HipHopIsMusic.com — Hip Hop R&B and Rap Makes Prime Time

There are many different stories on how hip hop music really started, and you can find different explanations on how it began. One of the most popular reasons of how hip hop got its name is from rapper Keith Cowboy who had been teasing his friend about how it was like in the army when they marched. Back then, rapping was still called “disco rapping” but it evolved to hip hop when Cowboy used the term for one of his performances. Ever since then, it had been adopted by other rappers and could be heard in parties or dances in the club or outside the club, wherever there would be block parties.

Hip hop was originally just a mix of electric or electronic sounds without lyrics. As the years progressed, hip hop had become known to modify existing lyrics to the beat the defined this type of music. It is strongly popular to African-Americans and Latinos and it is said to be associates with the beats of old chants they have had. The first time hip hop was ever used as an official term in print was by Steven Hager in The Village Voice. Hager later became the official author on the history of hip hop.

Since its origins rooted from disco rapping, rapping has become a part of the popular style including hip hop. Rapping is reciting lyrics to a hip hop beat, or vice versa and get the same effect to the crowd. An example of this would be Eminem, one of the most popular rappers of all time. Competitions and “battles” happen all over the country for the best rapper. Performances and showdowns happen all over the world until now. Also until now hip hop is a growing culture that influences much of the youth and the way we listen to music today.

Really, hip hop music as therapy? The answer is: why not? Despite the more commonly known notions on what hip hop is about, it is an undeniable fact that it can help young adults in expressing how they feel. Hip hop can be somewhat vulgar in nature, or a bit non-conformist than what most people understand as music. Despite this notion, it cannot be denied that it is more honest and more straightforward in the frustrations, ideals, emotions and experiences of rappers and how they view the world. In turn, this also reaches out to the youth going through the same thing.

Therapists, psychiatrists and guidance counselors alike are beginning to see the advantages of utilizing hip hop music to reach out to troubled young adults. More commonly known as teenagers, these young adults would normally feel that the world cannot understand how they feel or what they think. By using hip hop music as a bridge, therapists can actually help them open up their feelings to them by means of analyzing lyrics of music or having the teens explain how this type of music affects them. This kind of therapy is still being explored, but there is a big chance of success for it for those who listen to hip hop.

Hip hop music is composed of a wide range of personal and social expression, may it be through rapping, singing or dancing. This variety can greatly help therapists in tapping into teens who are in need of their help. Aside from this, it can also be used in helping teen express themselves in the medium that they know best, which is through hip hop. Counselors in school could use this approach to better understand their students and make it work for their school for the better.

Aside from the musical aspect of hip hop, it has also become a sub-culture on its own, developing its own language, arts and norms. Keeping this in mind, their music is only one aspect that counselors and therapists can look into in helping teenagers who are part of this sub-culture.

Music in itself is a creative outlet of emotions, but letting the clients create something new out of it is another step forward. Paintings, sketches and dances are some of the most common by-products of music. The same goes for hip hop music, and in this genre, they have graffiti, deejaying, urban dance and emceeing.

Let’s face the facts, therapy sessions can be quite traditional, and most teens these days cannot be approached the same way as before. Tapping the points on what makes the clients tick is one step forward that psychology is beginning to explore. If there are some teens who can express their emotions with beautiful paintings, there are some who can express themselves better with cans of spray paints and creating art on long forgotten walls. Still, some can express themselves better with reciting lyrics to the beat of hip hop music to say feelings which they would rather not have said if under different circumstances.

Creating something new like mixing new songs or expressing one’s feelings with urban dance can get feelings out like no other means could. This can be highly effective in group settings as well, for teens who share the same music or the same genre of dance or way of expression. In this way, they can also discover something about themselves, others and how they look at the world. Instead of focusing on their problems, they can also find something else in which to help themselves feel better. They can help themselves discover a whole new side of their life alongside something they love listening to.

