Rap/Hip Hop Lecture

OUTKAST

A hip hop duo from Atlantaforming in 1992 oIncludes Big Boi and Andre 3000oOriginally known as Two Shades Deep oTheir music is altogether Dirty South/Southern Crunk, hardcore, soul, funk, jazz, rock, bluesand R&B with the duo being two opposing music figures with Big Boi being more rap oriented and Andre 3000 being more musically influenced o After a few successful albums, they reached widespread success with there 1998 album "Aquameni" with songs such as Rosa Parks

WEST COAST/EAST COAST FEUD

As the widespread popularity of West Coast/Gangsta rap took hold, East Coast rappers were going largely unrecognized This led to great resentment amongst East Coast Rappers (keep in mind West Coast rappers had gone unnoticed for almost a decade prior so in retrospect this resentment can only be likened to a spoiled child throwing a child when it doesn't get its way) No one knows who started the feud (chances are it was in fact started by East Coast rappers 'dissing' their West Coast counterparts) What is know is that the feud (perpetuated and overblown by the media) was centered on the two major labels of the era Death Row and Bad Boy, and their stars (and rap's kings), Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace

TOO SHORT

Born in L.A. but grew up in OaklandoOakland had a vibrant and important hip hop/rap community with the likes of Digital Underground, MC Hammer etc. o His music is often viewed as lewd and misogynistic (as most of his lyrics are about 'b_ _ ches and hoes') but he did have the occasional song depicting social commentary o His style is reminiscent of East Coast Hardcore but clipped and quasi melodic, the latter being a precursor to the G-Funk that would dominate rap in the early to mid 1990s o His first as the 80s transitioned into the 90s o He never had the national acclaim his SoCal counterparts achieved but he is nevertheless one of the best rappers of West Coast (and he was the opposite side of the coin to the rapping of MC Hammer) o One of his most poignant songs is a quasi cover of the soul classic The Ghetto off of his album 'Short Dog's In The House'

GRANDMASTER FLASH AND THE FURIOUS FIVE

Formed in the South Bronx of New York City in 1978. o Grandmaster Flash (DJ) ,Melle Mel, Kidd Creole, Cowboy, Mr. Ness/Scorpio, and Rahiemo In 2007, it became the first hip hop group ever to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. o Melle Mel was the first person to adopt the title of MC o The released one record then signed with Sugar Hill in 1979 o At the behest of Melle Mel they made a huge (and successful) departure from the traditional dance rap they and everyone around them were doing. o Melle Mel wanted to rap about something more relevant and he saw rap as a way to reach the masses (the other members would go on to say that they were very skeptical at first) oThe result was The Message

GANGSTA RAP

Evolved from East Coast hardcore rap. oIn the mid-1980s, Mixmaster Spade defined an early form of Gangsta Rap with his Compton Posse.oOther artists emerged such as Schoolly D and Ice T (who originally was rapping in a more traditional Old School style but quickly turned to a harder more violent edge with his 1986 6 in the Morninand thetitle track to the 1988 film "Colors") o The subject matter inherent in gangsta rap has caused a great deal of controversy. Criticism has come from both left wing and right wing commentators, as well as religious leaders, who have accused the genre of promoting crime, serial killing, violence, profanity, sex addiction, homophobia, racism, promiscuity, misogyny, rape, street gangs, drive-by shootings, vandalism, thievery, drug dealing, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, disregarding law enforcement, materialism, and narcissism. As a result Gangsta rap and it's representative artists became the target of politicians. One such rapper, Sister Souljah contended that "The reason why rap [was] under attack [was] because it expose[d] all the contradictions of American culture ...What started out as an underground art form ha[d] become a vehicle to expose a lot of critical issues that [were] not usually discussed in American politics. The problem here is that the White House... represents a political system that never intends to deal with inner city urban chaos," Some critical of Gansta Rap such as Spike Lee contended that the only thing the genre achieved was the reinforcing and proliferation of deep rooted stereotypes that did more damage to the image of the Black community than anything else. o In this world of Gangsta rap there exist the emotion and perspective of a marginalized people that are constantly overlooked and are constantly berated and belittled by society. o Three other groups/labels emerged (eventually producing the fourth and greatest of them all) World Class Wreckin' Cru, which included Alonzo Williams, Dr. Dre and DJ Yella.Local drug dealer Eazy-E and Jerry Heller founded Ruthless Records CIA, which included Ice Cube, Laylaw, Sir Jinx (Dr. Dre's cousin), and K-Dee. oLyrically, Gangsta Rap infuses political and social commentary with sentiments of violence and drugsOutwardly, Gangsta Rap has a strong association with gang culture especially the Crips and Bloods oDue to the influence of Ice T and N.W.A, Gangsta Rap is often credited as being an originally West Coast phenomenon, despite its East Coast Hardcore roots

