Hip-hop as we know it today originally traces back its conception to 1970 as a cultural movement that gradually made its way into the commercial and global celebration of music as a whole. Today, hip-hop is almost considered synonymous with rap but for the longest time, before it emerged as a separate genre of its own, it drew reference from various cultural expressions of art, dance, philosophy, and style. The following article takes us through various timelines of hip-hop and its evolution that led to one of the most creative and culturally enriched genres of all time.
Origin
The history of hip-hop stepped into its inception as an art movement in the Bronx area of New York City. It was specific to the Bronx because during the decade following 1970, the demographics of the place were going through a rapid shift in terms of demographics and hence, cultural intermingling.
The years between the 1950s and the 1960s saw a larger part of the middle-class white population moving bases into the suburbs. As a result, the population of African and Latin Americans began to bloom in the cities, and over the years, the numbers also exponentially increased. During that time, the black hole of commercial and financial recession set in with cut-down on government budget allocations and resources that were invested in the wealthier community of the white people. This economic downfall, social evils like poverty and crime peaked the graph and as a way of protest, expression, and cultural movement, Bronx saw the emergence of young people of the sabotaged communities putting their insights, opinions, and deconstructions into the structured lyricism and musical presentation of what was later coined as hip-hop. These combined expressions later defined the four basic elements of hip-hop and an identity of its own.
The Elements of Hip-hop
Today, the study of hip-hop and its origin has many scholars debating over the elements of cultural resurgence that led to its breakout. However, according to most culture researchers and scholars, hip-hop emerged from the four pillars of musical, socio-political, and cultural influences, a coordinate or musical convention that originated in the 70s but carried on its standardized representation to this day.
Deejaying- The process of music-making by using turntables, mixers, and record players
Graffiti Painting- Also known as ‘Writing’ or ‘Graf’, they are the visual representation of expressions in hip-hop
Break Dancing- A dance form constituting of various styles and attitudes
Rapping- Vocal delivery of lyrical poems, verses, etc, in various styles and formats
The above four elements collectively define hip-hop as not just a musical genre but as a cultural movement.
In terms of evolution as per the timeline of hip-hop’s existence, it can be categorized into three distinct chapters: old-school, new school, and the 21st century.
Old-School Hip-hop
The epoch of old-school hip-hop lasted from its origin during the 1970s till the mid of 1980s.
One of the most prominent artists of the time was DJ Kool Herc who utilized the elements of groove and percussive beats and dance anthems to make his musical interpretations of hip-hop stand out. The initial sound of the genre which was developed by Herc later came to be as the origins of record scratches and drum beats often associated with hip-hop. This also led to innovation and development of the turntable and other technical implementations like scratching and needle dropping followed. Herc also introduced and helped popularize rap with stark influences from black poetry, West African griots, blues, and more.
The collective movement picked up momentum towards the end of the era. One of the most influential songs that hit the right spots of national audience popularity was the song ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by Sugarhill Gang released in 1979. Many new artists were motivated and influenced by this sudden breakthrough of a musically rich cultural movement and the following years led to the opening segment of the new school of hip-hop.
New-School Hip-hop
By timeline definition, new-school hip-hop began to make big waves by mid-1980s. New-school was contemporary and more relatable to the audience and artists like Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, LL Cool J was among many others who contributed their creative opportunities and paved the way for the essence of hip-hop that we know of today.
The movement grew on television, especially on MTV as artists like Run-D.M.C began to perform and gather a huge audience stream. Hip-hop deejay sampling was at an all-time high with the Beastie Boys while rap went through a cultural evolution through the works of Public Enemy and LL Cool J. Thematic influences of romance and socio-political issues were also incorporated in the structures and formats of their hip-hop renditions.
Pop-culture and hip-hop went through yet another combined resurgence as artists like Queen Latifah, Salt-n-Pepa, M.C. Hammer, and Will Smith further expanded the cultural significance of the genre in the mainstream.
Till this time, hip-hop was mostly centered around its roots in New York City but in 1989, the album, ’Straight Outta Compton’ by N.W.A broke the charts as a hip-hop record that emerged out of the city. Cultural and creative differences between the West and East Coast witnessed one of the saddest incidents in the history of hip-hop when artists Tupac and Notorious B.I.G were murdered under suspicious circumstances.
This rivalry was also responsible for bringing to the center-stage breakthrough artists like P. Diddy, the Fugees, and the Wu-Tang Clan among many others.
This was the highest point of new-age hip-hop in terms of global popularity with a colossal audience stream and new artists emerging from cities like London, Paris, Tokyo, and Cape Town. By the 2000s, hip-hop was rendered the best-selling genre in the US.
21st Century/ Contemporary Hip-hop
Hip-hop saw a drastic downfall in terms of sales point along with other genres as free digital services began to take over record sales. However, hip-hop continued to influence and motivate a greater crowd as well as musicians.
The epicenters of hip-hop, West Coast and East Coast gradually minimized in terms of new music releases in the past decade, and areas like Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, and New Orleans made the map of cultural hip-hop glory. Although each artist has their own interpretations and musical being, the four pillar of hip-hop in their songs always touch upon American culture in its thematic, lyrical, and overall styles. Beyonce’s visual imagery to the Obama mentioning Jay-Z during his Presidential Campaigns, hip-hop today is about every façade of life and culture. Ass hip-hop continues to break barriers, its plight for unadulterated expressions will forever sail through the changes of society, politics, and culture.
Important Hip-hop Moments through the History
1970- Hip-hop comes into existence in the Bronx
1973- DJ Kool Herc performs at his first block party
1975- Invention of record scratch by DJ Grand Wizard Theodore
1978- Rap music was officially coined as a mainstream musical style in hip-hop
1983- Breakthrough rap by Ice T specific to the West Coast
1984- The Fresh Fest Concert earns $3.5 million
1985- Female hip-hop groups like Salt-n-Pepa takes the stage by storm
1988- Release of ’Straight Outta Compton’ by N.W.A
1992- ‘The Chronicle’ by Dr. Dre becomes a multi-platinum album
1995- Queen Latifah wins a Grammy for Best Rap Solo
1997- Murder of Notorious B.I.G and breakthrough of artist Miss Elliott
1999- The Slim Shady EP by Eminem sells four million copies
2003- Eminem continues to rule the hip-hop world
2008- Jay-Z headlines Glastonbury as the first-ever rapper
2010- Nicki Minaj’s ‘Pink Friday’ hits No. 1 on US charts
2018- Kanye West releases ‘Ye’, his 8th studio album
Today, hip-hop stands as one of the most significant and expressive genres in the backdrop social, cultural, and political themes reflected in the music. Hip-hop’s history has made the genre even more motivational over the years. The future looks bright as artists and audiences find relatable thematic influences in their formats.