raymzter, Extince, Kempi, Postmen, Duvel, and Brainpower. Opgezwolle is a Dutch rap formation which consists of MCs Sticky Steez and Freaky Rico and beatmaker DJ Dippy Delic Postmen was/ Postman is a Reggae / hip hop band from The Netherlands. This article is about the Dutch artist For the song see Brainpower (song Gertjan Mulder (born February 5, 1975) professionally

France

Main article: French hip hop

Outside of the United States the largest hip hop scene is in France, and artists such as MC Solaar and Les Nubians have even crossed over into the American market. This article is about Hip hop music from the country of France, and does not cover the hip hop scenes in other French speaking countries like Senegalese This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. MC Solaar is the Stage name of Claude M'Barali (born March 5, 1969) a Francophone hip hop and rap artist Les Nubians is the " Afropean " R&B Grammy -nominated duo composed of sisters Hélène (born 1974) and Célia Faussart As with early American hip hop, social and political issues figure strongly in much of French hip hop and the majority of performers come from the country's ethnic minorities, notably the Arab population.

Greece

Main article: Greek hip hop

Greek hip hop refers to hip hop music originating in Greece, either in Greek or English. Greek hip hop is the master genre of Rap music in Greece. The earliest indications of the localized genre date back to 1987 though native language albums did not The earliest Greek hip hop groups date back to 1987, though native language albums did not appear until the mid-1990s. Some of the most important early hip-hop groups in Greece were Imiskoumbria, Terror X Crew (members: Artemis, Efthimis, DJ ALX), FF. Imiskoumbria (Greek Ημισκούμπρια) also known as Imiz is a Hip-hop group from Athens, Greece. ALX (born 1975 in Detroit, Michigan, USA) pronounced Alex, is one of Greece 's most influential Hip hop producers C (members: Ruthmodamastis, DJ Everlast, Skinothetis, plus many guests) and Active Member. Active Member is a Greek Hip-hop / Low bap group founded in 1992 by Michalis Mitakidis (a This differentiation caused a lot of tension among the Greek hip hop fans. Between 1995 and 2000, there was a lot of conflict, relatively speaking. Things escalated from there when the battle rap era in Greece begun with the group ZN (Living Dead) started dissing Active Member and other hip hop groups. Active Member is a Greek Hip-hop / Low bap group founded in 1992 by Michalis Mitakidis (a

As American hip hop lyrics became more widely violent, so did international hip hop lyrics, and Greece was no exception. Rapping about guns, drugs, violence and sex became the norm. Hardcore Greek rap had swept the genre, and commercial hip hop followed suit. Commercial hip hop in Greece has become hugely successful, with acts like Imiskoumbria, Terror X Crew and Goin' Through blazing the trails. Imiskoumbria (Greek Ημισκούμπρια) also known as Imiz is a Hip-hop group from Athens, Greece. Imiskoumbria and Terror X Crew both were the first to have their records going gold. Imiskoumbria (Greek Ημισκούμπρια) also known as Imiz is a Hip-hop group from Athens, Greece.

Portugal

Main article: Hip hop Tuga

Portuguese hip hop (hip hop português), mostly known as Hip hop Tuga, is the Portuguese variety of hip hop music, although different because it is mixed with African music from Lusophone Africa and reggae. Portuguese hip hop ( Hip hop português) mostly known as Hip Hop Tuga is the Portuguese variety of Hip hop music, although different because it Popular Portuguese rappers include Clã da Matarroa, Valete, Da Weasel, Boss AC, Sam the Kid (rapper and producer), Dealema, Mind Da Gap, Bonus, Adamastor and DJ Bomberjack. Valete is a Portuguese language Political hip hop artist named Keidje Lima that has enjoyed some critical success in his home country of Portugal Da Weasel is a Portuguese hip-hop band from Almada. They are fronted by MCs Pacman and Virgul Boss AC (real name Ângelo César is a Portuguese Rapper originally from Cape Verde. Samuel Martins Torres Santiago Mira (born July 17, 1979) aka Sam the Kid is a Portuguese Rapper and producer. Adamastor is a Greek-type mythological character invented by the Portuguese poet Luís de Camões in his Epic poem Os Lusíadas (first

Canada

Main article: Canadian Hip Hop

Canadian Hip Hop started with a slow momentum in Toronto at the end of the 1980s with MCs like Maestro dominating the scene mostly rapping about parties and girls. The Canadian hip hop scene was first established in the 1980s Maestro means " Master " or " Teacher " in Italian. By the mid-1990s, rappers such as Kardinal Offishall, Choclair, and Saukrates as well as Rap groups like Rascalz created a buzz in Canada as Hip Hop's popularity suddenly rose. Jason Harrow (born c 1976 Biography Jason Harrow was born in Scarborough Ontario, in Toronto 's east end and raised by Jamaican immigrant Kareem Blake, better known by his Stage name Choclair, is a Canadian Rapper. Saukrates aka Big Sox (born Amani Wailoo on December 20, 1977 in Toronto Ontario) is a Canadian hip-hop artist Rascalz are a hip hop group from Vancouver, British Columbia, who played a crucial role in the artistic and commercial development of Canadian hip The beginning of the movement was marked by the lyrics of the song Northern Touch performed by a consortium of Canadian MCs, all lauching their careers; which really put Canadian Hip Hop on the map. "Northern Touch" is a Canadian hip hop single which was released in 1998 by Rascalz in collaboration with Checkmate, Kardinal Content in songs are often related to life in the streets of Canadian urban centers like Toronto and Vancouver. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal Montreal also saw its version of francophone Hip Hop arise. Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Rappers like Yvon Krevé and Sanspression, as well as groups like Muzion and Dubmatique made it to the top of the charts in Québec. Yvon Krevé, also known as Von Von, is a French Canadian hip hop artist Dubmatique were a Canadian hip hop group from Montreal. They were the first French language hip hop crew from Canada to break through to Montreal also has an English rappers like Malicious and Bless of Platinumberg. The beats used are diverse but sometimes resemble East Coast Hip Hop. Canadian Hip Hop combines Canadian English with a Caribbean vibe due to the strong Jamaican and Haitian heritage of most Canadian rappers. Most Canadian rappers frequently use metaphors and similes to get their message across and have versatile flows. Unfortunately, Hip Hop artists from Canada are often unknown outside the country. Only a few rappers have made it to US markets.

