Rap Music – From Past to Present

Author: Luke Thomsen

Rap music which is ‘in’ today was not the same from the start. It originated from the West African region influenced by the praise singing and historical poetry by griots or djeli. This music style became popular in U.S. around 1970s but it was earlier termed as disco rap.

This genre is sometimes deemed synonymous with Hip hop but it is not true. It has influenced hip hop music deeply and its popularity has taken a backseat, however, its subgenres have greatly developed, like Pop rap is the earlier version of hip-hop.

This style has many subgenres resulting from fusions with rock, core, pop, metal like rap-opera, underground-rap, ragga, reggae-ton etc. Rap songs generally fall into one of these categories. However, the genres are vast and often, some music cannot just be confined to just one genre as it has various different elements.

Rap rock is a fusion of various forms of rock with elements of hip hop, which was introduced in the early 90s and gained fame later that decade. Rap core, generally confused with rap-core and rap-metal, is a sub-genre of rap rock crossing elements of hiphop with punk rock or hardcore punk.

Conscious rap is named so because it deals with social issues. The lyrics of such music encompasses subjects like the state and attitude towards rap and hip-hop, religion, African American culture and the everyday life of their people. Often due to its subtle but deeply involved subjects, it is linked with controversies.

Rap songs have evolved over the years in their music, lyrics and beats. DJS and MCS have now taken this music to new heights with their technologies. This music gap has created a divide and the earlier rap music is now known as old school rap. Songs like Wild Wild West (with Kool Moe Dee), Message (Grandmaster Flash), Roxanne Roxanne (U.T.F.O) remind us of disco music with hypo tonic beats. The new rap songs are way different than old school, for instance, Bring It Back (Travis Porter) and Moment 4 Life (Nicki Minaj ft Drake).

Rap lyrics can vary from dreams and themes to materialism and crime. These lyrics are sung with a flow with different rhyming techniques to a musical accompaniment. This music style grew in various places with different styles but this development was not mutually exchanged; rather rap battles took place to decide who the best is amongst all.

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