A Critical EssayBy Taylor Hales, 14 years old Rap/Hip-hop
The rap songs contain huge amounts of vulgarity and obscenity. But this language is an integral part of the genre— to remove it would be to remove all the authenticity of the street.
Rap arose in the 1970’s from Street poetry (poetry read in the streets for loose change). Soon this was combined with simple drum beats and a basic form of rap was formed. In the early 1980’s the beats became more complicated, often containing drums, bass, and the occasional orchestral instrument. Later, rap moved onto dance floors and break dancing was incorporated into the songs. And for the first time, rap was recognised as a new kind of music.
Soon rap groups began to form. The first major-selling and significantly recognised rap group was Run D.M.C., two rappers who rapped about sensitive political issues. In the 90’s rap became incorporated with gangs and gangsters. Rap became a verbal assault on many political issues and on life in the own poor black world from which the performers came (even though 80% of all rap albums are bought by white males)-- an environement where frequent violence: drug use, and sex are a way of life.
There are two hip-hop capitals of the world in the U.S. Currently there is a huge rivalry between the two, the East Side (New-York) and the West Side (California). The rivalry began a few years ago when a rap group called the West Side Connection got together and tried to promote pride for west-siders. The East-side rap groups supposedly took this as an insult and began throwing out anti-west side songs. Now, two great rappers have been killed because of this conflict. Rapper Tupac Shakur (2-Pac) was gunned down while in his car, and Christopher Wallace (Notorious B.LG.) was also killed recently. Rock Rock evolved from rhythm & blues, ragtime, jazz, blues, and gospel. It sprouted up first in the middle 1950’s.It was first promoted to white teenagers and became incredibly successful. The first “breakthrough” rock song was Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock.” In the late 1950’s Elvis Presley became Rock ‘n’ Roll’s first hugely popular performer.
After peaking in the early 60’s, rock went in many directions. It became a new kind of music. Rock was now heavier, louder, and more fervent. The instrumentation also changed. Instead of the most frequent setup of a guitar, a saxophone, and a piano, a lead singer and a group of background singers, a new setup was adopted. It included a bass guitar, one or two electric guitars, a lead singer, and a drumkit.
In the early 1960’s the British rock band the Beatles took over the record market thorough1y. They were partially responsible for the breakthrough of a new sophisticated, sonorous, and strong type of rock. In the late 60’s many new folk-rock, psychedelic rock, and blues-rock performers emerged, and along with the rest of the rock musicians they formed an amazing group of musicians whose revolutionary followers were called hippies, celebrants of life, peace, love, drugs,and happiness.
Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, many kinds of rock were created and many were expanded. Punk rock, heavy metal, disco, dance, funk and glitter rock all took shape during this time; and they have widely influenced modern rock music and modern music in general.
Now, there are seemingly endless types of rock-based music, and rock has finallyestablished a definite place in music and in society. Reggae
Reggae started in Jamacia in the early 70’s, has seen a revival in the past few years.
Although never fully forgotten, reggae was definitely unpopular for at least a few years. It emerged from soul, early rock’n’ roll, gospel, jazzand blues.
Reggae is always played with a huge number of percussion instruments as well as the frequent brass ensemble. Reggae is the musical expression of Jamacia’s lowest classes. A lot of reggae performers are rastafarians, an incredibly poor religious group that believes, among many other things, in using the power of marijuana to worship god. Most reggae songs include lyrics about stopping political oppression, the unification of Africans (or all humans), putting an end to corrupt society, and rastafarianism.
Bob Marley, probably the most popular reggae artist of all time, brought reggae to the world. Without Bob Marley and his band, the Wailers; reggae would most likely not have been recognized outside of Jamacia. After Marley died of a toe tumor which spread to his brain, reggae suffered a shut-out for a few years, until the new generation stepped up to the ‘mic.’
R&B Modern R&B is an evolved form of the old rhythm and blues and heavily influenced by church gospel, soul and chants (songs that slaves sang while working to try tokeep themselves optimistic). The focus ofR&B songs is obviously the singing, even though the lyrics tend to be simple. Orchestrial instruments as well as drums and bass are frequently usedin R&B songs, as they provide rhythm, basic melody, and area for melodic movement for the singer.
Funk
Funk finds its main roots in dance music. Funk seems to attract more adult listeners than most of the other kinds of music that are popular, but recently that has been changing. and funk’s audience is widening. It tends to have a very appealing kick and a great rhythm that I have noticed surprisingly attracts and supports men in their “mid-life crises.” The lyrics are always humorous (not so much on the featured song) but soulful and the humor supports the overall snap that the song has to it. Funk singers also tend to have strange voicesthat support the music.
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