history of hip-hop

Group members: Breeanna Wolford, Hilary Leon
Song name: undecided



Hip-hop is a form of popular music that's comprised mainly of emceeing and deejaying. The other two components that complete the four elements of hip-hop are graffiti and breakdancing. As hip-hop evolves into big business, the four elements (emceeing, deejaying, graffiti, and breakdancing) are constantly being merged with others like clothing trends, slang, and general mindset.
Hip Hop music began in New York City in the 1970's. predominantly among African Americans and Latinos. Hip hop arose in New York City when DJs began isolating the percussion break from funk or disco songs for audiences to dance to. The MCs would usually just be there to keep the audiences entertained. By 1979, hip hop had become a commercially recorded music genre, and began to enter the American mainstream. It also began its spread across the world. By the beginning of the 2000s, hip hop became a staple of popular music charts and is now performed in widely varying styles around the world.
Some of the earliest rap songs ever recorded include "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" by Fatback Band and "Rapper’s Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang. The latter reached the #36 spot on the Billboard charts (a huge feat by 1970's standards), thus demonstrating hip-hop's ability to draw commercial appeal.
Hip-hop as a musical melting pot is still evolving. It has become more eclectic, borrowing from soul, jazz and live instrumentations with the likes of De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and most recently Kanye West championing the ‘soulful rap’ movement.