The history of hip-hop: occurrence, features, interesting facts

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Hip-hop is a cultural trend that originated in New York's working-class neighborhoods in the 1970s. It is reflected in music, choreography and visual arts. Hip-hop is a subculture with its own philosophy.

This style is very popular in youth circles. It develops and undergoes certain changes every year, but the main distinguishing features of the adherents of this culture remain unchanged. Distinctive features of the followers of this subculture are loose clothing, short haircuts or dreadlocks, as well as massive jewelry. In the article, we will get acquainted with the history of the emergence of hip-hop.

The emergence of a subculture

First, let's take a brief look at the history of hip-hop. This direction arose in the South Bronx in the seventies of the twentieth century. It quickly gained popularity and took its own niche in the youth culture of many countries of the world. It's not just music, but a lifestyle with its dance, clothes and language.

Initially, hip-hop had an acute social orientation, but at the end of the last century, it gradually merged into the music industry, changed and lost the meaning of protest. By the turn of the twenty-first century, hip-hop had become commercial and fashionable.

Despite this, some of its representatives continue to support the original traditions of this subculture and act as an opposition to the authorities, fighting social inequality and injustice.

Meaning

If we consider this term in the exact translation from English, then hip means the moving part of the human body, and hop means the movement itself. But the word hip also has another meaning, namely "mental development." All together can be interpreted as a "movement of the mind".

Directions

Hip-hop has many currents, each of which develops both in connection with others, and quite independently. They all carry their own meaning. Three main directions can be distinguished. It's music, dance and graffiti. Each adherent of hip-hop can develop in one of them or in several. Hip-hop also has its own philosophy and slang.

Music

This is one of the main currents of this subculture. Hip-hop is a genre in music, which, in turn, also has many directions. It can be both light in sound and aggressive. The content of the songs also differs in its complexity. It can be both memories of something neutral, and a discussion of the global problems of mankind.

Next, let's get acquainted with the history of hip-hop asmusic. The source of this style is funk. But do not underestimate the influence of other genres such as soul, reggae, jazz and blues. The first hip-hop artists were African Americans.

Old school

It is generally accepted that the founder of hip-hop in music are the inhabitants of the Bronx area in New York. One of the founders is considered Kool-Herk. He alternated his music with fast-read lyrics. Later, this manner was called rap (MC). The exact date of the emergence of this subculture is November 12, 1974

What was hip-hop like at the time? It was music played by DJs at parties. It was primitive and consisted in repeated repetition of the losses of other people's compositions.

This kind of music has gained immense popularity. DJs sold cassettes of their performances. They combined mixes of various melodies, on which recitative was superimposed. It was the first amateur rap.

In 1970, producer Sylvia Robinson and her husband founded The Sugar Hill Recording Studio. Numerous DJs began to work and record their compositions here.

The year 1979 is considered the year of the emergence of the hip-hop musical genre. It was then that the first song written in this style appeared. It was called Rapper's Delight and was performed by The Sugarhill Gang. Similar compositions were created by combining recitative and funk or disco melody. This practice was used by many groups of the eighties of the last century.

In 1983, melodies appeared withusing elements of the genre Hardcore Urban, and then samples from heavy metal. This is how New School was born - a style that became very popular in the mid-eighties.

Rise of hip-hop music

In the period from 1986 to 1993 there was an active development of the genre. It was the "golden era" of hip-hop. During this period, many innovations were introduced into music. Electronic sampling began to be used, for which elements of rock and jazz were increasingly used.

The lyrics were mostly aggressive and the music was quite commercial. Thanks to this combination, hip-hop got into the mainstream. In the subculture, there was a confrontation between rappers. This phenomenon was called "beef".

The period from 1993 to 1994 was called the "second golden age" of hip-hop. At this time, many compositions arose, which were later recognized as classics of the genre. In the same years, new subspecies of hip-hop appeared. This period was also marked by a confrontation between Western and Eastern musicians, which led to the murder of two artists - representatives of both coasts - Tupac and Bigg.

2000s

At the beginning of the new century, the history of hip-hop is characterized by a complete separation of the genre from its origins. This was facilitated by the popularization of gangster rap, which was preceded by the release of the album Coolio Gangsta's Paradise, which broke out on MTV. The genre has become commercial. Such compositions were quite tough and aggressive. Hip-hop of that time carried the propaganda of crime and its values.

This periodalso characterized by the absence of a dominant group of artists. Since that time, hip-hop has been represented not only by rappers from California, but also by performers from other regions. New genres appear, as well as mixes with different musical directions.

In 2004, for the first time in the history of hip-hop, the Grammy Award for the best album was awarded to its performers - the duo OutKast.

