Guide To Hip Hop Producers And The History Of Hip Hop Music

By Jeff L. Robertson


Hip Hop originated in New York in the 70s. DJ Afrika Bambaataa first identified the five pillars of Hip Hop culture: mcing, DJing, breakdancing, graffiti and knowledge (Hip Hop philosophy). Other elements include beatboxing, hip hop fashion and slang. Originating in the South Bronx in the 1970s, Hip Hop has become part of youth culture in many countries. Hip Hop producers in Los Angeles have grown in numbers to match its popularity.



The five elements are as follows: DJ'ing - Turning records and scratching them; Rap - rhythm and poetry. B-Boying: Different dance forms in either very fluid or rhythmic movement. The dancer twirls with the head spin and often making very complicated acrobatic moves. Other concepts of the dance are the Top Rock, Down Rock - these form basic elements. Electric Boogie is also a form belonging to B-boying.

Hip Hop music consists of two main elements: rap (recitative rhythmic rhymes) and rhythm defined by a DJ. Rap artists call themselves MCs (Master of Ceremony). Some MCs turn their lyrics into intricate puzzles (eg, Ghostface Killa said that he deliberately seeks to compose rhymes such that no one understood them except himself).

The task of composing includes DJ rhythm on a drum machine, sampling (use of fragments of other songs, particularly bass and synth), manipulation of vinyl records and sometimes beatboxing (vocal imitation). Currently, hip hop is one of the most commercially successful forms of modern music, stylistically represented by numerous characters within the genre.

First MCs were literally typical entertainers, they were able to capture the attention of audiences through their energetic tirade. It should be noted that Jamaica had a similar style of performance that was developed at the turn of the 1960s and 1970s. The popularity of music at these parties meant local DJs could to sell cassettes with recorded live performances, which skillfully mix rhythms and bass lines taken from compositions in the styles of disco and funk over the recited rap. It was purely an amateur occupation, and during that period (1974-1978) no formal releases or studios existed.

The word hip used in African American dialect meant moving parts of the human body. The word hop points to the movement (jump). According to philosophy behind the subculture, this means intellectual movement. Rapper Keith Wiggins, with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five are linked to the formation of hip hop. When teased by friends who were drafted into the army, they sang in a jazz manner of speech, thus simulating the rhythm of marching soldiers. Keith later developed a rhythm of hip hop as part of his stage performance.

The group mainly performed with disco artists who belonged to this new type of MC / DJ genre. The name was originally meant a sign of disrespect, but soon moved to refer to this new music and culture. The first breakdancers appeared in 1973 and as if by magic, they routinely managed to solve disputes between gangs. Thus, b-boying really took off in the streets of South Bronx.

The former gang leader set out to clean up all the violence in predominantly black ghettos. The Zulu Nation was a peaceful alternative to violence and gang warfare. He went on to use the energy and passion on something positive instead. For example, through B-Boy competitions. He is also seen as a founding father of underground Hip Hop producers.




About the Author: