HIP-HOP PRESENTATION

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THE HIP HOP CULTURE

A little introduction to the culture who dominated the early '90's , its best story summed up in an interactive presentation ( at the end, there's a little quiz ;) )

WHEN DID IT BORN?

The estimated date of birth of hip-hop its August 11th 1973.A Jamaican Immigrant named Dj Kool Herc, was one of the most popular disc jockey in New York between 1973 and 1976.He played in the Bronx block parties quickly moving from reggae records to funk, rock and disco. He noticed that the New Yorkers did not particularly like reggae. Herc and other DJs also noticed that those who danced to their music preferred more the parts with strong percussion, and began to extend the use of the audio mixer and double turntable. In an atmosphere of intense competition, Herc, his friends and "opponents" quickly developed other mixing techniques to keep the participants active, excited.These elements were accompanied by performers who spoke while playing music; initially they were called MCs (from English Masters of Ceremonies) and later rappers. The first rappers focused on introducing themselves, the DJ and other professionals, but soon their performances developed to include improvisations and simple four-count beats with small choirs.Hip-hop has steadily grown in popularity and at the end of the 90's this music began to become the main artistic force that was expanding in the United States

BREAKDANCING

Breaking(or breakdance) is a street dance developed by African-American and Latin-American teenagers in the Bronx of New York around house and street parties organized by the first hip-hop community since 1973. It is also known as breaking, b-boying or b-girling.Kool Herc coined the terms b-boy and b-girl (abbreviations for break-boy and break-girl) to identify those who were in a dance frenzy during breaks, percussion solos that were extended by the merry-go-round technique. This is an individual dance originally performed within a circle of people (cypher) and composed of a standing part (toprock) and a series of movements in close contact with the floor . It has been widely used globally since the first half of the 1980s, along with writing, mcing and djing, as one of the disciplines that make up hip hop cultureDuring his dance session the b-boy generally follows an expressive structure, strongly linked to the technical categories of the steps:Toprock - "standing" part at the beginning of the session; Go-down - transition from the standing part ( toprock ) to the "ground" part ( downrock ); Footwork(or downrock) - category of steps that involve the use of the legs; Powermove - category of fast rotational movements around a body axis; Freeze - category of body balance blocking positions, generally used at the end of the session. Baby Freeze - consists of resting your head on the ground, also resting your hands and, on your elbows, resting one leg and keeping the other raised. Chair Freeze - involves resting your head, one foot and one hand, keeping your forearm perpendicular to your side and the rest of your arm, and keeping your body parallel to the ground with your hip down. Suicide - is a sudden - and voluntary - fall on the back, or on a shoulder, the bottom, the stomach, etc.

The DJ holds a significant position within Hip Hop culture, serving as a vital link between the music, the artists, and the audience. They are the architects of the musical landscape, curating the beats and sounds that define the essence of Hip Hop. The role of a DJ in Hip Hop culture goes beyond just playing songs; they are the ultimate tastemakers, trendsetters, and cultural ambassadors. One of the primary responsibilities of a DJ in Hip Hop is to set the vibe and create an immersive experience for the audience. They have the power to control the energy of a room, transitioning seamlessly between different tracks and genres, and carefully curating the music to keep the crowd engaged and enthralled. Whether it’s a high-energy party or a more introspective set, the DJ’s ability to read the crowd and adapt their selection is crucial. Moreover, DJs often serve as the voice and conscience of the community, using their platform to address social and political issues. Through their music selections and commentary, they have the power to educate, inspire, and empower the audience. Many DJs actively engage in activism and community work, utilizing their influence to bring attention to important social causes and movements. They have the unique ability to bridge gaps between artists, producers, fans, and industry professionals. By showcasing up-and-coming talent and providing platforms for collaboration, DJs play a pivotal role in fostering a sense of unity and collaboration within the Hip Hop community. Furthermore, DJs serve as historians and guardians of the culture. They have an encyclopedic knowledge of Hip Hop history, including the pioneers, the classic tracks, and the influential albums. DJs often incorporate iconic samples and breakbeats from the past, paying homage to the roots and lineage of Hip HopIn summary, the role of a DJ in Hip Hop culture extends far beyond playing records. They are the gatekeepers, the vibe setters, and the cultural custodians. Their ability to create an atmosphere, advocate for social change, and connect communities makes them an indispensable pillar of the Hip Hop movement.

