Hip Hop Culture
Mária Ištvánová
Banská Bystrica 2008
Introduction
Hip hop culture started to develop
many years ago and I would like to
introduce you the formation of it. The
reason why I decided to make this
project about hip hop culture is simple
– I consider this culture as one of the
most interesting and nowadays the
most popular over the world.
Roots of hip hop
Hip hop (also spelled hip-hop or hiphop) is both
a cultural movement and a genre of music
developed in New York City in the 1970s
primarily by African Americans and Latinos.
The four historic "elements" of hip hop are:
• Rap
• Dj-ing
• Breakdance
• Graffiti art
Rap
Rapping (also known as Mcing ,
spitting,) is the rhythmic spoken
delivery of rhymes and wordplay, one
of the elements of hip hop music and
culture. The use of the word to
describe quick speech or repartee
long predates the musical form,
meaning originally "to hit".
Rhyme style
Aside from "flow" (the voice and tone of a
particular MC), and rhythmic delivery, the
only other central element of rapping is
rhyme. In classical poetry, rhymes that
span many syllables are often considered
whimsical, but in hip hop the ability to
construct raps with large sets of rhyming
syllables is valued.
Flow
Rap delivery, or "flow", is defined by
prosody, cadence, and speed. Cadence
deals with the dynamics and patterns of
the rhythm. In addition to rubato (changes
in tempo for the purpose of expression),
cadence can also serve to reinforce song
structure through ritardando (the gradual
slowing down of tempo).
Freestyle and battle rap
There are two kinds of freestyle rapping: one
is scripted (recitation), but having no
particular overriding subject matter, the
second typically referred to as "freestyling"
or "spitting", is the improvisation of rapped
lyrics. When freestyling, some rappers
inadvertently reuse old lines, or even
"cheat" by preparing segments or entire
verses in advance.
Dj-ing
A DJ or deejay is a person who selects and
plays prerecorded music for an
audience.There are several types of DJs.
Radio DJs introduce and play music that is
broadcast on AM, FM, shortwave or digital
radio stations. Club DJs select and play
music in a bar, club, disco, a rave, or even
a stadium. Hip hop DJs select, play and
create music with multiple turntables, often
to back up one or more MCs.
Breakdance
Breakdance, b-boying or b-girling is a
street dance style that evolved as part of
the hip hop movement among African
American and Puerto Rican youths in the
South Bronx of New York City during the
early 1970s. It is normally danced to pop,
funk or hip hop music, often remixed to
prolong the breaks, and is a well-known
hip hop dance style.
Styles
Toprock
Downrock
Freezes
Power moves
Graffiti art
Graffiti (singular: graffito; the plural is used
as a mass noun) is the name for images or
lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or
marked in any manner on property. Graffiti
is often regarded as unsightly damage or
unwanted vandalism.Graffiti has existed
since ancient times, with examples going
back to Ancient Greece and the Roman
Empire.
Styles
Tag
Throw-up
Piece
Bubble
Blockbuster
Wildstyle
Roller
Beatbox
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion
connected with hip hop culture (it has been
called the fifth element of hip hop) although it is
not limited to hip hop music. It primarily involves
the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and
musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue,
voice, and more. It may also involve singing,
vocal imitation of turntablism, the simulation of
horns, strings, and other musical instruments.