How did rap music develop in the 1980s and so on?
How did it become this popular? What made it a desirable music genre in the years following?
Let’s take a look.
The development phase: Rap music growing
It is accepted that Kool Herc, who is considered to be the pioneer of rap music, brought “DJ culture” to New York for the first time. It was noticed that Herc started using the “beats” of other tracks for the first time. It is accepted that the pioneers of that time, Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash, created a transition technique without stopping the rhythm in their music. However, the song “Rapper’s Delight” was the song that was sung by The Sugarhill Gang in 1979 and introduced rap music to the world by entering the list of the most popular songs. In 1981, Grandmaster Flash sang the song “The Message”. The release of the first hip-hop movie named “Wild Style” in 1983 contributed to the recognition of hip-hop and rap culture by the world countries. The first female rap artist, Roxanne Shante, entered the music market in 1984. After this date, rap music started to reach a wider audience. Rap groups have formed in many countries and this music genre has entered the market with sure steps.
Thus, especially black people had the opportunity to tell first hand the contradictions and difficulties they face in daily life through this new music and culture they created. This “scream” of the blacks was responded to; the type of music, which they produced themselves and tried to express their troubles, started to spread gradually.
Globalization of Rap Music
Although it started in the Black and Latin communities of America, over time it has become a global and independent culture. Today, it is almost impossible not to find youth groups in any capital city of the world who speak in rapper style using similar words, music, and clothing about their marginalization. For example, in East India, young people have combined Indian melodies with British rap music and produced their own street form. In addition, poor Jews in France interpreted the style of Middle Eastern and West African youth and rap music in their own way. In Japan, female rappers have also interpreted and sung rap music against gender discrimination and restrictions against them. In other words, many countries have adopted the understanding of hip-hop and have been influenced by the United States, especially in rap music, and have adapted it to their own societies. The common point is that it became the music of people who were left behind financially or in terms of status in the world.
When we look at the development of rap music; although rap music did not make its impact much in the early years, it started to attract attention rapidly in the 1980s with the advancement of technology. Rappers, who emerged, especially in the big cities of America and Europe, made their names by making various collaborations. As rap music started to spread to more segments, different styles and certain branches began to emerge.
East Coast or West Coast
According to the Japanese sociologist Halifu Osumare, lyrics spoken at the regional level are a means of communication. This condition is called genre. However, she also stated that this genre brings with it factionalism (polarization). The most important of these are the East Coast Rap and West Coast Rap branches. While East Coast Rap deals with issues such as politics, depressiveness, injustice and inequality, West Coast Rap deals with money, weapons, and the fun and beautiful aspects of life. Over time, these branches have led to the emergence of clashes between rap singers called diss / dissing each other. The groups started to “diss” by singing songs that target each other.
Rap music, which emerged as a form of self-expression of the oppressed, has become a more aggressive music genre over time, and swearing and insults have started to enter in the song lyrics. The sociocultural position of those who perform and demand this music is undoubtedly a factor in this situation. Dissing each other caused an increase in viewing rates and sales due to their content.
At the last point reached today, under the leadership of groups such as Eminem, 50- Cent, Akon, Snoop Dogg, JayZ, and Tupac, rap music has now established itself and has strengthened its place at the top of the music charts.
Lose yourself in the music!
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