Rap and Hip-Hop

Question 1

Africa Bambaata

Answer 1

• one of the originators break beat DJing
• known as the “The Godfather” and “Amen Ra of Hip Hop Kulture”
• father of Electro Funk
• formed the Zulu nation in the late 70s and hosted hip-hop parties beginning in 1977
• tracks include “Planet Rock” and “World Destruction”
• had very good turntable techniques and knowledge of music - known as the best DJ in the business
• branched out in 1984 - recorded “Unity” with James Brown

Question 2

Grandmaster Flash

Answer 2

• invented backspin technique (playing a drum beat on 2 records consecutively to extend it), punch phrasing (isolating short hits and playing them rhythmically) and scratching
• inducted into rock and roll hall of fame in 2007 and was the first hip-hop act
• electro rap
• formed “Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five” in the late 70s
• Grandmaster Flash had DJ skill and the five rapped and traded lyrics
• tracks include “The Message” and “White Lines (Don’t Do It)”

Question 3

Snoop Dogg

Answer 3

• discovered by Dr. Dre in 1992
• 17 Grammy nominations without a win (the most of any artist)
• softer vocal style than most other rappers with drawled, laconic rhyming
• gangsta rap in the 90s
• featured heavily on Dr. Dre’s solo album “The Chronic”
• tracks include “Gin and Juice” and “Drop It Like Its Hot”
• violence featured in lyrics which blurred the lines between friction and reality
• arrested on charges of being a murder accomplice, which helped his debut album “Doggy Style” in 1993 become the first debut album to enter the charts at no. 1
• fought charges through 94-95 and was eventually cleared, but by that time hip-hop and pop had moved on from gangsta rap

Question 4

Beastie Boys

Answer 4

• originally a hardcore punk band in 1981
• tracks include “Sabotage” and “Intergalactic”
• accused of cultural pirating
• hit in 1983 with “Cookie Puss” based on a prank phone call to Carvell Ice Cream
• worked with producer Rick Rubin
• used sampling heavily
• first white rap group of any importance
• treated rap as a post-punk musical underground with D.I.Y. aesthetics of punk and hip-hop being similar
• considered macho clowns for most of mid-80s
• 1992’s “Check Your Head” on which they played their own instruments brought them to the top of the charts and they were considered one of the most influential groups of the 90s within a few years through their music and record label “Grand Royal” and their magazine of the same name

Question 5

Sugarhill Gang

Answer 5

• tracks include “Rappers Delight” and “Apache”
• rappers delight borrowed break beat from chic’s “good times”
• Sylvia Robinson gathered 3 local rappers to record “Rappers Delight”
• short lived and faded by mid 80s
• returned in 1999 with “jump on it” a rap album for children

Question 6

Public Enemy

Answer 6

• tracks include “Harder Than You Think” and “Fight the Power
• hardcore rap
• politically and socially active in lyrics, especially problems plaguing the black community
• late 80s
• samples/sirens/relentless beats
• contraversial
• had a production team named the ‘bomb squad’

Question 7

Dizzee Rascal

Answer 7

• tracks include “Hype” and “Bonkers”
• prominent in 2003
• grew up in a council estate in east London and got in trouble for stealing
• grime
• boastful statements from his life in lyrics
• won England’s mercury prize for his debut album “boy in da corner” age 18
• broke through from relatively unknown garage scene

Question 8

Lauryn Hill

Answer 8

• tracks include “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “Ex-Factor”
• broke through with the The Fugees
• solo debut album “The Misdirection of Lauryn Hill” in 1998
• integrated rap, soul and reggae
• wrote or co-wrote all of her solo debut album bar one cover
• became an enigma after her solo debuts success due to legal issues and disenchantment with the industry

Question 9

Lil’ Kim

Answer 9

• tracks include “Lady Marmalade” and “Crush on You”
• edgy hardcore rap
• first featured son Junior MAFIA’s album “conspiracy”
• solo debut album “Hard Core” in 1996 which debuted at no. 11
• sexual images and hard edged rhythms
• anomaly for female rappers to do hardcore and proved she wasn’t a novelty with positive reviews and strong sales

Question 10

Missy Elliot

Answer 10

• tracks include “Get Ur Freak On” and “Work It”
• writes and performs her own songs
• deal with Electra in 1996
• solo debut “Supa Dupa Fly” went platinum
• debuted at no.3 - highest debut for a female rapper at the time
• born in Portsmouth