In an effort to change the overall lyrical content and vibe of hip-hop, MCs Ed “Duke Bootee” Fletcher and Melle Mel created a song entitled The Message. Today, needle drop and needle scratching techniques are still widely used in modern rap and hip-hop songs. As more and more artists and DJs partook in the style of music, the technique continued to evolve and develop.ĭJ Grand Wizard Theodore invented an act called the “needle drop” and “needle scratching” in the 1980s.Īlthough completely accidental, these techniques actually took the genre to a whole new level. Soon, rapping went from a simple way to entertain guests to a highly respected art form. Both albums made it to Billboard’s Top 40. 1980s: Unstoppable Force of Rap MusicĪlthough initially dismissed as a fad, rap music began rising in popularity with the release of The Sugarhill Gang’s 1979 album, Rapper’s Delight, then again with Kurtis Blow’s 1980 hit, The Breaks. Other noteworthy names in the Bronx during the early periods of rap music include Joseph “Grandmaster Flash” Saddler, Melle Mel, and Afrika Bambaataa. Today, he’s widely credited as the “Founder of Hip-Hop” and the “Father of Hip-Hop.” One of the most prominent DJs at the time was Jamaican-American DJ Kool Herc.ĭJ Kool Herc, formally known as Clive Campbell, transformed dance DJing, party culture, and Jamaican toasting traditions into vibrant play music. Later, MCs became known as rappers.Īt the time, rap music wasn’t really classified as a genre so much as a way to interact and entertain party-goers.Įven so, it sparked great interest as the “lyrics” gave young listeners an empowering sense of identity and voice. MCs and DJs would liven up the crowd by talking and telling jokes over beats of sample percussion. Initially, rap music started off as a way to keep crowds energized in block parties. Rap music as a genre “officially” began in the early 1970s in African-American and Latino neighborhoods in New York. Modern-day griots continue past traditions through the creative use of music strategies, rhetorical styles, and languages, all of which appear in traditional rap music. The True Origins of Rap MusicĪlthough widely accepted to have begun in the late 1960s to early 1970s, the true origins of rap music can be traced all the way back to ancient times.Īccording to historians, early forms of rap music began as rhythmic stories told by West African griots over drum beats and sparse instrumentation. Let’s go through the most important timelines together. The history of rap music is as extensive as it’s impressive. It’s a distinct form of word poetry, with often fast-spoken lyrics and heavy-hitting beats. Originating in New York in the early 1970s, rap is a musical style that features chanted or “rapped” rhythmic speech alongside an insistent, recurring beat pattern. Practice Tips for Young Rappers What Is Rap Music?
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