Dance

Hip-hop is not only music. This concept combines several directions. Let's get acquainted with the history of hip-hop as a dance briefly.

The style is highly active. It combines a variety of movements, rotations, jumps and swings of the whole body. The performers during the dance are quite relaxed and shameless. This is similar to the campfire movements of African American tribes.

Dance in the style of hip-hop, as well as music, includes many directions. It refers to street styles. The history of hip-hop dance began in the seventies of the last century. It is performed, as a rule, to the music of the corresponding genre. It includes breakdancing, locking and popping.

Hip-hop dance entered the mainstream, thanks to feature films that told the audience about this subculture. These are such films as "Wild Style", "Break Dance".

Following this, studios began to open, teaching everyone to dance in the style of hip-hop. Classical dancers studied this direction to create joint numbers with street teams.

At the end of the twentieth -At the beginning of the twenty-first century, hip-hop continued to gain popularity and gain fans around the world. In Europe, several hip-hop dance competitions were held during this time. Shows dedicated to the subculture and new films began to appear.

Hip-hop's history as a dance includes the advent of freestyle competition. Followers of this direction often arrange similar battles among themselves. Hip-hop is popular among young people as it provides an opportunity for self-expression and sometimes aggression. Thanks to this dance, you can show your individuality and creativity.

Hip-hop can be both entertainment, a hobby, and a way to earn money. It is performed both on the streets and parties, as well as on stage, in films and performances.

The history of the development of hip-hop in Russia

In our country, this musical trend appeared in the eighties of the twentieth century. In 1984, DJ Alexander Astrov, together with the Rush Hour group in Kuibyshev, recorded the Rap program, which was distributed among listeners in the form of a twenty-five-minute album.

In the second half of the 1980s, the breakdance craze began to spread, but hip-hop musical compositions were not yet sufficiently known to the public.

The history of Russian hip-hop was developed in the early nineties. The music of Bogdan Titomir has become very popular.

More underground bands have not received recognitionpublic. Only by the end of the nineties in the history of hip-hop in Russia did a large number of music performers in this style appear.

In 1999, there was a complete revival of breakdancing, which caused a second wave of hip-hop development in our country. Rap elements are often included by performers in their musical compositions today.

Graffiti

This is another part of the hip-hop subculture. Graffiti is a type of fine art. Drawings are applied to walls and fences. It can be both samples of art, and just hooligan inscriptions. It is believed that the beginning of this movement was laid by a teenager who left his signature on the streets in 1972.

Graffiti in its current form first emerged in African-American neighborhoods as part of the emerging hip-hop subculture. In the history of its development, at first, simple improvised materials were used. It could be a marker or a spray can of paint. At that time, such images, as a rule, had a certain philosophical meaning.

In the 1970s, graffiti enthusiasts often chose subway cars for their art. They used the night time for their purpose, and in the morning the passengers of the subway were surprised to see these masterpieces. Gradually, the art of graffiti has undergone great changes. The drawings have become more meaningful and legal.

Over time, many exhibition founders began to attract graffiti artists to cooperate and exhibit their creations in their galleries.

Book abouthip hop history

Comic book about this subculture was created by artist Ed Piskor. This creation is called "Hip-Hop Pedigree". It was created in the form of a graphic novel. The book details the history of the genre. In 2013, the comic was recognized as the bestseller of the year and included in the list of the ten best graphic works. "Hip Hop Pedigree" is released as singles of 32 pages each.

The book is made in vintage style on yellow pages. The paints used to decorate the drawings are reminiscent of those used to create old comics.

Influence on society

Many sociologists of our time agree on the assumption that hip-hop in various matters has the ability to influence the opinion of society. The fact is that, having barely had time to be born, this direction very quickly gained popularity and took a position of protest. This has never happened before in the music world.

Hip-hop is firmly rooted in the masses not only as a genre of art, but also as a social movement. The songs reveal many problems that concern the population: issues of poverty, drug addiction, crime.

It was hip-hop at the end of the twentieth century that led to many social reforms. It also served as an impetus to rethink the stereotypes about African Americans as a source of crime and other problems. Now people saw in them not the focus of evil, but rather a victim of circumstances. Hip-hop has influenced politics in the US, Canada and many European countries. As a result, measures were taken to overcome crime and poverty.

It is often said thattoday's hip-hop is different from the classic, it is less focused on the coverage of social problems. Many do not agree with this statement. A large number of representatives of this subculture organize charity events and events. They also become businessmen, actors and public figures capable of influencing the opinion of the masses.

During its history, hip-hop has become a kind of weapon to fight injustice. This view is shared by many experts. And who and when will apply it - time will tell.