What is Hip Hop?
Hip-hop and rap are staples of the community. Since the dawn of time, music has been a powerful source of communication and self-expression. But where does it come from, and why has it lasted?
Orgins
In the early 1970s, you will discover the birth of rap in one of New York’s most famous boroughs, The Bronx. DJ Kool Herc hosted events where MCs or rappers would come, rap, and perform over mixed beats made by these DJs. All are unique and individual in their style.
A milestone was broken in the constant evolution of people’s perspective, and the door was finally open. The first rap song to ever be released commercially was “King Tim III (Personality Jock)” by the Fatback Band. This song was initially on the B-side of the tape, but after seeing the positive response from clubs and its popularity, it was released on the A-side. The song was named in the top 30 hits of the global R&B charts in 1979.
In the winter of the same year, rap music grew further with the release of “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang. This 14-minute track reached a spot in the official Billboard top 40 charts in 1980.
The Change
As time progressed, rap started to mature, and just over a decade after its invention, the concept of “Gangsta Rap” came into fruition.
Leon Wright-Jackson, a Pasco High alumnus and teacher, was interviewed about rap and hip-hop. When asked about rap and hip-hop, he stated, “I think experience, a lot of rappers and artists are poets talking about their experience and what they’re going through.”
Furthermore, when Alynah Hernandez from the Pasco High Schwanna Bulldogs was asked what made you like rap music. “What made me attach to it is its message behind it. Regardless of the song, everyone has a way to tell their story, and people will listen and enjoy it.
Hip hop has a way of changing people’s lives and granting opportunities to succeed.
After interviewing the Pasco High School dean of students, Mr. Dehaan, he was asked, “What was your first introduction to rap? ” In middle school, I discovered rap like many people do, Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic.” I pretty much memorized that album.
Mr Niedhold, a Pasco High School English teacher, was questioned about how rap and hip hop have affected your life. “Understanding the message of the music from a standpoint of looking outside in, I have always felt connected to it.”
Since African Americans predominantly rapped, they used this art form to express their views and send them to the masses. Rap groups like Run D.M.C. and N.W.A. were the forerunners in this rap style and represented the East and West Coasts of the US, respectively.
These pioneers and activists are the reason hip-hop and rap music are staples and the face of the world. Their outlook on the artistry and raw emotion felt in hip-hop music gives a Pictionary representation of the impact hip-hop and rap have had and continue to have on not only the community but the world.
