Hip-Hop Genre ResearchJeric Richard Tuano

History: Originated from an African-American communities during the 1970’s in

New York City, Morris Heights, Bronx

Later spread to influence Latin American communities

Characterized by four different elements in broader senses of hip hop culture of rapping, DJing, breaking and graffiti

First started off as an underground urban movement known as “hip-hop” developing in the South Bronx area of New York City focusing mainly on emceeing (MCing), breakbeats and house parties

Referred to as a culture or cultural based source of music

First emerged and created by DJ Kool Herc and credited as the “father” of the art form and creator of the hip-hop culture at his home at a high-rise apartment through the mixed samples of existing records with his own shout outs to the crowd and dancers

Developed rap inside and outside of the hip-hop culture through influential and building upon the Jamaican tradition of boastful poetry and speech over music (present day is now what is known as rapping through rhythmic wordplay)

Key Artists:Past Artists: Chaka Chan

Grandmaster Flash

The Furious Five

Dr. Dre

Ollie & Jerry

Afrika Bambaataa

Newcleus

Run DMC

Taja Sevelle

Salt N Pepper

2Pac

Eazy-E

Ice Cube

Notorious B.I.G

In Development & Current

Biggest Profiles: Kendrick Lamar

50 Cent

Meek Mill

Rick Ross

Drake

Lil Wayne

French Montana

Tyga

Jay-Z

Kanye West

Busta Rhymes

J. Cole

These of the many past artists have impacted majorly on the

music industry especially specializing in hip-hop music genres because these are the

people who first started the era of this particular type of music in terms of its flow and meaning.

Some of these artist state real life story experiences within the song

which has been influenced by many new current artists today to also story tell. Through the flow that these artists have started have been passed on to todays music taste and trend as artists

have been influenced by the music and carried on the tradition of the flow or rhythmic wordplay.

Case Study of Artist – Rick Ross

Real name: William Leonard Roberts II

Born on the 28th January 1976

Signed by the record labelled group called the “Maybach Music Group” & Def Jam

Specialized genre: hip-hop/rap

Occupations: rapper, ghost-writer

Career debut – 2001 to present

Rick Ross’ source of music relates to the whole definition of hip-hop through the lyrical wordplay that is expressed within the songs in relation to real life experiences that he may have encountered through story telling which is a traditional method of hip-hop music. Also the flow and rhythm used through instruments and tone of voice such as upbeat instrumentals and catchy phrases/flow has become a trendy method of expressing emotions through tunes.

Case Study of Artist – Tupac Shakur

Real Name: Lesane Parish Crooks

Other Stage Names: 2Pac, Makaveli, MC New York

Born on the 16th June 1971

Died on the 13th September 1996

Occupations: Rapper, movie actor, record producer, poet reader, screenwriter, writer

Career Debut – 1991 – 1996

Signed by record labels called “Interscope” and “Death Row”

Tupac has been popularly known through the type of real life societies being mentioned in his songs and story telling of real life experiences. Many of the themes in which he had based his music around was through violence and hardship within inner cities of America, racism and social problems. He told stories about leaving the “rap game” or music industry due to government conspiracy's leading to the change of his name from 2Pac to Makaveli as this was something that he may not have been pleased with and something he wanted to get away from.

Audience/Fans: Who are they?

These can be teenagers or adults aging round 16 – 50 years of age. Reason for this is that teenagers from 16 – 20+ listen to upbeat soundtracks with mashups and mixes from past songs that have been dubbed on in a new present or maybe even the newer generation trend type of music. Reasons for hip-hop audiences to also be 25+ years of age of people is because maybe in their generation or time/prime day from when they were younger, the source and type of music distributed, around and popular was hip-hop in relation to the clothing style trending in their prime.

