Hip Hop is not a genre, but a huge subculture encompassing a whole lot more than just music. Hip Hop consists of what is known as "the Four Elements" – breakdancing, graffiti, turntablism (mixing and scratching, the work of the DJ) and rapping (the work of the MC) – a harmony of dance, visual art, spoken word and technology. But Hip Hop also has its own customs, an idiosyncratic "code", enriching and defining the subculture – gang visual language for a start, or an obsession with clean sneakers to show respect for personal property when rappers could barely afford a second pair of shoes. And let's not forget "Bling Bling" – often misinterpreted for status symbols, these heavy, exuberant golden necklaces and rings represent ancient African warrior tribe symbols. Because Hip Hop is first and foremost a powerful stance.
All Rap or Hip Hop music consists of two equally important parts – the beat and the rhyme. The beat used to be made by certain old Funk (or Disco) records which featured breakdowns – sections with only the drummer (and bass) playing. These sections were used to create a continuous (looped) breakbeat. Sampling, a technique of cutting and pasting small sounds from existing records, was used to complement the breakbeat with melody, bass and sound effects. Though controversial from a legal point of view, the work some artists devoted to creating the perfect beat is extraordinary and most samples were never recognised. Since the late 80s, electronic samplers could store and record a variety of samples, leading to a torrent of Hip Hop productions.
The word "rap" is Hip Hop slang and translates more or less to "flow" (of words). Rap is thus music consisting of "raps" or flows (or rhymes). The phrase "Hip Hop" however has very obscure roots, going a long way back into black culture. Hip simply means hip but was often placed near hop, what more or less refers to dancing or partying. Yet the exact etymology has been lost over time. Afrika Bambaataa and the Sugar Hill Gang popularised this phrase already known among blacks to describe a gathering, a movement or a place of both fun and coolness.
The real power of Hip Hop lies in the opportunity to convey elaborate and profound messages, thanks to the continuous use of lyrics throughout the music. With more words per song than any other genre, Hip Hop can amuse, protest or connect in ways other genres cannot. Especially the latter is often forgotten – early Hip Hop tried to end ghetto poverty, bigotry and racism by reaching out to white audiences, connecting remote subcultures.
Hip Hop did not only inherit the concept of sound systems, DJs with turntables and toasting from Jamaica, but also the love for cannabis. Besides Reggae, no supergenre is as connected with the drug as Hip Hop, though many rappers have expressed strong anti-drug messages. The aural psychedelic effect of marijuana synergises well with the repetition of a looped breakbeat combined with unexpected and atmospheric samples, while the psychological effect on reasoning, associating and verbalising facilitates high-tempo rapping. One must of course also not forget the incredibly abundant vocabulary of Hip Hop slang, partly as a consequence of marijuana use.
Hip Hop originates from the ghetto and is strongly regional. Since Hip Hop is more language-orientated than other genres as well, its various subgenres are therefore geographically demarcated. However, these subgenres are only withheld if they have distinctive technical and ideological properties, not only language. This is why e.g. French Rap, Russian Rap, and Nederhop are not separately mentioned as genres, though they are vibrant and interesting realms of Hip Hop. Since the 00s, Rap has gone through an identity crisis. The once-powerful and innovative concept of rhyming over sampled beats has become commonplace and its magnetism has withered. With more eclecticism, Autotune, file sharing, audio streaming and the coming of "Ringtone Rap" (inexpensive Rap made for smartphones), Hip Hop has seemed to have traded its warrior mentality for something tangible. Though there are still Rap/Hip Hop artists that stay true to Hip Hop's roots and heritage.