Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies Free

FREE CHECK THE TECHNIQUE: LINER NOTES FOR HIP- HOP JUNKIES PDF

Hip-hop is a celebration of diversity. Here's a brief rundown of hip-hop subgenres and the key artists in each niche. Alt-rappers typically color outside the lines. These artists are less concerned with pop hooks and dance moves. Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies main goal is to push the envelope and explore unique concepts. Battle rap is a style of hip-hop music that blends braggadocio with the quest for lyrical superiority. Seasoned battle rappers focus on boastful lines and self-glorifying rhymes about one's proficiency or level of success, accompanied by verbal insults hurled at the other party directly or subliminally. Conscious rap is powered by the idea that radical social change comes through knowledge of self, personal discovery, and societal awareness. So-called conscious rappers devote much of their rhymes decrying social ills and promoting positive ideas. Conscious rap is a contentious category, and not all every rapper like to be classified as such. Crunk started in the s as a sub-form of southern hip-hop. Producer Lil Jon is widely credited with spearheading the movement. Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies to its name, crunk constitutes a chaotic interpolation of club beats and high-energy chants. East coast hip-hop originated in the streets of New York. The umbrella of this particular sub-genre covers a dizzying mess of styles--from the street hop that gave us to AZ and Nas to the conscious approach popularized by Public Enemy and Black Star. Gangsta rap revolves around aggressive lyrics and trunk-heavy beats. Despite its huge acceptance in the early 90s, gangsta rap has come under fire lately for misogyny and violent themes. DreSnoop DoggIce Cube. Hyphy is a relatively new musical import from Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies west coast. It incorporates an uptempo, high-energy style. Hyphy is also characterized by witty lyrics and rugged beats. Critics were quick to dismiss it as a fad at first, mainly because it's an offshoot of crunk. Regardless, the Bay Area has enjoyed a measurable amount of success with their brainchild. The slick polyrhythms of snap are naturally accompanied by finger snaps hence the name and occasional whistling to create a distinct melody. Though this style of hip-hop grew out of Atlanta, it quickly spread to other cities in the U. Unfortunately, snap fizzled out almost as soon as it became popular. Stylistically, southern rap relies on exuberant production and direct lyrics typically about the southern lifestyle, trends, attitudes. With a few obscure exceptions, southern hip-hop is more distinct for its sound and slang than for lyricism although, the new school of emcees from Houston and Atlanta are starting to reverse this trend. In an attempt to capture their stylish culture on wax, some southern MCs consciously incorporate car culture, fashion trends, nightlife, and unique Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies in their songs. Key artists include DJ Screw, T. There's a generational misconception in hip-hop that lyricism is only synonymous with the east coast. The Left coast may be the home of gangsta rap, but it's also home to G-funk, lowrider music, freestyles and yes, lyrical hip-hop. Key artists include N. Trap music is a style of hip-hop that sprung out of the southern rap scene in the s. You'll know a trap track by its beat--stuttering kick drums, hi-hats, s, and oodles of synthesizers. Henry Adaso. Henry Adaso has written about hip-hop since and founded the award-winning blog The Rap Up. LiveAbout uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. By using LiveAbout, you accept our. How Hip-hop Works | HowStuffWorks

It's possible you're at a crossroads right now between finishing the lyrics to this song and reading this article. Go ahead; sing a little more if you can -- we're right there with you …. If you made it to this verse and still have more lyrics in you, then you probably know these are from one of the first hip-hop, or rap, songs ever recorded -- "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang. You might remember the song from when it first hit the airways sprinting toward gold, or maybe you're flashing to a little old lady in the Adam Sandler movie, "The Wedding Singer. Global Graffiti With the aid of the Internet, graffiti has gone global. Most sites include vast archives of photos, and you'll also find blogs, videos, articles, newsletters and interviews. Another thing to clear up is this: If you think hip-hop and rap are synonymous, you're a little off the mark. While it's accurate to say that rap is hip-hop, it's not entirely accurate to say Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies hip-hop is rap. Hip-hop is a cultural movement akin to Art Deco and the Harlem Renaissance, and, much like these movements, it incorporates several elements. Most hip-hop historians speak of four elements of hip-hop: tagging graffitib-boying break dancingemceeing MCing and rapping. One of the visual elements -- Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies -- technically came first, but at that time it wasn't part of hip-hop culture because hip-hop didn't exist. DJing and MCing and eventually rapping started the hip-hop movement, with dance and style following closely thereafter. If you look at the movement from its beginnings up to today, you'll see that these elements have expanded into broader terms:. Poetry has also found a home in hip-hop, by way of spoken word -- the process of reciting original poetry or the work of another in front of a group or audience. It should be noted that performance poetry isn't confined to the realm of hip-hop, but it has steadily been gaining footing within the movement for many years. In this article, we'll take a closer look at Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies of the elements of hip hop. But first, let's go back -- way back -- and explore the beginnings of this year-old movement. To consider hip-hop's birth, something most folks would agree happened in the streets of New Yorkyou