OLD SCHOOL RAP

Late 1970s -86ish Perhaps the heyday of breakdancing Groups/artists such as Afrika Bambaataa, KurtisBlow, Sugar Hill Gang, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 STYLE o Stylistically, this was a period of post disco fashion. Tight clothes, leather, bandanas, chains, an artificial "hipness" to it. In some cases early rap groupd dressed in costumes reminiscent of the Village People or Parliament funkadelic FLOW oOld school flows were relatively basic and used only few syllables per bar, simple rhythmic patterns, and basic rhyming techniques and rhyme schemes. oMelle Mel of the Furious Five is cited as the rapper who epitomizes old school flow Kool Moe Dee says, "Melle Mel, in 1978, gave us the new cadence we would use from 1978 to 1986."[55] he's the first emcee to explode in a new rhyme cadence, and change the way every emcee rhymed forever" oThe flow is very clipped and shows heavy influence of the dance tradition Old School rap emerges directly out of disco so inevitable most of the songs are dance/party songs

NEW SCHOOL/SECOND WAVE/HARDCORE

The early successes of old school rap led to the marketing and commercialization of the genre. This also saturated every aspect of pop culture with the fashion and break dancing. o By 1984, Hollywood had cashed in on the success with films such as 'Flashdance', 'Breakin', and 'Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo" (even the parade scene 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' had a break dancing in it) oBut this also had a negative effect as the over commercialization of this "folk" style essentially watered down its rawness and authenticity o By this time most critics who negatively assessed rap were trying to seal the coffin referring to it as a passing fad (even to this day you will still find people calling rap a fad) As early as 1982 new record companies with their own crews -groups/artists began to emerge as the new school or second wave The new school took rap back to its roots in the inner city and what emerged was a more gritty hard hitting and in many cases socially relevant music. In essence the dance aspect was eliminated FLOW o Rakim is often credited with creating the overall shift from the more simplistic old school flows to more complex flows near the beginning of hip hop's new school. This shift happened around 1986 and you will hear this style until around 1994. oBecause the dates for OS and NS overlap there is an inevitable of lyrical styleSTYLE o Fashion changed in that you no longer had artists wearing costumes or disco-style outfits. o The rise of Adidas as a hip urban clothier (thanks to Run DMC), Kangol (LL Cool J), the whole idea of track suits and big chainsoBlack became the color of choice oBut for the most part artists wore what they would actually wear on the street Artists/groups such as Eric B & Rakim, Run DMC, the Beastie Boys, LLCool J, Big daddy Kane, Biz Markie, BDP with KRS-One, Public Enemy, and Too ShortOne of the most important record companies (and producers) is Def Jam

RAP GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: FLOW

is defined as "the rhythms and rhymes" of a hip-hop song's lyrics and how they interact -the book 'How to Rap' breaks flow down into rhyme, rhyme schemes, and rhythm (also known as cadence). o describes thy lyrical delivery(pitch, timbre, volume) o is different from rapper to rapper and from style to style o At its core, the history of rap/hip hop can be traced through the evolution of this o Staying on the beat is central to rap's ______. Is accomplished by stressing syllables in time to the four beats of the musical backdrop.(This idea of stress and staying on beat is what distinguishes one rapper from another)

RAP GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: GRAFITTI/TAGGING

writing or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, or painted, typically illicitly, on a wall or other surface, often within public view.

