Hip-hop is a cultural and creative revolution that has permeated every aspect of society, from music to politics. Hip-hop music is an important part of the culture.
One of the defining features of hip-hop is a catchy rhyming voice track over a driving, pulsating rhythm. Hip-hop music developed in the 1970s due to cross-cultural interaction between young people of African descent, Latino descent, and Caribbean descent in New York City. Mixing, rhyming, beatboxing, and graffiti are the main foundations of hip-hop as a cultural movement.
Growth And Impact
A plethora of offshoots of hip-hop has emerged since the genre’s origin, such as trap, grime, crunk, gangster rap, rap metal, chillhop, bounce, Latin hip-hop, mumble rap, and conscious hip-hop. Hip-hop artists and groups that have made significant contributions to the genre include Eazy-E, Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Ice Cube, Nas, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, Dr. Dre, Nicki Minaj, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, and Outkast, among many others.
Hip-hop was unstoppable from its early days in the 1970s to its eventual dominance in the United States. New school hip hop emerged in the early 1980s; this trend stressed the use of drum machines, a minimalist aesthetic, radio songs, and social and political criticism. These musicians abandoned the raucous rhyming and funk-inspired sounds of “old-school hip-hop.”
Hip-hop’s heyday was in the ’80s and ’90s when several artists achieved widespread popularity and introduced significant new elements with each album they released. Tupac Shakur, Nas, Public Enemy, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Boogie Down Productions, A Tribe Called Quest, and Big Daddy Kane are just a few of the major musicians who contributed to the movement. Gangsta rap, a type of rap popularized by performers like Schoolly D, Ice-T, and N.W.A., also gained popularity during this time.
By the late ’90s, hip hop had become a national phenomenon, spawning stars like Lil Wayne, Timbaland, Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, Nelly, Ja Rule, Eminem, Dmx, and 50 Cent. Naughty by Nature won the first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Album, which was added to the awards show that year.
Heavy metal, punk, jazz, alternative rock, and electronic were all styles that many musicians in the 2000s drew inspiration from. Outkast, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, MF Doom, Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Juicy J, The Roots, Mos Def, Drake, Aesop Rock, Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, and Gnarls Barkley were all either established names or on the rise at this time.
With the advent of online music distribution and streaming services around the turn of the century and into the present day, there has been a plethora of new musical acts, compilation albums, and innovative practices. Cardi B, Future, Lizzo, Travis Scott, SZA, Megan Thee Stallion, 21 Savage, and Lil Uzi Vert are all examples of successful newer artists.
Legends
Hip-hop has evolved and grown throughout the years, but there are still pioneers that paved the way for subsequent musicians.
Dr. Dre: Dr. Dre, once of the rap group N.W.A., went on to have enormous success as a solo artist and producer, cementing his place as a seminal figure in the rise of West Coast hip-hop.
Jay-Z: Since 1996, Jay-Z has been a prolific musician and is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in contemporary rap and hip-hop. At 23, he is the rapper with the most Grammys ever.
Kanye West: From experimental music to gospel, from heavy sampling to synth, Kanye West’s career covers a wide range of musical styles and sounds. He is widely regarded as a driving force behind hip-ongoing hop’s evolution by bringing fresh ideas and sounds to the scene.
Lil’ Kim: Rapper and style icon Lil’ Kim has had many number-one singles, such as “No Time,” “Not Tonight,” and “Big Momma Thang.” Her albums have been certified platinum three times.
Public Enemy: New York hip-hop duo Chuck D and Flavor Flav’s Public Enemy have been making waves since 1985 with their politically charged lyrics and infamous member monikers.
Run-DMC: The first hip-hop group to appear on MTV and now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Run-DMC helped pave the way for the genre in the 1980s.
The Wu-Tang Clan: The Wu-Tang Clan is a rap group from Staten Island featuring such legends of the hip-hop scene as Ol’ Dirty Bastard, RZA, and Method Man. You’ll often find their first album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), on lists of the greatest rap albums of all time.
Nicki Minaj: Nicki Minaj has been certified platinum for all four of her studio albums, making her one of the highest-selling female hip-hop artists.
