Rap Music: The Music Culture Of Rap

1. The music culture I chose is rap. More than a century before rap gained its popularity in America, West African musicians also known as griots, were telling stories rhythmically with just the beat of a drum. When slaves were brought over to America, this style of storytelling continued and evolved to eventually be known as the rap we know today. Rapping essentially involves the speaking or chanting of rhyming lyrics, often set to a beat. These rhymes often address provocative subjects such as sex, violence and socio-political issues. Language in rap is described as slang expressions but the main language of rap is English and due to it being fairly new, its popularity has been spreading around the world.
2. Rap as a genre began as a street art and found at block parties in New York City …show more content…
It wasn’t until the 1980s when rap exploded in America, when the Sugarhill Gang released their breakaway hit, “Rapper’s Delight”. This caught the eye of record producers which lead to numerous rap acts, including Run-DMC and N.W.A. and the audience of rap emerged. In the 1990s rap transitioned to a new school style with more complex lyrics. The popular artists during this time included The Notorious B.I.G and Tupac. Rap music has increasingly gained popularity, according to Forbes, Hip-hop and rap are the most dominant genre for Americans in 2017.
3. The instruments used to produce rap are samplers, drum machines