History of Hip-Hop

Hip hop is a type of music that started in the 1970s. It began in Jamaican-American, African-American, and Latino-American urban areas in some of the larger cities of the United States like New york. Hip hop uses a style of singing called rapping. The singer or group chants or says words with a rhythm that rhymes. During the 1980s, Hip-Hop genre began to spread across different countries. Hip hop as a culture involves the music as well as a style of dressing called "urban" clothes - baggy pants, Timberland leather work boots, and oversize shirts. Also a dancing style called breakdancing or "B-Boying” was introduced when Hip-Hop was founded; and graffiti, a street art in which people paint pictures or words on walls. In the 2000s, hip hop music and hip hop culture are very popular in the United States and Canada. Although different areas produced Hip-Hop in an alternative ways, for example there’s West coast and East coast music. West coast Hip-Hop in the past was dominated by the likes of 2Pac and For East coast Hip-Hop was dominated by the likes of The Notorious B.I.G. As well Hip-Hop being a rising genre from the 70s up until now, back then there was also feuds between “ends” meaning there was rivalry between West and East and who was better. Back then it would build up and gang wars would break out but that was all left in the past now.

Leading/Iconic Artists

There are many leading/iconic artists in the Hip-Hop game. The Hip-Hop genre is very competitive and everyone wants to be on top of the board. For the male area of Hip-Hop, rappers who are on top of the game are people like Kendrick Lamar from Compton and the rise to his fame was “good kid, m.A.A.d city. Another rapper who is also dominating is Drake a well known Canadian rapper who moved to the US and is now dominating the game. But there are also well known artists not just for being good but had changed the game with modern influence – artists like Kanye West, Eminem. Females have also been outstanding and rising who are also on the charts. From the likes of Beyoncé, Rihanna to Nicki Minaj and Tinashe. Well known and rising artists. There are many rising iconic artists but just isn’t as big and they go around by releasing and starting their career on social media and online in hope to someday reach the charts.

Codes and Conventions

The Hip-Hop genre was originated from jazz, blues and gospel music. The genre is mainly throughout to be a black dominated industry but the lyrics are down to earth more to how one has struggled mostly in the past. As like any other genre the clothing was a lot different especially for men and women. Men for instance would wear baggy pants and shirts or wouldn’t have a shirt but would be dressed in a lot of jewellery. Women are seen to wear merely nothing in music videos and magazines. For Hip-Hop in general the setting would normally at the artists hometown for example Kendrick Lamar shooting a music video in Compton. This connotes the artists history, background and what they’ve been through. The sounds that we stereotypically hear in the Hip-Hop genre are fast tempo, loud bass and maybe some drums and guitar. I believe that these elements are involved because it keeps that gospel and jazzy sound to it.Lastly the topics that this genre goes through. Normally what is seen for de-moralisation of women is by showing them as a sort of sex object. Other topics are from past history or gang culture.

Iconography

One of the main Iconography that revolves Hip-Hop would the attire of an artist. Clothing seems to be one of the main things in hip-Hop because what a person has it what represents themselves. Also if we look at the past of Hip-Hop we can see that the Iconography has changed from wearing shirts, baggy pants and Timberlands and how they’ve changed to this modern day. For example rappers such as Kanye West can be an example. He is a rapper who has an entirely new clothing brand to his name and due to his fame, the popularity and demand for his products have sky rocketed. The price tags on these items are ranging from hundreds of dollars all the way to thousands of dollars. It’s because of the fact that people are being influenced and following the trend. Moreover props used in music videos can represent luxury e.g. Cars and stacks of money, jewellery etc. Another thing could be where the rap artist has originally come from as it is a part of their music and a way to express.

Record Labels

Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused predominantly on hip hop and urban music. Founded in 1983. Started as a rock label now it’s one of the biggest hip hop label

Cash Money Records, Inc. is an American record label founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams, who currently act as CEOs. Founded in 1991. Famous artists signed here e.g. Austin Mahone and Nicki Minaj

GOOD (Getting Out Our Dreams) Music is an American record label founded by hip hop artist and record producer Kanye West in 2004. The label houses West, Big Sean, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, Mos Def, D'banj and John Legend.

Target Audience

Hip Hop’s main demographic consists of African American males. People who listen to this music are people who are still in education and also outside. The target audience for the Hip-Hop genre are for both genders at the age ranging from 11-36. I believe the socio-graph involved in this genre are C2-E categories and the middle-lower class may listen to this. The psycho-graphic for this Hip Hop genre are Mainstreamers because these people want to be on the trend and want to fit in, aspirers because people look up to these artists and follow them so maybe one day they can make to the same level as that artist and succeeders because people who had made it other artists listen to this type of music. As for the demographic area I believe that it is more to a National identity thing because the people who rap/sing they are representing the country so people can look up and relate, Gender I believe started with first generally male but have now broaden to females as well and Lastly I believe that it’s lifestyle because some people can relate to what these artists went through so some of the people’s lives are reflected in the music.

Issues

Some issues about Hip-Hop could be the way how the genre is presented because now a days the lyrics that revolved is mainly about violence, using women as some sort of object and has a lot of explicit words towards it. Why this is an issue is because it could influence people to do some of the things what are said in the lyrics and it can change the way how people look onto the genre it worry's the fact that the audience could be drained into this and have the same views as the artist. Moreover not just the music but the videos that can be presented can be a factor to consider and it can be thought that this is how Hip-Hop is presented and that this is what it is all about so this is what people would follow and would probably mimic these things so it may be a bad thing. This is not just from the male artists but also the female artists – e.g. Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea. Both very successful but are still objectified as this sexual figure and just shows little respect towards women.