When it comes to hiphop music, most music lovers would often think of international music group Black Eyed Peas. The group formerly called Atban Klann rose to fame amidst the strong domination of rappers and gangsta style songs in the world of hiphop culture. When the group debuted, most people got taken into the different perspective, which the group took in interpreting hiphop music. Instead of letting the gangsta style and violence-driven songs influence their music, they have taken a different turn that proved to be a hit for many people. Now, years after their debut, Black Eyed Peas is still able to release chart topping music not just in America but in other countries as well.

The early years of this American hiphop group was filled with a constant struggle to fight against well-established groups in the hiphop industry. Before the Black Eyed Peas we see today was formed, there was only Atban Klann whose members were only Will I Am and Apl De Ap. As Atban Klann, these two BEP members found it hard to take a place in the industry as many record producers refuse to take them in due to issues of survivability. However, with the addition of Taboo, the group Atban Klann has been reborn in the group Black Eyed Peas, giving rise to a stronger and better hiphop group. Since these three members shared the same take on many societal issues, they were able to reflect a positive take on many of the songs they produce.

With this new direction BEP took, the group started to gain a larger fan base in many cities like Los Angeles. After releasing 2 hit albums, the group was joined by Fergie leading to the release of many hit albums that boosted the career of the hiphop group. After chart topping songs such as Hey, Mama and Where’s the Love?, many other great songs came thereafter. Now, years after the first release of their album, the group members are taking on a break to focus on their individual careers as musicians. However, they are still planning on reuniting to create more chart-topping music.

Also called Hip-Hop, Hip Hop music is one of the most popular genres of music that incorporates a strong rhythmic music and rapping. Although most people would associate hip hop to rap music, the recent developments in the hip hop culture has definitely changed this mindset. Nowadays, most hip hop music has taken a positive turn instead of focusing on many negative issues in the society. Although there are still many songs that portray violence and gangsta laden style, most songs released today contain issues that people can relate to.

Coined by Keith Cowbay, hip hop used to refer to music known as disco rap. However, after years of influence and dramatic changes, the music that is hip hop is now not only associated with rap but other genres as well. Although rap music is certainly the core of hip hop, there are also other important elements such as the grooving beats and excellent percussions that define effective hip hop music. Although the golden age of hip hop is already over, many new artists are still engaging into this music genre mainly for the passion of relaying people messages using this style of music.

On West Coast Hip Hop, the most influential artist in the early 1990s was Dr. Dre, who released chart-topping albums such as Nuthin but a G Thang. In the early 2000s, Dr. Dre’s influence was replaced with more modern artists such as Eminem, Nelly, Jay Z, LL Cool J, Kanye West and a lot more. Nowadays, Hip Hop has yet taken another turn as it turns digital. With this, many changes were made into the hip hop culture catching yet another wave of interest among the younger generations. Although some people may see the dwindling sales among hip hop albums, the industry is trying to rebuild itself with the release of many chart-topping songs.

Hiphop music has certainly taken the interest of the young generation due to its grooving beats and lively music. There are many elements that combine in order to produce that heart pumping music. However, the most basic of which can be seen in the role percussion instruments play in producing this certain aspect of hiphop music. With hiphop music going digital, the percussion sound is taken into a whole level. The grooving beats are often given a different approach, giving rise to hit music.

Essential to any hiphop music is the strong integration of percussion beats that mostly dictate the genre of the song. How the percussion is played will strongly influence the outcome of any hiphop music. In order to achieve a different sound, most hiphop songs would include a combination of many percussion instruments giving rise to a very rich music. By combining many instruments, most groups are able to create sounds and beats that are different from those that regular instruments make. By mastering the use of these sounds and beats, many hiphop groups are able to capture the interest of many music lovers.

Nowadays, with hiphop music going digital, composers need not to use many instruments in order to produce effective groove music. With a good music program, most music composers able to create heart pumping beats. When layered with appropriate vocals, almost anyone could create their own hiphop music. However, the mastery of this creating beats would largely influence the outcome of any produced hiphop song. These beats are essentially the backbone of any hiphop music; thus, in order to create chart-topping songs, a composer must be able to produce grooving beats.

The digital age has certainly provided a solution to the already “dying” mainstream hiphop music. With beats becoming better and better, songs released nowadays portray a certain positivism that most people can relate to.