first have to look at the paths of several musical styles and genres -- sort of like a musical family tree. Hip-hop's roots can be found in a variety of African-influenced musical styles. A rough outline of events goes something like this: Slaves transported from West African countries to North and South America brought with them various oral and musical traditions. These traditions became integral to the use of music as a form of resistance and rebellion. West African religious drumming met with storytelling and griotism an oral tradition of maintaining and passing along important familial and local histories through poetry and music to create spirituals and ballads. Call and response between congregation and minister moved beyond the church and into music. In time, jazz, blues and folk music permeated the southern United States. Bebop and, eventually, doo-wop music hit the airways. Meanwhile, in Jamaica and many other Caribbean regions, disc jockeys DJs with large, portable sound systems would set up temporary discos in rented buildings or out in the streets. The market for these roaming dance clubs was fiercely competitive. DJs started devising ways to one-up their rivals; one common practice was toasting. Toasting involved either improvised or scripted talking while a song was playing. Sometimes the commentary included barbs or jabs at rival DJs. This practice eventually led to two new types of reggae music: talk over and dub [source: Hebdige ]. Talk-over tracks were recordings of DJs toasting a particular tune. Dubs were even more doctored renditions of songs. They included both talk- over and sound effects, such as echo Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies, reverb and intensified bass and treble. Many artists started placing a dub version on the b-side of their 45s. These dub versions were usually mostly instrumental with some song lyrics and talk-over commentary. So how does all of this lead to hip-hop? He brought with him knowledge of the mobile discos, toasting DJs, and talk-over and dub records of his birthplace. That knowledge combined with a powerful sound system helped Campbell -- a. Kool Herc -- lay the foundation of the hip-hop movement. But before we talk about Herc's turn at the turntables, let's take a look at something else that he spent time doing after moving to New York -- tagging. Note: Gang members use graffiti to communicate within and outside their crews. However, graffiti is also created by people not affiliated with gangs. The graffiti discussed here refers to the non-gang-related practice. The Cost of Graffiti Cleanup crews operate solely to combat graffiti in cities and counties throughout the United States. Reportedly, about 60 million square feet of graffiti had to be removed in Los Angeles County alone in In a proactive measure, the city of Montebello, Calif. These cameras use a sensor to detect the sound of an aerosol can from as far away as 80 feet, and then they alert the police. Graffiti -- also known as writing, tagging and aerosol art -- is a message or drawing created, most often illegally, on a public surface. Some scholars compare it to ancient art forms like hieroglyphics and cave paintings. In fact, one scientist takes the argument a step further. In "The Nature of Paleolithic Art," paleobiologist Dale Guthrie contends that amidst the finer works of Paleolithic cave art, you will find graffiti -- and lots of it. The graffiti associated Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies hip-hop most likely got started sometime in the mid-to-late s. The exact beginnings can't be pinned down, but most discussions point to one article that brought graffiti into the spotlight -- "'Taki ' Spawns Pen Pals," published in the New York Times on July 21, Like several other teens, he emulated TAKI by tagging, too. Through the next 40 years, graffiti evolved from simple magic marker tags to colorful, whole-train and building murals. And while some people view these elaborate pieces as Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies, others see them as art. Graffiti found praise among art dealers and Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies goers in the early s, and it caught the eye of film and record producers. Graffiti graced album covers and provided a colorful backdrop in music videos. Several hip-hop scholars and graffiti artists agree that this is when the graffiti movement melded with the hip-hop movement. In the words of hip-hop scholar Jeff Chang, "There is still a raging debate, especially amongst older graffiti writers, as to whether hip-hop and graffiti are linked. But once hip-hop was presented with graffiti in movies such as Wild Style and Style Wars, History took a different turn. Now that we've covered the art of hip-hop, let's investigate the sound of hip-hop -- starting with how Kool Herc became the founding father of a cultural movement. Kool Herc Clive Campbellbecame the founding father of hip-hop when he segued from tagging to Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies. One of his first memorable gigs was a back-to-school party hosted by his sister. Flyers for the party listed Herc as the DJ. His name was fairly well known because of his tagging exploits, so the party had a large turnout -- people showed up to get a glimpse of Kool Herc [source: Gross ]. Partygoers quickly found out that Herc wasn't like other Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies. He didn't merely ensure a steady stream of tunes. By watching the crowds, Herc realized there were portions of songs that were better for dancing. People waited to dance until these instrumental breaks or beats would play. To solve this problem, Herc used two turntables and two copies of a record. He would switch back and forth, playing the same portion of the song repeatedly. This became known as breakbeats. Herc's toasting also increased the enthusiasm of the crowd -- with shout-outs like "Rock on my mellow," Herc encouraged partygoers to keep moving [source: Hebdige ]. Over time, DJing became more difficult and required more attention -- so much so that Herc Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies little time for toasting. Coke La