Hiphop: Music

DJ also known as Disc Jocky

Music is by far the largest part of hiphop and the most influential of all the elements. The music aspect breaks down into 2 main categories which are DJing, and MCing aka rapping. MCing is the older part of the 2; it actually originally started in Jamaica with something known as toasting, which is where Jamaican people would basically talk over music playing. Toasting developed by these people talking over the music with slogans, this eventually became a sensation and  the speaking got longer and more complex developing in rapping. DJing aslo developed in Jamaica along side MCing. As the MCing started to get more complex this lead the way for DJing to open up. The basic reason for the DJ was to set a beat to which the MC could match his rhythm and begin rapping. The DJ was there to control the sound system, whether with pre-recorded music, beats, or just by freestyle by breaks. The first breaking involved the 2 turntables as it does today, and this would strip the music down to its rawest beats using nothing but drums and the bass. It would then be used simultaneously with the same or other beats and emphasizing the break sessions, scratching could also be used during this, which was simply where the records were scratched with needles in a fashion that made a distinct sound. MCing has developed alot over the past few decades from the first successfully recognized rap group Run DMC to more influential rappers such as NAS. There are many branches of rap that are recognized such as classic, gangsta, party, and freestyle to name a few. Freestyling is just as it sounds a rapper simply goes off the top of there head on whatever subject they want. DJing and MCing are key parts to this culture, and will continue to develope over time as they have for more then 30 years.


The MC also known as Master of Ceremonies



This link shows an example of a DJ scratching to a beat - http://youtu.be/iFkj70WCRZM

 

The elements of hiphop

As we all know music is probably the largest aspect of the hiphop culture, but what other elemental aspects are there besides music? There are about 4 different elements to the hiphop culture, which consist of: music, dancing, street art, and the dress /talk. The most widely known of these elements music is the classic hiphop music, but breaks down into smaller elements of rap, which is a huge influencer to the culture probably more then anything else. The second biggest element is the dance aspect; there are many different types of dances that coincide with hiphop such as: popping, locking, breaking, freestlye, and a couple others. The next element of hiphop which is also the oldest is street art, more commonly reffered to as graffiti. This is by far the oldest element of hiphop, and the hiphop culture actually evolved from this single element, which I will discuss further in a later post. The last element and probably the most distinct is the dress, and language that exists within hiphop culture. The people that really tie themselves to the hiphop culture even talk a certain way thry pick up a very distinct sortof language. Understanding all of these elements is key to understanding this type of culture; so if you are really interested in it brush up on these subjects.