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Introduction of Hip-Hop Music
Hip-hop is a genre of music that originated in the United States in the 1970s and has since become popular around the world. It is characterized by its use of rhyming lyrics and a strong emphasis on beat and rhythm. Hip-hop music is often associated with rap, a style of vocal delivery that involves speaking or chanting over a beat or instrumental track.
Hip-hop culture encompasses a wide range of elements, including music, dance, art, and fashion. It is known for its roots in African-American and Latino communities and for its influence on youth culture and fashion. Hip-hop music often addresses social and political issues and can be seen as a form of resistance against mainstream culture.
There are many sub-genres within hip-hop, including gangsta rap, conscious rap, trap music, and more. Hip-hop music has also spawned numerous subcultures and has had a significant impact on mainstream culture, influencing art, fashion, and language.
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Hip-Hop Featured Releases
Evening Elevator – Higher (Spotify)
Evening Elevator takes you on a journey above the clouds in the video for their debut single, HIGHER. The duo, made up of songwriter Tim Segreto (Populus, Boston Sessions) and producer Dub Sonata (Jidenna, Rhymefest, Sage Francis) each released a catalog of their own work before collaborating to form Evening Elevator.
Filmed by Dub Sonata, HIGHER feels like a waking dream, allowing you to take flight over the fog-laden hills of northern California. It opens with a soothing blend of synths and strings, soon evolving into an infectious vocal melody over hard-hitting drums. The song will serve as the intro track on their forthcoming album bearing the same title, which they describe as electro-dreampop with hip-hop tendencies.
Ab The Audicrat – Studio Rapper – Instrumental (Spotify)
Albany, New York native Brendan Paulsen has made it his mission to simply create the type of music that he wants to listen to: a soundtrack that is indubitably solid, polished and delectable. Producing under the moniker Ab The Audicrat (previously Abs01ute), Paulsen has spent the last 15 years honing his craft and studying all elements of hip-hop. His body of work includes production for artists such as C-Rayz Walz, Bender, Giant Gorilla Dog Thing, Astronautalis, Xkwisit, Jimmy The Loch, Caucasian, Benn Grim, Timmy Wiggins, Grimace, Climax and Intikana, among others, with his catalog as a solo artist including Absolute Hip-Hop (2005 and 2011) and The Game of Rap: Altered Beats (2011). In 2014, he produced the vast majority of Giant Gorilla Dog Thing's double LP HORSE, which was released via Pig Food Records and heavily represented the innovative rap coming out of the criminally slept-on upstate New York area. In 2017, he and Shyste released their collaborative Lord of the Flys LP. Ab The Audicrat is happily entering the next chapter of his career, set to kick off with Abstrumentals Vol.1 & 2, a 2 part instrumental series releasing in early 2020
Latest Hip-Hop discoveries
FWILTAKAI – M7
Strong lead vocal and very groovy beat is something that you can feel instantly. Rhythm and darker bass line are the driving ... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #rap #hiphop #conscioushiphop #boombap #m7 #australia #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
Turn It Up (Ft. Erick Sermon) – ACZINO
Old school vibe that hit you instantly with the first sounds, this song creates wonderful world of nostalgia. Marvelous vocal... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #rap #worldmusiclatin #hispanic #aczino #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
Goodbye – Poly
Με ευκίνητη και αρμονική ροή τα φωνητικά δυναμιτίζουν την ατμόσφαιρα και οι αισθήσεις μας ζωντανεύουν. Ο δυναμικός ρυθμός κάν... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #rap #poly #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
Did You Hear the News (feat. bardo) – Freedust x Bardo
Отличный пример современного хип-хопа, который следует своим истинным корням и в то же время предоставляет слушателям свежие,... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #hiphop #conscioushiphop #nujazz #jazztronica #breakbeat #freedustxbardo #freedustxbardo #unitedstates #unitedkingdom #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
Listening To – Christopha
Трек -Listening To- представляет собой захватывающее сочетание хип-хопа и глубокой, личной атмосферы, что делает его не тольк... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #hiphop #conscioushiphop #alternativehiphop #ukhiphop #christopha #unitedkingdom #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
The Living Sage – ZENtheRapper
В кульминационные моменты трека, мелодия раскрывается во всей своей красоте, будто распускается неведомой красоты цветок. Эти... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #hiphop #conscioushiphop #traphiphop #zentherapper #unitedstates #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
Sunday – Sandy Hawkins
Modern sound, but with huge amount of old school vibe, seductive mood and atmosphere keeps gaining momentum as the song progr... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #oldschoolhiphop #hiphop #conscioushiphop #alternativehiphop #sandyhawkins #unitedstates #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
goodbye grandpa – Nathan Hui-Yi
Old school vibe that hit you instantly with the first sounds, this song creates wonderful world of nostalgia. Marvelous lead ... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #hiphop #conscioushiphop #nathanhuiyi #australia #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
MAMA – 808
Ο κεφάτος και ζωηρός ρυθμός ανεβάζει την αδρεναλίνη και μας κάνει να λικνιζόμαστε με ευχάριστη διάθεση. Τα φωνητικά σε πλήρη ... >>> Read full review & listen to the song on Nagamag #rap #808 #unitedstates #nagamag #musicmagazine #musicreview #review
Some Hip-Hop subgenres
There are many sub-genres within the hip-hop genre, each with its own distinctive style and sound. Some of the most well-known sub-genres of hip-hop include:
Gangsta rap: a subgenre that emerged in the 1980s and is characterized by its violent and aggressive lyrics and themes, often referencing gang life, drug culture, and crime.