Rock expanded his toasting to full-fledged poems, and rapping was born. Free-style dancing was popular, and during the extended breaks, some dancers would go particularly wild. These were the first b-boys -- a moniker Herc coined. We'll talk more about dance in the section on hip-hop movement. Soon, the DJ scene started to explode with talent. Bambaataa, a former member of the Black Spades street gang, witnessed firsthand what gang life was doing to people in his community. Through the creation of the Zulu Nation, Bambaataa planned to rid communities of violence and drugs and replace them with the positive elements of hip-hop. Today, Bambaataa remains an ambassador of hip-hop culture. Inspired by his father's collection of music, Grandmaster Flash took his knowledge of electronics and put it to history-making use as a DJ, helping make several contributions to hip-hop:. These and other pioneers carried hip-hop through house and street parties until the s. Then, with the first recordings of hip-hop music, the scene started to move to larger venues and people's homes. The first hip-hop radio show, Mr. MCs became more prominent figures, sometimes replacing the DJ as the front man. The intent of the music also started to shift -- we'll look at how in the next section. While Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Afrika Bambaataa and some of the other hip-hop pioneers were hitting the recording studios in the s, a new guard of hip-hop artists started to appear. Hip-hop was crossing boundaries, making appearances in new wave and punk music. The industry changed along with the sounds. Sugar Hill Records, the premier label of hip-hop, died, but Def Jam Records and other hip-hop labels moved in. Blige and Lauryn Hill. Black Nationalism took center stage in Public Enemy's lyrics. MTV Raps. As gangsta rap gained widespread popularity, the original hope of hip-hop's message got lost in the mix. Gangsta rap glorified gang violence, poverty and the insidious drug trade rather than denouncing them. Hip Hop Heads - Own - Thrillist London

With hundreds of hip-hop albums released every year, a few are sure to fly past your radar. That said, there's a handful of essential hip-hop albums every music fan should own. No hip-hop library is complete without these albums. From Biggie's classic debut to Public Enemy 's sophomore smash, here are 10 hip-hop albums every head should own. Hill's brilliant songwriting flourished from song to song, whether she was grappling with spirituality "Final Hour," "Forgive Them, Father" or stroking sexuality without exploiting it "Nothing Even Matters". Like Lyte and Latifah before her, Lauryn changed the game on her own terms. Essential Tracks:. If you've ever wanted to know where your favorite southern rappers got their game from, if you've ever been curious about the coast-to-coast influence of Bun B and Pimp C, then Ridin' Dirty is for you. It's UGK's most commercially successful album to date it moved overunits and one of the best hip-hop albums ever recorded. It thoroughly captures the essence of the Texas duo through gems like the title track and "One Day" and "Murder. Top Tracks:. The two sides of his personality compete on this album: occasionally vulnerable, occasionally Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies. In fact, he pays homage to rap pioneers on "Old School. And you wonder why he's still the most imitated rapper of all time. No other album showcased this amalgamation of jazz, soul, and rap better than Tribe's third album, Midnight Marauders. Essential Tracks. Dre's funky bass lines and heavy synths, coupled with the lyrical showcase from the likes of Snoop and RBX, changed the sound of hip-hop and made The Chronic a household name in the genre. But most importantly, The Chronic was instrumental in the commercialization of gangsta Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies by introducing the G-Funk style of hip-hop to the mainstream. Dre's groundbreaking solo debut also served as a podium for bourgeoning west coast rappers including Lady of Rage, Kurupt, Daz, and Snoop Dogg. This introductory Wu-Tang album became a career-defining platform for the rise of all 9 original clan members and their 1, affiliates. But it was just enough to set the bar high for the several rap crews that would later attempt to re-write the Wu recipe. Yet, Jay-Z 's "unified steady flow," witty lyricism, and confident if not cocky delivery made him stand tall. Even when The Notorious B. Sprinkling slick and memorable one-liners here and there, Reasonable Doubt established Jigga as a charismatic MC. His best work so far? Bum Rush The Show. Chuck challenged everything that challenged the upliftment of black people: police brutality, racial profiling, Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies, negligence, etc. A definitive hip-hop essential by one of the greatest groups of all time. The shock-inducing, highly dramatic debut was successful due to Biggie's crisp, meticulously-structured flow and distinct delivery. Serious tales about the harsh realities of street life, suicidal thoughts, and nightmarish death threats, many of which B. Eight million people would later agree. Although Ready To Die has enjoyed a tremendous amount of sales since Biggie's demise on March 9,the album suffered a setback on March 19, Following a copyrights infringement lawsuit, a judge has ordered that sales of the album be halted, because the title track for Ready To Die sampled Ohio Players' "Singing in The Morning" without permission. Often heralded as the "hip-hop bible" by fans and critics alike, Illmatic is proof that you don't need a song CD to create a masterpiece. Nas packed into 39 minutes more potent material than most rappers are able to produce in twice that amount of time. Illmatic is the paragon of lyricism and stellar production. It's the greatest hip-hop album of all time and a must-own for every hip-hop head. Henry Adaso. Henry Adaso has written about hip-hop since and founded the award-winning Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies The Rap Up. Updated September 06, LiveAbout uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. By using LiveAbout, you accept our.