UK

Main article: British hip hop

The UK scene has also gained international prominence, especially since their performance language, English, makes them more marketable to American audiences than their French counterparts. British hip hop is a genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of Hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. The UK is fairly unique in having created its own genres of rapping in a highly original style. In the early 1990s groups from Bristol such as Massive Attack pioneered trip-hop, a genre with slower beats and flows, creating a more 'chilled', soulful sound. Massive Attack are an English Trip hop group founded in 1988 by Robert Del Naja, Grantley Marshall, and Andrew Vowles in Bristol Trip hop is a music Genre also known as the Bristol sound or Bristol acid rap. At the same time jungle music was popular, and MCs would often rap fast over a fast drum beat. This evolved into Drum 'n' Bass, and DnB MCs like Skibadee are known as among the fastest in the world. Alfonso Bondzie also known as MC Skibadee is Fusing jungle and hip hop, UK Garage (see So Solid Crew) evolved quickly into grime. So Solid Crew are a UK garage and grime act whose hits include "Oh No (Sentimental Things" and " 21 Seconds " the latter of which reached Grime is a genre of music which emerged in London, UK, primarily a development of UK garage, Dancehall, and hip hop. Grime is a genre with a deep, heavy bass line and highly electronic beats. MCs rap quickly over it and often add a set phrase to the end of a line:

Shy crew leave on deep remix roll deep lyrics wen I'm 'ere
Get sticked with wits with the glits wen I'm 'ere

Grime was pioneered by Wiley and his crew Roll Deep are still one of the prominent groups. Roll Deep are a MOBO Award -nominated London -based grime music collective Other big names in grime are Dizzee Rascal, Lady Sovereign, Skepta, JME, Kano, Ghetto and Shystie. Dylan Mills (born 1985 in Bow, East London) known professionally as Dizzee Rascal, is a British Rapper, Record producer and Louise Amanda Harman (born 19 December 1985) known as Lady Sovereign, is an English Rapper. Kano is the administrative center of the Kano State and the third largest City in Nigeria, in terms A ghetto is described as a "portion of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social legal or economic pressure Chanelle Scott Calica (born 25 December 1982 in Hackney London also known as Shystie, is a British female rapper-songwriter and actress Grime has been brought more attention thanks to Channel U TV. Channel U TV is a digital Satellite TV channel owned by Video Interactive Television

Outside of grime, there is a prominent UK hiphop scene which is characterized by its lyricism and high standards. Jehst, Tommy Evans, Klashnekoff, Sway and Kyza are known for their complex lyricism. William G Shields (born 25 December 1979 better known as Jehst or a slew of aliases including The High Plains Drifter and Jay Star is an English rapper and Darren Kandler, known by his stage name Klashnekoff (pronounced K-Lash-Nek-Off or Ricochet Klashnekoff, is a British rapper from Aldershot Things and places commonly known as Sway or sway include Music Sway (dance, a motion in ballroom dance Sway DaSafo Braintax, Lowkey and Logic are among the most political rappers, while Skinnyman and Akala are very conscious rappers. Braintax is a British hip hop artist and producer Joe Christie had also recorded or appeared under the pseudonyms Brando Flux and Joey Brains Lowkey (born Kareem Dennis 23rd of May 1986 is a Poet, Playwright, Political Activist and award winning Hip Hop Artist of mixed British and Logic is the study of the principles of valid demonstration and Inference. Skinnyman (born Alex Holland) is a rapper born in Leeds,(1974 who moved to Finsbury Park, London at a young age Roots Manuva is unique, since he fuses dub with hiphop, and is perceptive, humorous and introverted in his lyrics.

Grime music is central to London and part of its 21st century culture while the majority of UK hiphop originates in the capital too. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Thus the majority of rappers speak in London accents and London slang (known as Jafaican), which can be difficult for non-Londoners to understand. Jafaican, also called Blockney and Multicultural London English, is a fairly recent Dialect (and/or Sociolect) of English spoken mainly

See also

• Hip-Hop

• Abstract hip hop
• Alternative hip hop
• Australian hip hop
• Bass music
• Beatboxing
• Christian hip hop
• Conscious hip hop
• Country rap
• Crunk
• Dirty rap
• Dirty South
• East Coast hip hop
• Emo rap
• gangsta rap
• Ghetto house
• Hardcore hip hop
• Hip pop
• Indie hip hop
• Jazz rap
• Nerdcore hiphop
• Old school hip hop
• Rap
• Rap rock
• Reggaeton
• Southern hip hop
• West Coast hip hop

References

Further reading

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