DR. DRE, G-FUNK, AND DEATH ROW

After his departure from N.W.A., Dr Dre met bodyguard/'entrepreneur' Suge Knight and together they founded Death Row Records in 1992 releasing the song 187 shortly after (introducing Snoop Dogg to the world) o Death Row would become the epicenter of Gansta rap and rap in general during the 1990s as well as the prime target of the media-hyped West Coast/East Coast feud with labels such as Bad BoyoDr. Dre's debut solo album was 'The Chronic', was released in late 1992 under Death Row Records, ushering in a new style of Gangsta Rap known as G-Funk Became the most popular genre of hip hop throughout the 1990s. Although G-funk originated in Los Angeles, the sub-genre drew a large amount of influence from the earlier Bay Area-based sound pioneered by Oakland rappers like Too Short. Consists of looping sounds from classic P-Funk (Parliament Finkadelic) records over bass-heavy tracks. Uses more synthesizers and less live instrumentation. Flow is very laid back and quasi melodic (in the case of Nate Dog fully melodic)Dr Dreis generally considered the "father of G-Funk" although the style was greatly aided by DJ Quik, Warren G, Snoop Dogg, KMG and Laylaw The 'King of G-Funk'is considered rapper/singer Nate Dogo'The Chronic' not only instilled G-funk as the popular rap style, but made Death Row a rap powerhouse. The track that is synonymous with G-funk is Nuthin' But A G Thang

TUPAC SHAKUR

Also know as 2Pac and Makaveli o Born in 1971 in East Harlem to Black Panther Party parents o At an early age was involved in the arts and theater o As a teenager moved to Baltimore, enrolling at the Baltimore School for the Arts where he was classmates with Jada Pinkett and studied acting, poetry, jazz, and ballet o While there he became a member of the Young Communist League USA o In 1988 moved to Marin City, CA o Joined Digital Underground as a roadie and backup dancer in 1990Made his rap debut on the song Same Song from the 1991 film 'Nothing but Trouble' o Made his first solo album later that year. '2Pacalypse Now' which dealt in large part with police brutality oHis style at this point was a infusion of East coast Hardcore with the West Coast sould/funk infused sensibility of the Bay Area scene oHis next album, 1993s"Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..." garnered him greater success and recognition with songs such as Keep Ya Head Up o After this(and a stint in prison)his style turned to Gansta/G-Funk rap eventually landing him with Death Row. o His role in the escalating feud was solidified once he joined Death Row and continued until his murder in 199

EMINEM

Born Marshall Mathers in Detroit MI in 1972 o Also a member of D12 o Also known as Slim Shady o Although his career has been based in L.A., his style was developed and cultivated in Detroit o Has been called everything from the greatest rapper ever, to his generation's Elvis (both complimentary and derogatory depending on the context) o Despite never passing the 9thgrade he has achieved a mastery of lyrics unparalleled in rap history o His style is all-encompassing (he has frequently cited every major figure in rap history as being a great influence)In the book 'How to Rap', it is noted notes that Eminem studied other MCs to create his rapping technique: "Eminem listened to everything and that's what made him one of the greats".[166] In the same book, Eminem is praised for various aspects of his rapping technique by numerous other MCs; these techniques include: His varied and humorous subject matterConnecting with his audienceCarrying a conceptover a series of albumsComplex rhyme schemesHis ability to bend words so that they rhymeHis useof multisyllabic rhymesFittingmany rhymes in each barComplex rhythmsClear enunciationUse of melody and syncopation. o He is also known to write the majority of his lyrics down on paper,as well as taking a few days or a week to craft lyrics, being a "workaholic", and "stacking" vocals. o Received much criticism because of his highly misogynistic subjects, antiemetic and homophobic lyrics o The foundation for all his lyrics are his personal experiences o Became an instant crossover pop sensation with his first major album "The Slim Shady LP" and his first single, My Name Is

NELLY

Born in St Louis, MO o Began his music career with Southern hip hop group St. Lunatics, in 1993 o Signed to Universal Records in 1999 and began his solo career in the year 2000, releasinghis debut album 'Country Grammar'oNelly's rapping style has been described as using "unforgettable hooks based on schoolyard songs, double-dutchchants, and nonsense rhymes"and hasa "Missouri twang". o His style is based largely on where he comes from -"Nelly's locale certainly informs his rapping style, which is as much country as urban, and his dialect as well, which is as much Southern drawl as Midwestern twang". o His delivery is more singing than spoken rap o His second album 'Nellyville' cemented him as a pop star with his song Hot in Herre

