Hip hop music at Still listen
Welcome to the Hip hop music page at Still listen. To begin talking about hip hop culture and it's biggest exponents first we have to define it, so I guess we can start by asking the question what is hip hop music? According to many definitions it is basically a music genre that combines rhyming speech with musical accompaniment. The word Hip-hop comes from the terms hip (which refers to something popular and current ) and hop which refers to the hopping movement. But this text book definition can come up short for those who believe that more than a musical genre, hip-hop music is a lifestyle that has evolved through time since it first started in the streets of the Bronx, New York city in the earlier 1970's.
The term was first used by Keith “cowboy” Wiggins one of the members of Grandmaster flash and the Furious Five, a group composed by DJ Grant Master Flash and five rappers. Some followers also point community leader Afrika Bambaataa as the first to refer to this kind of music as hip hop. Some artists and followers recognize Kool Herc Campbell as the developer of break-beat shaping the hip hop culture into what it is now.
Followers know that more than a musical expression it has become a form of artistic culture having as milestones Djing, breaking and Mcing other also include beatboxing as one of the pillars of the culture. If you would like to know more about this pillars go to our Hip hop culture tab for further details.
Language is important to any culture and the the top hip hop songs and culture are full with slang characteristic of this kind of music that have been popularize due to it's commercial success. Although very distinctive hip hip music often censored because of the explicit nature, the use of profanity and the very graphic descriptions of violence.
Still listening? Then check out our rap and gangsta music tabs or keep learning about hip hop music, it's culture and biggest performers clicking on the culture and artists tabs!