The Birth Of Rap Music

From Griots to Run DMC. Discover the roots of Rap. 

     In the current world rap has carved its way through, playing a great role in many people's lives. It took over rock, which was the top dog. Now large number of youth are being inspired by rappers, to create their own music, or just to pass time in one's busy day.This genre has dealt with sensitive topics, including social issues. However, few are stereotypical and associate rap music with violent activities, and gangster behavior. Whatever may be it is marked in our culture, and thrives in this era, but it has evolved and very distinct from the root music.

      Rap music was originated from West Africa, and not in the black ghettos of America, as majority misconceive.  Thousands of years ago in West Africa "griots" were poets, and musicians who used to tell stories, while travelling. They played rudimentary instruments as they were narrating events. Griots used to do this, while a beat or music was playing. It is still a prominent way to communicate in that style, to this day in Africa. They carried it on, when they were forced into slavery and were moved to America, as well. It was a way for them to express their emotions; the pain, misery, sorrow. Usually a leader would call out a phrase of the song, and the others followed, while they worked in the fields. This was the foundation of Rap.

     Even if Rap is dated back to a few centuries ago, it started to emerge as a renowned genre during the early 1970's. It came to be at parties in New York City. This is due to DJ Kool Herc ("Father of Hip-Hop"). He played hard funk records for his neighborhood. He isolated "the break", which emphasized on the drum's beat, and elongated the break using 2 copies of the same record. This resulted in loop. As it spread MC's, who keep the dancers engaged between breaks, had increasingly talked over the beats, and rhymed their speech. 

     DJ Grand Wizard Theodore, has said to been accidentally making the "scratching" effect, where he pushed the record back and forth for it to emit a scratching noise, since it brushes against a needle. He also used it during song intervals. Later on the technique was highly used by other influential DJs. 

     Rapping and DJing go hand in hand. They continued to evolve, arising the golden age of hip-hop. Artists such as Rakim, and Run DMC extended limits, and pushed the boundaries of rapping. They helped shape Rap as a mainstream genre that is omnipresent in the lives of many today.