WU TANG CLAN

Considered one of if not the most inflectional hip hop groups of all time emerging out of NYC in the mid 1990s (along with A Tribe Called Quest) o Members include RZA(the leader and producer), GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. oAssociated with the borough of Staten Island (U-God, Method Man, RZA, Ghostface Killah and Raekwontogether referred as Shaolin) though some of their members are from Brooklyn (Ol DirtyBastard, GZA and Masta Killa)oI refer to their style as pure hip hop oFirst became known in 1993 following the release of the independent single Protect Ya Neck

RAP GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: SAMPLING

Develops out of the dj culture of the disco era o The idea of borrowing excerpts of previously recorded songs and looping them (repeat) in order to create a background track o Sometimes the ____________ is basic with only 1 song being ________ed but _________ can be extremely subtle and complex with mere seconds of various songs being _________, looped, and mixed to essentially create new songs (the modern idea of the mashup is an extreme form of ____________)

PUBLIC ENEMY

Formed in Long Island, NY in 1982 o Original members included: Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Grif, Terminator X, and the S1W o Produced in large part by The Bomb Squad (5 individuals) o Signed to Def Jam in 1986oMade contributions to the hip-hop world with political, social and cultural consciousness, which infused itself into skilled and poetic rhymes, using raucous sound collages as afoundation. o Held a strong, pro-Black(Afrocentric), political stance. o They were revolutionary in that theirentire imagewas/is basedaround a specified political stance. o With the successes of Public Enemy, many hip-hop artists began to celebrate Afrocentric themes, such as Kool Moe Dee, Gang Starr, X Clan, Eric B. & Rakim, Queen Latifah, the Jungle Brothers, and A Tribe Called Quest. o They achieved wide acclaim in 1988 by recording the theme song to Spike Lee's film, 'Do the Right Thing'. Fight the Power would also be included on their own 1990 album 'Fear of a Black Planet'

RUN DMC

Founded inHollis, Queens, in 1981Joseph "Run" SimmonsDarryl "D.M.C." McDanielsJason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell o The group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture. o Stylistically they went through many evolutions: with Rick Rubin as producer for the first few albums their music was heavily influenced by rock, they then moved into a heavier more drum machine and sampling style of music, the then attempted New Jack Swing (hip hop/r&b), and they also tried a hardcore style reminiscent of gangsta rap o Had many 'firsts' Gold album (Run-D.M.C., 1984) Grammy Award nomination Platinum record (King of Rock, 1985) Multiplatinum certification (Raising Hell, 1986) Videoson MTV, Appearance on American Bandstand Cover of Rolling Stone. Not a first, but they were the only hip hop act to perform at Live Aid in 1985(the largest musical event of the 80s and perhaps ever) oIn 2009, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hallof Fame becoming only the second hip hop group in history to be inducted, after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. o One of their first hits was It's Like That o Their breakout hit came when rick Rubin convinced them to remake Aerosmith's Walk This Way

RANDOM ARTISTS FROM THE 90s: CYPRESS HILL

Latin/gangsta/rock rap groups from South Gate, CA (SoCal) o Formed in 1988 with B-Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog, and Eric Bobo o Style is very unique with the highly recognizable vocals of B-Real which is high pitched and nasallyB-Realwas quoted as saying his rapping voice is "high and annoying... the nasal style I have was just something that I developed... my more natural style wasn't so pleasing to [DJ Muggs and Sen Dog's] ears" and that "you want to stand out from the others and just be distinct... when you got something that can separate you from everybody else, you gotta use it to your advantage." o Lyrics are in English and Spanish o The infuse elements of rack and metal into their music (making the only comparison to them being the Beastie Boys)There style infused acts such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, and House of Pain o One of their most famous songs is Insane in the Brain from the album 'Black Sunday'

ORIGINS: RAPPING

Literally defined as "to utter sharply or vigorously: to rap out a command." Rap was used to describe talking on records as early as 1971 with artists such as Isaac HayesFrom an historical standpoint rapping has been a common occurrence in Black America nearly a century The idea of rhythmically delivering text or narration was a common practice amongst blues singers, barbershop quartets and even preachers/orators. (performers in White America also were known to rap/narrate rhythmically -most famously Lou Reed in the 1960s)There is also a tradition in European Art music known as patter which is spoken word used in theater -ex Rock Islandfrom 'The Music Man" The Jubilaires/Golden Gate Quartet was a barbershop quartet singing mostly hymns and spirituals and came out with a religious song Preacher and the Bear(striking similarity in flow to modern rap) The whole tradition of beat poets/jazz poets of the 1950s and the Last Poets of the 1960s could be said to be early rap as these were poems rapped with drum/instrumental accompaniment

ORIGINS: DISCO/DANCE MUSIC

Mid to late 1970s in NYC oInfusion of Soul, Funk, and R&B creating dance music and the rise of dance clubs such as Club 54 oThe plethora of clubs and music created the need for the DJ/Emcee(MC) DJs played a major role in the 12 inch single (the traditional 45 was 10inch) Also developed the idea of mixing A good DJ was not only adept at reading the crowd by choosing appropriate tracks and seamlessly blending them but began mixing (combining)songs into new versions The Emcee (eventually MC -sometimes the DJ but often times the host) was responsible for getting the crowd hyped and in the right mood, and also keep them distracted during lulls in music breaks This soon developed into the creation of rhythmic chants/phrases that required call and response on the part of the crowd such as "The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire (MC)...We don't need no water, let the motha **** burn! (crowd)" MCs started developing their own style and phrases combining and manipulating them into quasi songs thus creating rap/rapping Eventually the two began combining these elements (DJ would play certain instrumental tracks and the MC would "rap" above them...often times the instrumentals would be songs everyone already knew) You would also see battles occur between MCs and the advent of the crew/posse

N.W.A

N****z Wit Attitudes o Formed around 1986/7 in Compton, California,(one of the roughest predominantly Black communities in SoCal o Widely considered one of the seminal acts of the Gangsta rap and west coast hip hop sub-genres, sometimes credited as the most important group in the history of rap music. o Although certainly not the first Gangsta rap artist, they revolutionized it and made it the most popular form of rap for the following decade plus o The original lineup consisted of Arabian Prince, DJ Yella, Dr.Dre, Eazy-E, and Ice Cube. MC Ren joined in 1988, replacing Arabian Prince.oGroupeventually disintegrated due to financial disputes and in-fightingEazy E, Dre Dre and Ice Cube would go on to great personal success (especially the latter two)In the early 1990s, Ice Cube would further influence Gangsta rap with his hardcore, socio-political solo albums, which suggested the potential of Gangsta rap as a political medium to give voice to inner-city youth.Eazy E went on to discover Cleveland's Bone Thugs nHarmonyDr Dre founded DeathRow Records with SugeKnightthen Aftermath and Interscope privately. o Their debut album 'Straight Outta Compton'marked the beginning of the new Gangsta rap era as the production and social commentary in their lyrics were revolutionary within the genre.Would establish West Coast hip hop and Gangsta Rap in particular as a vital genre, and establish Los Angeles as a legitimate rival to hip hop's long-time capital, New York City. Sparked the first major nationwide controversy regardinglyrics when their song seminal song F**** Tha Police

ROLAND TR-808 (FOLOWED BY THE 909)

The most important of these drum machines was this Was one of the first programmable drum machines ("TR" stands for Transistor Rhythm). o Introduced by the Roland Corporation in early 1980 Up till the 808, the few available drum machines were ridiculously expensive (5-7 grand). The 808 was a relatively affordable 1200. NOTE: when compared to modern drum machines the 808 was highly artificial in its sound The 808 held specific appeal because of the ability of its bass drum sound to produce extremely low-frequency sounds. It also featured various unique artificial percussion sounds specific to the 808 (some modern drum machines have add-on packs containing these sounds) A deep bass kick drum "Tinny"handclap sounds "Ticky" snare "Tishy"hi-hats (open and closed) "Spacey"cowbell." The 808 would eventually be used on more hit records than any other drum machine.

ORIGINS: POLITCAL IMPLICATIONS

The plight of the Black American in the inner cities of the US was going largely unnoticed by the general population oPolice harassment and brutality was a common occurrence in the vast majority of the Black communities of the US. oPoverty was rampant and there was still a inequality in many aspects of life (education, jobs etc)By 1980, more than 31% of Blacks lived in poverty (3 times higher than their White counterparts) oWith the influx of drugs into these communities, crime rates rose dramatically

RAP GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: BEATBOXING

The practice of creating drum/percussive sounds vocally o This was a common practice in early rap but slowly became a dying art due to the availability of drum machines o Early groups/artist such as the Fat Boys, Biz Markie and Doug E Fresh were well known for their skills o Modern beat boxers are Rahzel and Matisyahu

