The document summarizes genre conventions in hip hop, indie rock, and electro/techno music. For hip hop, it notes themes of poverty, struggle, crime/violence, drugs, clothing/wealth that are commonly depicted in lyrics. It provides examples of typical hip hop lyrics touching on these themes from artists like Notorious B.I.G., Odd Future, Chief Keef, Eminem, and Wu-Tang Clan. For indie rock, it discusses themes of love/heartbreak, youth, and friendship. Examples of lyrics depicting these themes are given from bands like Joy Division, Blink-182, Arctic Monkeys, and Kings of Leon. Finally, it states that electro/techno
3. Genre Conventions
• Poverty- Artists describe working class roots and how the environment
they live in can often lead to crime and violence.
• Struggle- Artists explain the way they have to struggle to get noticed in the
industry, or to make a name for themselves.
• Crime/Violence- A substantial amount of Hip/Hop artists have aggressive
lyrics and videos that emphasise the violent conventions of the genre
• Drugs- Drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and crack are mentioned in a huge
amount of songs within the genre, the distribution of drugs is also a
common theme
• Clothing/Wealth- The need to boast amount expensive, stylish clothing is
a popular convention of the genre, it ties in with the need to show they
have escaped their working class background.
4. Typical Lyrics- Hip Hop
• Notorious B.I.G- Juicy
“It was all a dream, I used to read word up Magazine, Salt ‘n’ pepper and heavy D up in the limousine”- Discusses how his lifestyle
has changed from ghetto to Lavish
• Odd Future
“OF Shit that’s all I got, to my little brother Frankie to my little brother Tac, to the Father figure rock to that skatey nigga Lac”-
Discusses how he and his friends are working class and that their friendship is their strongest asset
• Chief Keef- I don’t like
“Snitch Nigga’s, that’s the shit I don’t like”- Discusses dislike for criminal informers, portraying his criminal lifestyle. Inclusion of the
word ‘Nigga’ is common in Hip/Hop lyrics and emphasises both ‘ghetto’ and aggressive themes
• Eminem- Brain Damage
‘Brain Damage, ever since the day I was born, drugs, is what the used to say , I never knew which way I was going but everywhere
I go they keep playing my songs’ – Discusses how he is an outcast in society and the references to drugs relates the common
Hip/Hop themes of crime and narcotics.
• WU TANG CLAN- C.R.E.A.M
‘Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M get the money, dollar dollar bill’. – Portrays ghetto lifestyle and explains how the
working class ‘ghetto’ attitude evolves around the lack of money individuals have and their poverish life's.
6. Genre Conventions
• Love/Heartbreak- Lyrics and videos often surround the theme of love, and
pain caused by relationships and break-ups. The male dominated genre
has a unique twist on the theme of love that is not seen in more female
dominated genres like mainstream pop.
• Youth- The theme of youth and coming of age is a popular convention of
the indie genre
• Friendship- As the majority of indie artists are formulated of male
musicians, friendship is a key convention of the genre
7. Typical Lyrics- Indie/Rock
Joy Division- She’s Lost Control
‘Confusion in her eyes, that says it all. And she’s clinging to the nearest passer by, she’s lost control. And she’s gave away the
secrets of her past, and said I’ve lost control again’ – Portraying the story of a couple dealing with an affair, also hints on
themes of mental illness that is common in Indie/Rock.
• Blink 182- I miss you
‘Hello there, the Angel from my nightmare. The Shadow of the background of the Morgue, the unsuspecting victim of darkness in
the valley, we can live like jack and sally in the if we want’ – Supernatural themes of death and crime (victim). Themes of
love and despair.
• Arctic Monkey- Riot Van
‘Up rolled the riot vans and sparked excitement in the boys, but the policemen looked annoyed, perhaps these are ones they
should avoid’
• King of Leon- Charmer
‘She stole my Karma, She’s such a charmer’
Again references to broken relationships and emotional pain that reoccurs throughout the Indie/Rock genre
9. Typical Lyrics/ Sound Types- Electro/Techno
• As our genre of electro/techno is mainly a formation of different beats and sample types lyrics are not such a significant
factor within the genre.