DJING

MCING

While the talent and fame of DJs grew rapidly, all this success fed a real exaltation of the person. In the electric climate of the parties, the charisma of these "priests/performers" became almost a guide for the young people of that period. If there was a fight in the clubs or if some tension was perceived, it was often the same DJ to calm things down with his words and his music. As time went by, the DJ began to join in during performances with live performers who entertained the crowd, excited and extolled the work of the DJs themselves: the MC (Master of Ceremonies) was born. The number of boys who jumped on stage and held a microphone giving vent to their own tensions and communicating their reality, grew disproportionately: they entertained the audience taking five minutes of notoriety, which worked well even with girls. In short, a disease defined by many as "microphone". Even if an unconscious awareness of the power of the word led DJs like DJ Hollywood to warn young people, as all rappers did in general (They urged the young black people not to waste their lives, not to be manipulated, not to study, to stay away from hard drugs and to be proud of the colour of their skin), the festive atmosphere of the clubs and street parties nevertheless made the enthusiasm grow in the people present. The MC sings until his energies are exhausted and represents the people who love him or the stories he has lived, always in perfect metric style. Freestyle is born, which consists in doing MCing (in inventing the words on the spot), without any preparation, improvising on musical bases even "vocals", simulated by Dj called beatboys (who practiced beatboxing).

TAGS AND CREWSThe tag is the pseudonym of each graffiti artist, his alter ego. The tag is chosen by the writer(the artist) himself, starting from puns on his own identity, or simply by choosing the word that he likes best, based on the sound or more frequently based on the letters that compose it. In some cases the tag is followed by a suffix (the suffix "one" is very common). The first writers used to add a number to the name, as Julio 204 did first, indicating with the number the street in the neighborhood where he lived (204th Street). What to the eyes of a layman might seem like a simple scribble is for most writers the result of a constant exercise in the attempt to combine aesthetics and speed. A crew is a group, often made up of friends, linked by writing but not only and exclusively by this.In a crew, mutual esteem and respect among its members are certainly important. The name of a crew is chosen based on the interests of the group of friends, generally agreeing on the connotation that one wants to give to one's future image. Often the name of a crew is an acronym, which can also have more than one meaning. The tag therefore corresponds to the signature. An evolution of the tag is the throw-up, a stylised drawing of one's signature (or the first letters of the tag) quickly executed but of larger dimensions, executed with few colours, often roughly sprayed, or even without filling. Like an enlarged tag, the throw-up represents a brand, always executed in the same way, to immediately lead back to its author, and like a tag it can be found replicated several times on the same surface. The term "bombing" indicates the tendency to focus more on the quantity than on the quality of the pieces that are left in circulation; in addition to throw-ups, the so-called "bomber" prefers pieces with a simple structure, even very large, and simple coloring (an outline color and one for the filling, among the most used colors to fill in the letters silver certainly represents a "classic" choice). The bomber's goal is fame, to make more wagons painted by him run on his line or to cover the walls of his area. These three expressions are the lowest stylistic levels of the writing phenomenon, often overexposed by the media, but very often negligible from an artistic point of view. In the community, in fact, the writer who is unable to express himself in more stylistically valid forms is marginalized quite quickly, and generally marked as "toy".

In the past graffiti had a special meaning among the elements of hip hop culture: it is an art form existing since the 70s, although it developed decisively only in the late 80s, and then flourished during the following decade. Graffiti, in the hip hop culture, labeled a crew or a gang and were used in this sense especially during the 90s, in the New York subway, later expanding to other walls of the city. This movement, from the trains to the walls, was encouraged by the efforts of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NWT) to eradicate the habit of graffiti on their property. The first form of graffiti in the subway was a spray paint signature, The so-called tag, which soon developed into large and elaborate letters, complete with color effects, shadows, 3d, etc. As time went by, writing developed artistically and even strongly defined the appearance of urban areas.

WRITING

NOW,QUICK QUIZ TIME!

Let's see how many things you know now about theCULTURE!

FIRST QUESTION:WHEN DID HIP HOP BORN?

SECOND QUESTION:WHERE WAS HIP HOP BORN?

THIRD QUESTION:WHAT IS A BREAKDANCE FUNDAMENTAL?

fourth question:What's the role of a dj?

fifth question:Who's the writer and what does "tag" represent?

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YO! HOW DID IT WENT?DID YOU ENJOY THE PRESENTATION AND THE LITTLE QUIZ? HOPE YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS BEAUTIFUL CULTURE!