WEST COAST RAP

While the previous artists all represented NYC, rap was also being cultivated on the West Coast of the US in the Los Angeles area and the SF Bay area. The debate will always be whether rap evolved simultaneously or in fact did begin in NY and was quickly adopted and developed on the West Coast What can be said is that West Coast rap as a whole is vastly different from its East Coast counterpartsThough the term generally refers to any artists from the west coast, various styles would emerge such as Gangsta Rap, G-Funk,Latin rap, Hyphy and Ratchet (not to mention crossover styles such as rap metal and Nu metal) In addition, several record labels would emerge such as Ruthless, Deathrow, and Interscope The style can be said to have begun in 1978 with the founding of the group Unique Entertainment (later known as Uncle Jamm's Army), which was influenced by Prince, East Coast hip hop, Kraftwerk, Parliament-Funkadelic and others. By 1980, the group were known as the best party promoters in Los Angeles. In 1984, they released their first single, "Dial-a-Freak" Another step took place in 1981, when Duffy Hooks launched the first West Coast rap label, Rappers Rapp Records, inspired by Sugar Hill Records in New York. Its first act was the duo of Disco Daddy and Captain Rapp, whose debut single was "Gigolo Rapp" or "Gigolo Groove". During this period, one of the greatest factors in the spread of West Coast hip-hop was the radio station 1580 KDAY and DJ Greg "Mack Attack" Mack.

MIDI

breakthrough Invented in 1983 but did not see widespread/viable use until the 1990s This allowed a multitude of sounds from any instrument to be recreated digitally This is still the standard by which all digital music is created

CHRISTOPHER WALLACE

o Also known as Biggie Smalls, Notorious BIG, Big Poppa, frank White, and the King of New York o Boring in 1972 in Brooklyn o Went to high school with Jay Z and Busta RhymesoHis upbringing was the polar opposite to Shakur. It was full of drug dealing, arrests, and other criminal activity o Began rapping in high school and was in a feature column in the magazine'the Source' in 1992 for aspiring artists o After this, his demo was heard by Sean Combs and he was subsequently signed to Bad Boy o Wallace is often attributed with the third stage of flow which is characterized by fluid lines, of beat rhymes, and a freer sense of delivery o His music has very little to do with political or social commentary but rather spends most of the time dealing with money, women, and power o The only album released during his lifetime was the 1994 album 'Ready to Die' with the hit track Big Poppa

NON EAST/WEST COAST STYLES

o Although rap's history is deeply rooted ion the two coasts, several styles and prominent artists emerged from other regions of the US o In fact, Southern Crunk is said to be the most popular style of rap at the moment

PHAROAHE MONCH

o Born in South Jamaica, Queens NY in 1972 o Music is reminiscent of The Roots and early Black Eye Peas o Released three albums as a member of Organized Konfusion before going solo o Is acclaimed for his complex rapping technique, crafting intricate and intelligent raps o A prime example of his style is on the song What It Is from his album 'Desire'

HARDCORE RAP

o Developed in the mid 80s beginning with Run DMC o Lyrical themes include partying, crime, violence,sex, nudity, wrath, poverty, menacing, omen, rebellion, profanity, racism, drugs, weapons, resentment, ghettos, gangs, social issues, consciousness, struggling, nihilism, distrusting, life, death, police brutality, and the harsh experiences of the rapper's urban surroundings. o On the East Coast, groups such as Public Enemy and BDP were basing lyrics on their personal experiences and observations about everyday street-life occurrences. o Generally speaking, hardcore rap is characterized by anger, aggression and confrontation whether in the lyrical subject matter, the hard, driving beats, the noisy sampling or production

RAP GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: DRUM MACHINES/SAMPLERS

o Essentially an electronic device that recreates the sounds of the drums and other percussive instruments o Initially these machines were analog originally appearing in the mid 1940s o Digital devices were created toward the end of the 1970s which created much more precise sound

BEASTIE BOYS

o Formed in 1981 as a four-piece hardcore punk band opening for such greats as the Dead Kennedys and the Misfits o In 1983 a lineup change added Adam Horowitz and subsequently they recorded their first hip hop single o Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass) and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar). o In 1984 joined Def JamoThere style was always an infusion of rap and metal/punk o Their breakout success came with the release of the album Licensed to Illin 1986 o The biggest hit from the album was Brass Monkey