Conscious rap: a subgenre that focuses on lyrics that are more socially and politically conscious, often addressing issues such as poverty, racism, and injustice.
Trap music: a subgenre that originated in the 1990s and is characterized by its heavy use of synthesizers and beats inspired by electronic dance music, as well as its themes of drug use and street life.
Old-school hip-hop: a subgenre that refers to the early years of hip-hop, from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, and is characterized by its use of samples from old funk and soul records and its emphasis on DJing and MCing.
Alternative hip-hop: a subgenre that encompasses a wide range of styles and sounds, including elements of indie rock, electronic music, and experimental music, and often explores more unconventional themes and subject matter.
Boom bap: a subgenre that is characterized by its use of hard-hitting drums and sample-based beats and its focus on lyricism and storytelling.
East Coast hip-hop: a subgenre that originated in the eastern United States and is characterized by its hard-hitting beats, aggressive lyrics, and use of samples from jazz and soul records.
West Coast hip-hop: a subgenre that originated in the western United States and is characterized by its laid-back, funky beats and smooth, melodic vocals.
Southern hip-hop: a subgenre that originated in the southern United States and is characterized by its use of heavy bass, triplet flows, and trap beats.
Midwestern hip-hop: a subgenre that originated in the midwestern United States and is characterized by its use of socially conscious lyrics and diverse influences, including elements of rock, jazz, and soul music.
UK hip-hop: a subgenre that originated in the United Kingdom and is characterized by its fusion of British and American hip-hop styles and its use of grime and garage beats.
Latin hip-hop: a subgenre that incorporates elements of Latin American and Caribbean music, such as salsa, reggaeton, and merengue, and often explores themes related to Latin American and Latino culture and identity.
These are just a few examples of the many sub-genres of hip-hop, and the genre continues to evolve and change over time, with new sub-genres and styles emerging all the time.
The most used instruments in Hip-Hop Music
Hip-hop music typically relies on electronic instruments and technology, rather than traditional acoustic instruments. Some of the most common music instruments and equipment used in hip-hop music include:
Turntables: also known as record players or decks, turntables are used to play vinyl records and are an essential part of hip-hop music, particularly in the art of DJing.
DJ mixer: a device used to adjust the volume and balance of multiple audio sources, such as turntables or CD players, and to create smooth transitions between songs.
Sampler: a device that allows a musician to record and play back short samples of sound, such as a beat or a melody, and manipulate them in various ways, such as changing the pitch or tempo.
Synthesizer: an electronic instrument that generates sound by creating and combining waveforms, and can be used to create a wide range of sounds, including bass lines, melodies, and effects.
Drum machine: an electronic device that generates pre-programmed drum beats and rhythms and can be used to create a wide range of percussion sounds.
Computer: many hip-hop producers and DJs use computers to create, edit, and manipulate music, using software such as digital audio workstations (DAWs) and music production software.
In addition to these electronic instruments and equipment, some hip-hop artists also incorporate live instruments into their music, such as guitars, bass, and keyboards.
Vocals: Vocals are an integral part of hip-hop music. In hip-hop, vocals are typically delivered in the form of rap, which involves speaking or chanting over a beat or instrumental track. The lyrics of a rap are typically spoken in a rhythmic, rhyming style, and may address a wide range of themes and subjects, including social and political issues, personal experiences, and pop culture.
Hip-hop vocals are typically recorded in a recording studio, using a microphone and other recording equipment. Some hip-hop artists may also incorporate live vocals into their performances, either by rapping or singing over pre-recorded tracks or by performing acapella.Yes, vocals are an integral part of hip-hop music. In hip-hop, vocals are typically delivered in the form of rap, which involves speaking or chanting over a beat or instrumental track. The lyrics of a rap are typically spoken in a rhythmic, rhyming style, and may address a wide range of themes and subjects, including social and political issues, personal experiences, and pop culture.
Hip-hop vocals are typically recorded in a recording studio, using a microphone and other recording equipment. Some hip-hop artists may also incorporate live vocals into their performances, either by rapping or singing over pre-recorded tracks or by performing acapella.
Some hip-hop artists may also use vocal effects, such as sampling, pitch shifting, and vocal processing, to create unique and distinctive sounds.
In hip-hop music, lyrics are typically delivered in the form of rap and are characterized by their rhythmic, rhyming style and their emphasis on beat and rhythm.
The lyrics of a hip-hop song may address a wide range of themes and subjects, including social and political issues, personal experiences, and pop culture. Hip-hop lyrics often reflect the experiences and perspectives of the artist and may be used to express emotions, tell stories, or convey messages.
In addition to their meaning and content, the lyrics of a hip-hop song may also be appreciated for their wordplay and their use of figurative language, such as metaphors and similes. Many hip-hop artists are known for their clever and creative use of language and for their ability to craft complex and sophisticated rhyme schemes.