Rapper's Delight

“Planet Rock” revolutionized hip-hop through challenging listeners and performers alike to commit to togetherness and is touted as the catalyst that allowed hip-hop to become global (Chang 173), to a greater extent even than The Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979 as the first rap record. Later, this theme of knowledge continued with artist KRS (Knowledge Reigning Supreme)-One, who openly spurned increasing commercialism and cultural exploitation of 1990’s hip-hop (“About KRS-One”). In…

Spoken word, rhyming lyrics, spitting bars, or rapping. It is the technique of an individual expressing content with a particular rhythm or beat. “Rap” has been extremely important for a people of all genders and ethnicities for many past generations and it is especially influential in the current modern culture. The history of this word goes back to the 16th century, said to be originated in Africa, and over time it has evolved with generations to become the great phenomenon to currently be…

Hip-Hop, today, is one of the most influential subcultures in popular culture, and its music is considered to be one of the most popular and powerful genres. In it’s origins, It gave voices to the youth of the 70’s and 80s, and gave them relevance in a world that otherwise wouldn’t through their paintings on New York subways that went “all-city”. Youth and even other, older, individuals with voices that were unheard were eventually heard through all means of Hip-Hop as well. The Hip-Hop movement…

new era was conceived, known as “The Dunkadelic Era.” In 1979, the first mainstream explicit connection between hip-hop and basketball was established. The Sugarhill Gang’s hit song “Rapper’s Delight,” which is commonly referred to as the first mainstream hip-hop song, had lyrics about basketball. “Rapper’s Delight” wasn’t only popular in the United States, but it was an international hit. It quickly spread to a number of countries. Big Bank Hank rapped, “I got a color TV so I can see the Knicks…

Rappers today all have, or should have, their own unique style. If not their own unique style, they should come with their own sound, look, and background. For example, five names which I selected tend stand out among others in the Hip-hop community. These names being: Drake, Future, Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole, and Eminem. Drake, a Canadian rapper-singer, is currently one of the highest selling artists today. His style and pop-rap sound has found a way to produce hit after hit. Future is a southern…

and eventually turned into the biggest form of black expression through rapping about the black and inner-city experience. “At first, this local phenomenon was ignored by mainstream America..." (Price, 1). It wasn’t until 1980 with the song “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang that hip-hop erupted into the mainstream world. This was when America became exposed to hip-hop and B.E. on a commercial level. It is safe to say that today, rap and hip-hop have been adopted by the nation as a…

Introduction In this essay I want to explore the impact that rappers’ lyrics, views, and life styles have on subsequent generations, and how people that listen to their music are affected in their everyday lives by these rappers messages in rap music and its associated media. This essay aims to examine a variety of artistic forms such as lyrics, music videos and associated art work. Additionally, it will reflect on the social, cultural and historical background of rap music. Historical…