Trip-hop originated in 1989 in Bristol, England, combining elements of hip hop, world music, and R&B. It was popularized by groups like Massive Attack and Tricky and is characterized by downtempo beats between 80-110 bpm, sampling of instruments like piano and saxophone, and an atmospheric and melancholic sound influenced by post-punk. Trip-hop differs from gangsta rap in its more relaxed and psychedelic style focused on stream-of-consciousness lyrics rather than gritty realities, partly due to the genre's association with marijuana and hallucinogenic drug use.