Hip Hop Flashcards
What happens to black neighbourhoods in the 70s
Urban decay. Successful black families had moved to the suburbs. Causes disrepair and local economies to collapse
What construction project led to the collapse of the bronx
Cross Bronx Expressway - 1972
What approach did young people take in the Bronx during the 70s
DIY approach to culture. Do it yourself.
What cultural styles flourish in the bronx
rap (music)
break dancing (dancing)
graffiti (art)
What is signifying / the dozens
african based poetic storying telling / ritualized insulting. Uses improvisation, rhyming and creativity
What are Sound System Men?
Jamacain DJs, with their own sound systems who would throw Yard Parties
how did SSM become popular
would acquire American music and play them at their parties
how would SSMs try to differentiate themselves?
started making their own songs
What innovation did SSMs make with their recordings
Put the song on one side, and the instrumental track on the other sidee
What is toasting?
SSMs would talk over the blank side of the record, talking up how great they were compared to their competitors
When do Jamaicans begin moving to america?
1960s and early 70s.
Where do Jamaicans settle in the US
New York (The Bronx)
Who is Clive Campbell
Kool Herc
What innovation did Kool Herc bring to america
Uses two turntables, engages in toasting
Why does Kool Herc have two turntables
used to extend “The break” the part of the song that people liked dancing to
When does Kool Herc first bring his Yard parties to America
1973
Who innovates on Kool Herc’s technique?
Grand Master Flash
What does grand master flash invent?
Back spinning
When does Grand Master Flash invent backspinning
1976
What is beat matching
Ability to switch between two records using back spinning to keep the beat going between records
What practice is formed from back spinning and beat matching
quick mix
Who toasted over Grand Master Flash’s beats?
Grand Master Melle Mel - beat matching took too much work.
What innovation does Grand Master Melle Mel bring
first to call him self a MC (Master of Ceremonies), first to write down his verses and perform them consistently
Who is the first songwriter in Hip Hop
Grand Master Melle Mel - 1976
Who invents scratching
Grand Wizard Theodore
When does Grand Wizard Theodore invent scratching
1978
What does scratching do
Turns the turntable from a technology of consumption of one to production
Who was the owner of Sugar Hill Records?
Sylvia Robinson
What song does Sylvia Robinson produce?
Rappers Delight
What beat does Rappers Delight Sample
Good Times by Chic
When is Rapper’s Delight released?
October 1979
how does rappers delight chart?
4 RnB, #36 Pop
What is the first 24 hour music video station
MTV
When did MTV start broadcasting
1981
How does MTV select its music
excludes rap. only plays white rock and pop.
What was the first rap song featured on MTV
Walk this Way - Run DMC/ Aerosmith (1986)
Why were record companies reluctant to invest in music videos
Weren’t convinced they would result in more sales. Cable wasn’t widely available in the early 80s
Who is MTV catering to?
The audience in the Midwest - white teens who can afford cable
What was the contreversy with MTV and Michael Jackson
MTV refused to play Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean because he was black
When was Jackson’s first video on MTV
March 1983
How did MTV change the music industry
More important on aesthetics of performer. MTV became a second radio - make or break for a single
What surfaces were especially valued by grafitti artists
subways
Who was Kool Herc’s MC
Coke La Rock
What is punch phrasing
play a short phrase from one record while the other is holding the beat
Who founded the Zulu Nation
Afrika Bambaataa
