Thoughts and Omissions

The Davey D Theory is extremely comprehensive, analyzing the origins of Hip-hop from multiple perspectives, such as slavery, reverend sermons, and african music/dance. He cites many influential hip hop artists as evoltionaries that raised the popularity and skill level of hip hop over time. But, while Davey D tends to take a more African based stance on the roots of Hip-hop, I would like to discuss the influence of blue grass music on rap.

"Hip-hop music emerged from the de-industrialization and grinding poverty of the South Bronx in the mid-1970s. By looping beats from soul and funk records and creating rhythmic lyrics to perform over the beats, early hip-hop producers created a medium that reflected and expanded upon the culture from which it emerged. Appalachian music, with its driving banjo songs and haunting fiddle tunes, is similarly rooted in the surrounding culture, reflecting the experiences of labor struggles in coalmines and the rhythms of day to day life in the rural Central Appalachian Mountains. Hip-hop relies on the blending and layering of pre-recorded sounds. Producers recycle musical samples to produce new compositions, create new meanings, and expand both the original and the newly produced music. Traditional Appalachian music provides a rich base for this sort of expansion and re-working."
(http://www.appalshop.org/h2h/musicmix.php)

In the struggle of the Bronx in the 1970s, Hip-hop emerged as an outlet for the black common man. Similarily, in the surrounding areas, blue grass became a release for the hardships of daily life in the rural Central Appalachian Mountains. Both sounds are derived from common people releasing their emotion through hard times and why their own experience "sucks."

The Davey D Theory, in conjunction with the Vibe History of Hip-hop, highlights the different aspects of the African-American stuggle throughout the 1970s. The Unofficial Timeline provides further insight into the course of events and supplies a concrete date for each milestone event in the evolution of Hip-hop.
As food for thought, I think that the strong ties of Hip-hop to daily hardships provides the listner with a direct connection to the lyrics/sounds that he hears. All across the world, people are struggling to survive, and Hip-hop lets them know that they are not alone. These rappers are fighting to live every day. These rappers used to be in their situation and have risen above their problems, thus providing an inspiration to the troubled listner. In America, and all over the world, people can relate to what the Hip-hop artist raps about. The growing popularity of Hip-hop comes straight out of audiences all over the world wanting to hear what this person actually has to say. We do not live in a happy world. Regardless of race, everyone will go through personal strife at some point in their lives. When that occurs, when someone is feeling down and depressed, they may turn to an alternate point of view, the rappers view, for motivation, solutions, or simply enjoyment to endure their horrid existence. Conversely, when someone is elated, they may also turn to Hip-hop to accentuate their pleasure. The sound of the beats coupled with the rhythm of the song may stimulate the ear of the content listner and provide even more pleasure. In the world today, there are more and more listeners suitable for the genre of Hip-hop music. And, it all grew out of a group of individuals being able to identify with a certain person, a certain sound, and a certain movement.

Observations:

• Check Kanye West Video Footage from Universal Urban for the music video of, "Jesus Walks." The video is a great example of a modern rapper refrencing certain Hip-hop roots in the form of a reverend delivering his sermon.
  

One Man's History

"Afro American people have always used verbal or the oral tradition to convey history. As Afro Americans used these traditions they started to use more and more entertaining words and making the story more animated. Did you know that this is the first time that Hip Hop came to be? Back in the days of slavery when slaves were on the plantation singing spirtual songs they were using a form of rap music. How, you may ask? These slaves had no instruments: they used beats from any object that they got their hands on. Whatever was on the slaves' minds they sung about. Sometimes they would sing about being free like the bird. They would also sing about going back home. While they were on the porch or in the back yard other slaves would join in and add their two cents. Much like the hip hop-rap music of today. After some raps other person starts to take over.
Hip Hop music is also in the black church. How so, you may ask? The call and response of the preacher. The preacher calls out and says 'church can I get an Amen,' and the church response with the amen. Like today when a rap artist yells out 'give me a ho ho,' and the audinces shouts back with a 'ho ho.'
But you may be saying that what does this has to do with the hip hop music that I know of today? Well, there is a DJ from Kingston, Jamaica who moved to New York City and started reciting rhymes over the instrumental versions of records. So being that most instrument versions were very short this early DJ started using a mixer to make the insturmental versions longer. The mixer would allow for the instrumental part to be played over and over again. At some parties in the early 70's many people thought that an actual song did last for 15 minutes. But all the while it was the DJ mixing it to make it last that long.
The reason why this type of music is so popular today is because it offer urban youth a chance to freely express how they feel. There are very limited rules in hip hop: just be orginal. You can rap about anything: the moon, how you feel, how your girl feels, anything. Most rhymes are prewritten, but it is a sin to recite the rhymes off of paper. This is where the orginal concept comes in. Many times what was written on paper is forgetten at concerts and the rapper just starts rapping off the top of his or her head.
Hip hop takes on many forms, cutting and scratching a record, break dancing, graffiti art, double dutch dancing.
During the late 90's hip hop took on a new level. Hip Hop went mainstream in term of fashions. Many hip hop artists now own clothing lines and the clothes have been shown on many international fashion shows, thus bringing hip hop into a new level.
During this same period many magazines on the Hip Hop life have been added. There are magazines that tell of the different clothes that are out and there are many articles written in these magazines about upcoming concerts.
So from this little history of hip hop we have seen that hip hop is a form of music that has been around a while.
Hip hop is a lifestyle that many people like because it is very orginal and is an outlet for free expression. Hip hop is now urban, and can be found in almost every city, town and village in the United States. Hip hop, due to the Internet, is also going global. So what started out as kids having fun is now an international statement."

---information from: http://co.essortment.com/historyhiphop_rwcv.htm