1. Hip Hop How do I understand music in relation to HISTORY AND CULTURE?

2. What is Hip Hop music?  Hip hop music (also referred to as rap or rap music) is a style of popular music.

3. Components  Rapping (MCing) and Djing (audio mixing and scratching.  Breakdancing and graffiti.

4. Techniques  Assonance – resemblance of sound especially vowels and stressed syllables: “Swarms of arms”  Alliteration – repetition of the same sounds, usually consonants: “Zany Zone”  Rhyme – regular correspondence of sound a the end of lines.

5. How is a beat created?  The beat is often created using a sample of the percussion break of another song, usually funk, rock, or soul recording.  In addition to the beat, other sounds are often sampled, synthesized, or performed.

6. Where did hip hop culture begin?  The Bronx, New York

7. MC and DJ  The early role of the MC was to introduce the DJ and the music and to keep the audience excited.

8. The year of commercial success  By 1979 hip hop had become a commercially popular music genre and began to enter the American mainstream.

9. Gangsta Rap  Gangsta rap is a subgenre of hip hop that reflects the violent lifestyles of some inner-city youths. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word gangster.

10. R & B vs. Hip Hop  R & B is mainly sung.  Hip hop – the main vocals are rapped. What R & B artists and rappers have combined in the past to create their music?

11. Fashion  Hip hop fashion

12. Other characteristics  The meter is usually 4.  Other styles include soul and funk music  The instrumentation of hip hop derived from disco, funk and R & B.  The drum machine allowed hip hop musicians develop partially original scores.

13. Historical Eras of Hip Hop  Old school – 1970 – 1985  Golden age – 1985 – 1993  Modern era – 1993 - Now

14. The Roots  West African and African American Music

15. What decade did hip hop arise?  The 80s!

16. The Godfather of Hip Hop  Afrika Bambaataa

17. Listening Exercise  Listen to the following samples of hip hop and describe the musical characteristic that you hear evident in each piece.  Number your papers #1-10.