Evolution of Rap Music
All one has to do is simply observe their surroundings to realize the huge impact of rap music on today's society. The way people dress, talk, and act have all been influenced by the cultural phenomenon known as rap music. Almost every aspect of American culture has been or is being influenced in one way or another by rap music. Let's use driving as an example. While at a stop light roll down the car window and odds are rap music is being played by at least one, if not all, of the surrounding cars. Music television stations, such as MTV, BET, and even The Music Box, seem to stick mainly with playing rap videos. I think it is safe to say that rap is the preferred choice of music for most of America's youth. Over the past twenty years, it has become an important fixture in American society. It's funny to think that at one time rap music was thought to be nothing more than a fad that would go away as times changed. Rap music has had its ups and downs, but, through it all, has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar industry with a massive following.To those who aren't familiar with rap music, Dictionary.com defines it as, "A form of vocal music in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical
Just as sweet as the honey id de comb, O yes Lord! In order to truly realize how all these music styles have roots traced to traditional African music, we must understand the characteristics of tribal African music. "In Western music rhythm is most definitely secondary in emphasis and complexity to harmony and melody. In African music this is almost reversed." (Chernoff 42) In African music, the rhythm, or beat, is highly emphasized. Most often there would be one main beat accompanied by underlying beats. Traditional African music used the drums to establish a beat. Once established, chants and/or singing would accompany the beat. "In African music the main beat coincides with the entrance of the chorus and not the soloist, and in particular contrast to most American music (not rap) the main beat comes at the end of a dynamic phrase and not at the beginning." (Chernoff 56) "Part of the power and drive of African music is derived from the strength in the rhythm. African musicians play forward towards the beat." (Chernoff 42) Thus, African music is not so much as moving rhythm along with the words of the song, rather the dynamics of the beat is dictating the manner of the chant and or the chorus. "As American music tends to focus on the lead musician's rhythms as the key to the music, African music uses a call-and -response framework of rhythmic variations. The tendency, in notating African music, is to assign compound meter or changing time signatures based on the complex beating of a master drummer." (Chernoff 57) In 1984, rap broke into the mainstream when Run-DMC released their album "Hard Times." It was the first album to have major success with white America. Their first single "Rock Box" was the first rap song to get major play on MTV as well as radio stations. It was also the first rap album to go gold. Run D-M-C was the first rap group on American Bandstand in 1985. One year later they were the first rap group to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone as well as be nominated for a Grammy. They eventually became rap music's first ever platinum selling group. The main component of traditional African music consists of a large main drum, called an Atsimewu or Sogo whose patterns, "...stand out in complexity." (Chernoff 43) The Kagan, Kidi, Totogi and Kroboto drums are also used. "The Kagan is slim and high pitched. The Kidi, which is slightly larger, has a low pitch. There are two small, deep voiced drums called the Totogi and Kroboto." (Chernoff 43) These instruments, combined with chanting and or choruses, are what African music is based on. There are many styles of rap music nowadays, but they all have similar traits. Rap music, as we know it today, has two main components. The first being the rhythm, or base line, and the second being the lyrics. While looking at different types of rap it is important to distinguish what the different types are.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3676
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page double spaced)
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