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Hip Hop Resources: Terminology

Hip hop is a musical genre credited as originating in the Bronx borough of New York City in the 1970s. Growing out of the diversity and multiculturalism of New York City and musical influences of African American and Caribbean sounds and musical technique

Main Elements of Hip Hop

Infographic by Melissa John

Library of Congress Subject Headings

 
Break dancing—New York (State)—New York—History Performance poetry—Study and teaching—United States
Culturally relevant pedagogy—United States Performance—Social aspects—United States
Culture conflict—United States Popular culture—United States
Disc jockeys—United States—Biography—Juvenile literature Racism—United States
DJ Kool Herc—Juvenile literature Rap (Music)
Education, Urban—United States—Sociological aspects Rap (Music)—Anecdotes
Educational counseling—United States Rap (Music)—History
Freedom of speech—Juvenile fiction Rap (Music)—History and criticism
Graffiti Rap (Music)—History—Juvenile literature
Graffiti artists Rap (Music)—Instruction and study
Hip-hop Rap (Music)—Miscellanea
Hip-hop dance—New York (State)—New York—History Rap (Music)—Social aspects
Hip-hop feminism Rap (Music)—Social aspects—Southern States
Hip-hop—History Rap (Music)—Southern States—History and criticism
Hip-hop—Influence Rap musicians
Hip-hop—Philosophy Rap musicians—Interviews
Hip-hop—Pictorial works Rap musicians—Juvenile fiction
Hip-hop—Social aspects—United States Rap musicians—Pictorial works
Hip-hop—Southern States Rap musicians—Portraits
Hip-hop—United States Rap musicians—United States—Biography
Hip-hop—United States—Influence Rap musicians—United States—Biography—Juvenile literature
Hip-hop—United States—Pictorial works Rap musicians—United States—Pictorial works
Lyric writing (Popular music) Rap musicians—United States—Portraits
Lyricists—United States—Biography Spoken word poetry
Mural painting and decoration—20th century Street art
Music therapy for teenagers—United States Teenagers—Juvenile fiction
Music—Social aspects—United States Violence—United States
New York (N.Y.)—Social life and customs Women artists
Performance art—Social aspects—United States Young adult fiction

Additional Terms as defined by Merriam-Webster

 
Beatboxing a musical style and technique based on the vocal imitation of percussion sounds Drum machine an electronic device that simulates the sound of drums
Block party an outdoor public party put on by the residents of a city block or neighborhood Funk music that combines elements of rhythm and blues and soul music and that is characterized by a percussive vocal style, static harmonies, and a strong bass line with heavy downbeats
Break boy or b-boy a male breakdancer Gangsta rap (or Gangster rap) hip hop music with lyrics explicitly portraying the violence and drug use of American inner-city gang life
Break girl or g-girl a female breakdancer Hip Hop a cultural movement associated especially with rap music
Break dancing or Breaking to dance in a hip hop style by performing a series of acrobatic moves that often involve touching various parts of the body (such as the back or head) to the ground MC a performer of rap music
Break-beat a repetitive drum pattern in hip hop and dance music R&B popular music typically including elements of blues and African American folk music and marked by a strong beat and simple chord structure
Crunk a style of Southern rap music featuring repetitive chants and rapid dance rhythms Scratching/cutting to produce a rhythmic scratching sound by or as if by moving a phonograph record back and forth under a phonograph needle
Dance hall a genre of Jamaican music derived from reggae in which an artist improvises vocals over a recorded or live beat Synthesizer a usually computerized electronic apparatus for the production and control of sound (as for producing music)
Turntable a rotating platform that carries a phonograph record

Graffiti Art

Partly in response to the civil and social unrest of the 1960s both globally and nationally, graffiti began to be used regularly by marginalized groups as a means of making political statements, a form of resistance, and as a form of rebellion. 

Graffiti was sometimes used to make a statement by those who were denied other outlets to express their social and political frustrations. Progressing into the 1970s, Hip Hop emerged out of economically depressed urban areas of New York City, and graffiti as a medium and an art form became a dimension of Hip Hop culture overall. 

As the intricate, colorful, and vibrant art form of graffiti began to be featured in movies, music videos, and other media outlets, the art form transitioned from a criminalized act and underground movement to critical acclaim within museums and classrooms of fine arts.  

 

Breakdancing Moves

Top Rock

 

Footwork performed while standing that establishes rhythm, coordination, and momentum before transitioning into down rock movements and power moves.   

Down Rock

 

Movements that are performed by dancers using their hands on the floor to facilitate their overall body movement, exhibiting strength and control and setting the stage for power moves.   

Power Moves

 

Acrobatic dance movements while spinning in various dimensions and angles. This may include the dancer spinning on their back, arms, or shoulders. It may also include spinning on their head while in a headstand position.

Freezes

 

When a dancer holds a position for multiple seconds straight exhibiting strength and flexibility, as well as a rhythmic connection and understanding of the music.