Hip Hop

Hip hop is a genre of popular music that originated in the Bronx borough of New York City in the early 1970s by African Americans, having existed for several years prior to mainstream discovery. Hip hop originated as an anti-drug and anti-violence genre, while consisting of stylized rhythmic music (usually built around drum beats) that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted.

Hip hop as both a musical genre and a culture was formed during the 1970s when block parties became increasingly popular in New York City, particularly among African American youth residing in the Bronx. At block parties, DJs played percussive breaks of popular songs using two turntables and a DJ mixer to be able to play breaks from two copies of the same record, alternating from one to the other and extending the "break". Hip hop's early evolution occurred as sampling technology and drum machines became widely available and affordable. Turntablist techniques such as scratching and beatmatching developed along with the breaks.

The history of hip hop can be divided into four main eras:

• The Early Years (1970s-1980s): This era saw the birth of hip hop and its development into a distinct musical genre. The first hip hop DJs were Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa. These DJs experimented with different techniques to extend the breakbeats of popular songs, and they also began to incorporate rapping into their sets. The first hip hop MCs were Kool Herc's friend Coke La Rock and DJ Hollywood. These MCs would rhyme over the breakbeats, often using call-and-response techniques with the crowd.
  

  Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa
• The Golden Age (1980s-1990s): This era saw the rise of hip hop as a major force in popular music. The Sugarhill Gang released the first commercially successful hip hop single, "Rapper's Delight" in 1979. This single helped to introduce hip hop to a wider audience, and it paved the way for the success of other early hip hop artists, such as Run-DMC, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy. The Golden Age of hip hop was also a time of great innovation, with new subgenres emerging, such as gangsta rap and conscious rap.
  

  Sugarhill Gang
• The Mainstream Era (1990s-2000s): This era saw hip hop become the dominant genre of popular music in the United States. Hip hop artists such as Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., and Eminem became international superstars. Hip hop also began to cross over into other genres, such as rock and pop. This era also saw the rise of hip hop as a cultural force, with hip hop fashion and slang becoming popular worldwide.
  

  Tupac Shakur
• The Post-Mainstream Era (2000s-Present): This era has seen hip hop continue to evolve and diversify. New subgenres have emerged, such as trap, cloud rap, and mumble rap. Hip hop has also become more global, with artists from all over the world gaining popularity. Hip hop is now one of the most popular genres of music in the world, and it continues to influence popular culture in many ways.
  

  Trap music

Hip hop is a powerful and influential genre of music that has had a major impact on popular culture. It is a genre that is constantly evolving and changing, and it is sure to continue to be popular for many years to come.