DEF JAM

o Founded by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin (Simmons ran the company until Jay-Z took it over for Atlantic) o Simmons was running a management company (Rush Communications) and he was representing Run DMC, the Beatie Boys, LL Cool J, Whodini, and Public Enemy o Def Jam became THE record company of rap (although there were other very successful labels/producers such as Marley Marl's Cold Chillin Records and its group of artists he called The Juice Crew) o It was with Def Jam that the idea of crossover appeal truly came to fruition first with the Beastie Boys and then the creation of Rap Rock o The first break out stars of the new school became Run DMC(although the never actually were signed to Def Jam)

BONE THUGS N HARMONY

o From Cleveland, OH...formed in 1991 o Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone and Flesh-N-Bone o Originally called themselves The Band-Aid Boys but changed it to B.O.N.E. each taking on the Bone as their lastname (much akin to the Ramones) o 'Discovered' by Eazy-Eafter a long period of tracking him down...E changed their name to Thugs-N-Harmony but the group made sure to keep Bone as part of the name. o The only group that can claim having worked with 2Pac, Biggie, easy E and Big Pun while they were alive o They were very unique to rap when they emerged o A very melodic flow (literally) in that the lyrics were pitched and harmonized o They were also the first group to use very complex rhythmic structures for their lyrical delivery o Their style is evident in their first hit 1stof Da Month

UNDERGROUND/INDIE RAP

o Like many forms of music, there is always a strung and thriving underground scene Often the music is considered more raw andhonest In rap and hip hop almost every artists at one point could have considered an underground artist. Stylistically, the music tends to be less refined (less production), simpler in the sense it is the rapper and the dj or beat track, and less mainstream accessibility Many of these early underground artists infused rap with more instrumental forms of music such as The Roots and The Black Eye Peas (before Fergie turned them into a pop success) Solo include artists such as KRS One, Common, Immortal Technique, and Pharoahe Monch

RAP GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: BREAKDANCING/B-BOYING

o Out of this dance scene developed a new craze called break dancing which in essence is a combination of various disco dance style along with the idea of the street and more acrobatic moves o This dance craze would accompany the emerging rap movement

JAY-Z

o Perhaps one of the most influential men in hip hop/rap having become president of the Def Jam division of Atlantic Records o Born in Brooklyn o Came to prominence of of celebrating his criminal upbringing o Considered a pop crossover sensation with songs such as Hard Knock Life (The Ghetto Anthem)

RAP GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: POSSE/CREW

o Rap groups that either rap together or are a part of the same "school"such as The Juice Crew, Beastie Boys, N.W.A, Wu-Tang Clan etc o This evolved into the idea of specific production companies being a posse such as Deathrow, Murder Inc, or Bad Boy

SUGARHILL GANG

o Was the brainchild of producer Sylvia Robinson who wanted to capitalize on the popular trend of MCs rapping over disco tracks in the boroughs of NYC o She (along with her husband) had founded Sugar Hill Records and needed a group to represent it. It would become the first rap record company o She found three guys from Englewood, New Jersey who were not necessarily MCs but could rap Michael "Wonder Mike" Wright, Henry "Big Bank Hank" Jackson Guy "Master Gee" O'Brien o Can be categorized as one hit wonders as the really only had one success, Rapper's Delight Many of the raps were taken from other MCs of the time and were well known in the dance/rap community

RANDOM ARTISTS FROM THE 90s:KRS ONE

oOne of the pioneering figures in New School rap oBorn in 1965 in the Bronx oRose to prominence in the group Boogie Down Productions (BDP) oTraditionally extremely anti-mainstream (although he has made collaborations with mainstream artists). This is probably why KRS One has not achieved the world wide acclaim he deserves o Like Public Enemy (although not friends) very politically minded.Started the Stop the Violence Movement o Has always never shied away from clashes with other MCsThe Bridge Wars were the first big feud between rappers involving BDP representing the Bronx, and The Juice Crew representing Queens/Queensbridge Also joined in the East/West feud (he was one of the original artists offended by the West Coast huge attention in the early 1990s) o Stylistically, he delivered his lyrics with a Jamaican accent which gave his flow a unique quality o BDP's content became more political as the 1980s drew to a close o Went solo in 1993 with his album 'Return of the Boom Bap' which contains(in my opinion) the greatest piece of social commentary in the song Sound of Da Police