Hip-Hop Music
Hip-hop was born in the Bronx, New York City, in the 1970s. African American and Latino communities created this genre as a form of expression and art.
Key features of hip-hop:
RAPPING: speaking rhythmically over a beat. Rappers use rhymes, wordplay, and storytelling. The lyrics are like poetry set to music!
BEATS: hip-hop beats are created using drum machines, samples (pieces of other songs), and bass-heavy rhythms.
DJ and TURNTABLES: DJs use record players to scratch, mix, and blend music. Scratching is moving a vinyl record back and forth to create a rhythmic sound.
SAMPLING: taking a piece of an existing song and using it as part of a new song. This connects hip-hop to all other genres!
BREAKDANCING: hip-hop culture includes not just music but also dance (b-boying), graffiti art, and fashion.
Hip-hop is now the most popular music genre in the world! Artists from every country make hip-hop in their own languages.