Demographic:

Gender Base: Both Male & Female

Age: 16 – 50 (80’s hip-hop & 90’s rap)

Religion: Christian/Catholics

Ethnicity: Black Americans/British, White

Class: Working Class

Region: Urban Cities Worldwide (typical locations: America/United Kingdom)

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Sub-Genres:

Alternative Hip Hop

Christian Hip Hop – Tupac, Kanye West

Comedy Hip Hop

Country Rap

Crunk

Electro Hop – Flo Rida, Pitbull, Black Eyed Peas, Akon

Freestyle Rap – Styles P,

G-Funk

Hip Hop Soul

Jazz Rap

Mafioso Rap

Political Hip Hop

Pop Rap

Gangsta Rap

Grime

Hardcore Hip Hop

Some of the typical sub-genres of “hip hop genre” are listed below. There are only a few certain sub genres that I have picked out especially because these have relations to current and past music artists within the music industry in which were popular in their prime or present day. They also are categorized into other genres that their music is based or related too depending on their type of music flow and sorts of instruments used. Some of the present and past music artists are within these sub genres.

Public Perception: Is it a popular genre with mainstream appeal or more

niche?

Hip-Hop genre is more popular with mainstream appeal due to the fact that a lot of people listen to hip-hop based music. Through the mainstream appeal, our generation has adapted into a new age, associates with the trend that music artists set within music videos with props such as clothing items and jewellery which later on trend and appeal many listeners/watchers. If hip hop music was not popular, the generation present wouldn’t be influenced by the way artists dress and wouldn’t be trying to replicate by dressing similarly to an artist or acting in a way that a specific artist acts. Other reason why hip hop is a popular genre with mainstream appeal especially to listeners or watchers is because through hip hop music and the videos and flow produced by the artist has influenced everyone to try and turn to hip hop music and become one of many hip hop artists through producing their own pieces of music and displaying them publicly on streaming websites such as YouTube.

Competition:What other magazines cover the genre?

XXL, The Source, Vibe, The Women Of King, Hip Hop Connection

How many do they sell each issue? N/A

How often do they come out? The majority of music hip hop magazines issue or release at least every week but some magazines may prefer issuing or releasing their magazines monthly or maybe even yearly depending on the sources of content they want to include

What sort of features do they contain? These particular magazines that I have specifically picked out feature and contain images of famous present day hip hop artists that are categorized in this genre due to their type of music

Cross Media:What other media sources covers the genre?

TV Stations/Shows

MTV ChartsChannel AKAX-FactorBritain's Got Talent - singing, performing

Radio Stations Within the UK, hip hop genre sources of music is stationary at big well known radio stations such as Kiss 100 FM, Capital FM BBC Radio 1 and Choice FM. These specific radio stations specialize themselves to distribute trendy music as hip-hop currently mainstream.

Websites WorldStarHipHop.com – unreleased music tracks and video links, up coming/underrated music artistsITunes – app store, apple website, specialized section for specific genre and artistsHotNewHipHop.comXxlmag.com – through the magazine promoting current existing, popular artists, hip hop gossip, new tracks and featured articles in relation to the music industry and genre typeMTVRap City (YouTube streaming site)

Predictions – for the future?

How might the genre develop?

From the type of music that is distributed and categorized within the hip hop genre today and before is that the perspective of the legacy of hip hop relies on enlightening listeners and teaching the values of life through complex story telling within the song/track itself produced by the artist. Basically, through the music being produced by previous or present artists today will be based upon true life story telling and past experiences in which they want to express through music. This therefore can show that the genre might develop as music artists may story tell real life experiences in songs to express a sense of feelings and emotions.

What direction does it appear to be heading in?

The suggestion made for the direction that the hip hop genre is heading in could be that the type of music produced or categorized in this genre has traditionally stayed the same throughout the years as the same methods have been used such as rhythmic wordplay, instruments, beat flow and rhyming and but developed in some way that our generation interprets it. So it will traditionally stay the same throughout the coming years keeping the style of music the same but may change in terms of trending images of up coming artists in clothing style and song meaning.