2. Background behind Hip-hop
Hip Hop is a Sub-Culture that originated from
an African American community during the 1970s
in New York City, specifically in Morris
Heights, Bronx, which later had influence to Latin
American communities. While the term is often used
to refer to Hip-Hop music, its broader sense hip
hop culture is characterized by the four elements
DJ Kool Herc of Rapping, DJ’ing, Breaking and Graffiti.
The origin of the subculture derives from the parties of DJ Kool Herc, where Herc would
mix samples of existing records with his own shouts to the crowd and dancers. Kool Herc is
known as the 'father' of the art form.
DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MC’ing, DJ’ing, B-
Boying and Graffiti Writing. Since its emergence in the South Bronx, hip hop culture has
spread to both urban and suburban communities throughout the world and can now be heard
on the charts since its widely mixed into other genres. Hip-Hop derived from creating
rhythmic beats by looping breaks on two turntables, more commonly referred to as sampling.
This was later accompanied by “rap”, a rhythmic style of chanting – “Spitting Bars “ – or
poetry presented in 16 bar measures or time frames, and beat-boxing, a vocal technique
mainly used to imitate percussive elements of the music and various technical effects of hip
hop DJs. An original form of dancing and particular styles of fashion emerged from this
genre.
3. Hip-Hop Artists
Jay Z Eminem Notorious B.I.G.
Kanye West Drake Nicki Minaj
