A Brief Look at the Origins of Hip Hop By Sherif Mohamed El-Refai

1. A Brief Look at the Origins of
Hip Hop
By Sherif Mohamed El-Refai

2. Although its roots lie in West African and
African American music, hip hop evolved
most significantly in New York City. During
the 1970s, the Bronx was home to a large
and thriving Jamaican immigrant community.
One form of music Jamaicans brought with
them to America was dub music, which was
generally played on large sound systems and
was characterized by breaks between
percussion beats.

3. According to an apocryphal story, DJ Kool
Herc invented the music form at his sister's
party. He “scratched,” or extended, the record
to enable party guests to dance longer and
rapped in accompaniment. The result was a
big hit and word spread. Block parties, which
were fairly common throughout the Bronx,
fueled the popularity of this new form of
music.

4. Hip hop was uncomplicated during its early
days. The lyrics were simple, improvisation
was limited, and a four-count beat was used.
In time, however, “emcees” began to
experiment. Beats evolved and basic rhymes
or lyrics accompanied the changed beats.
Today, hip hop is one of the most popular
genres of music in America and it grows more
complex and unique with each passing year.

5. About Sherif Mohamed El-Refai: A
pharmacist and a resident of New Jersey,
Sherif Mohamed El-Refai is a fan of hip hop
and is interested in its origins.

6. About Sherif Mohamed El-Refai: A
pharmacist and a resident of New Jersey,
Sherif Mohamed El-Refai is a fan of hip hop
and is interested in its origins.