Old School Rap Research Paper

Rap is a genre in music that consists of rhyming or being poetic over a certain unique beat. The origin of rap is significantly different from any other form of music. The flow, change, subject of the music, and the instrumentals behind the rapping has all changed with time. Most people would underestimate the complexity of the music and the evolution it has undergone. The real roots of rap music began in the late 1980’s with the “Golden Age.” It was innovative and mostly based around the party scene. Gangsta Rap followed the Golden age and was very impactful on the young culture. After the Gangsta Rap era came the time in rap referred to as Crunk Rap which combined the country sound with the party lifestyle. Conscious

Lastly there was the genre Motown which hit its peak of popularity in the 1960s. It brought a new rhythm called the “back beat” that was enjoyed because it was easy to dance to. Berry Gordy Jr. started the Motown Company in 1962 and brought up artists like Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Little Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five, and Diana Ross and the Supremes (Holland 109). All of these artists are well known and still listened to today.

Hip hop music developed from party DJ's mixing and remixing popular music that was already out. This music was usually from the funk, soul and disco genre. It began during the 1970's in the Bronx in New York City and very popular among African Americans. Spoken hip hop music is

African American music is divided into many subgroups that led to another style, which allowed empowerment. Such styles as spiritual, blues, jazz, r&b, and hip hop created an incredible history.

Rap music officially started in 1978 in the Bronx, New York. According to the author, most Americans

This results from descendance of rappers from Griots. Griots were keepers of knowledge, including tribal history, and news of birth, death, and war. Many griots spread knowledge through spoken words just like hip hop rappers (Blanchard). Rappers create songs that spread news of their daily lives, dreams, and childhoods. They are viewed as the voice of the poor and urban African American youth who are misrepresented by the media. Rap is more than just saying words on a hip hop beat, it allows rappers to speak for their community and voice concerns. Rap was well known in African-American communities, but became prominent in 1979 with the song “Rapper’s Delight” by Sugarhill Gang. Within weeks, rap began topping the music charts which ultimately led to it gaining the name “new genre of pop music.” The first group to bring rap to a mainstream audience, MTV, was Run D.M.C. Run D.M.C was a trio of middle-class African Americans who came together in the early-1980s. They mixed rap with hard rock, shaping a new style of hip hop known as “New School Hip Hop.” New School Hip Hop was also pioneered by Def Jam which was a rising record label for rappers and DJ’s. Def Jam introduced many artist such as LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy. The Beastie Boys broadened rap’s audience, becoming one of rap's first all white male band, On the other hand, Public Enemy invested rap with radical black political ideology

In the 1960's, America was ready for a change. Black rhythm and blues known as Motown became popular. Bob

In black music we can see different genres like blues which originated in the early 20th century; blues can be considered a type of folksong. Many names that are associated with blues music are Bessie Smith,Ma Rainey and Ray Charles. A lot of black music like blues evolved from different spirituals and work songs sung on fields. Blues music although originated in the southern states soon traveled to the east coast where it can be shown during a time called the Harlem renaissance. Many of the music traveled up north due to the great depression. In blues music the artist will make you connect with their feelings as their emotions are expressed throughout the music. During a time of poverty, rascism, and many other problems in the black communities their music was an outlet and told stories of the people living through these times.

In fact, Motown had all kinds of music and the way that they played that genera of music was just different from everyone else. They had R&B, Hip Hop, Jazz, Pop, Funk and etc. When they started singing, they were not worried about what type of music they were play because back then, black people were not a big thing is the “Music” section. Motown was the start of the African American music making company. Motown will always be the type of music that is different and

Hip-hop culture began to develop in the south Bronx area of New York City during the 1970s. It had a significant influence in the music industry. Hip-hop music generally includes rapping, but other elements such as sampling and beatboxing also play important roles. Rapping, as a key part in the hip-hop music, takes different forms, which including signifying, dozen, toast and jazz poetry. Initially, hip-hop music was a voice of people living in low-income areas, reflecting social, economic and political phenomenon in their life [1]. As time moves on, hip-hop music reached its “golden age”, where it became a mainstream music, featuring diversity, quality, innovation and influence [2]. Gangsta rap, one of the most significant innovations in

Music is a universal language that transcends boundaries and brings people of all walks of life, race and religion together. The famous sound of Motown all began on one place. In Detroit, Michigan a new record label emerged, it was called Motown Records. The Motown Record company produced R&B, hip hop,pop and soul music. “Established by Berry Gordon in 1959, Motown Records was the most successful record label of the 1960s, brining a unique sound to American music and creating a community of black artist under the first black-owned and operated record label (Motown)”. This company allowed the voices of black individuals to be heard both musically and politically. The artist who produces music through Motown brought to a new sound to music that many people

As rap music spread throughout the urban community of New York, many people began to use it as a form of expression that offered unlimited boundaries. There were no set rules, except to be original and to rhyme to the beat of the music. One could rap about the issues pertaining to his or her life or something as simple as a day at school.

Rhythm and blues, also known today as “R & B”, has been one of the most influential genres of music within the African American Culture, and has evolved over many decades in style and sound. Emerging in the late 1940's rhythm and blues, sometimes called jump blues, became dominant black popular music during and after WWII. Rhythm and blues artists often sung about love, relationships, life troubles, and sometimes focused on segregation and race struggles. Rhythm and blues helped embody what was unique about black American culture and validate it as something distinctive and valuable.

Establishment of Motown in April 1960, granted opportunities to young African-American singers or a platform to reach vast audiences, were in the past were subjugated. Motown provided various church gospel singers like Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and others to showcase their talents. Writes Ricky Vincent: “The music followed the people, as both matured and grew to new levels of independence and meaning”. (Vincent, 3) Sam Cooke’s brilliant “Change is going to come”, “Keep on pushing” and Stevie Wonders “Heaven Help us All”, are some of the great example of popular black music. The song’s depicted decade’s long struggles and racial brutality faced by blacks, and challenge society to change the status quo. Vincent Writes “Music that went beyond the personal issues, dealt with higher forces and spoke of the society.”(Vincent, 4)

In the early days, Hip-Hop was primarily related to the rhyming, rhythmic spoken word art form known as rapping. Rapping is, in fact, not a new method of creative expression. The ease with which young people can participate in this form of creativity seems to have helped the phenomenal growth of this genre of music and expression. Review of rap music lyrics and styling from the early to mid-1970's, when Hip-Hop began, reveals several aspects of the musical genre that appear to have had significant appeal to young people, particularly those in urban communities. There has never been one all-inclusive form of rap music.