Music Genres

Breakdancing--also known as B-boying or breaking--is a dancing style that evolved as a part of hip hop culture in New York City in the 1970s, the brainchild of urban blacks and Hispanics. Although...

Hip-hop clothing has been around for roughly 30 years. While it has not always been understood, it certainly has made a statement. It sure has made its mark on the fashion industry.

While usually referring to rap music, Hip-hop can also be instrumental, often consisting of heavy rhythm tracks and samples. Hip-hop also generally refers to the culture surrounding the music.

Mexico has a diverse cultural history that includes music inspired by the old Incan, Mayan and Aztec empires, as well as the Spanish invasion. Modern Mexico produces music ranging from hip-hop to...

This is a glimpse into a phenomenon that was once panned as a passing fad, but has since become one of the most lucrative art forms in entertainment history.

Hip-hop, or rap music and culture, has its origins in 1970s New York City. Acceptance of hip-hop by radio and television stations in the 1980s elevated several key artists; music historians agree...

Two of the more popular genres in the current pop radio format are hip-hop and rap. The two even have their own charts when it comes to radio play, as determined by Billboard. While there are...

In an effort to reach the widest audience possible, gospel music of today has begun to sound more like R&B and hip-hop. The gospel music of yesteryear resembled the blues, which was the...

Hip hop music has evolved and changed since the 1970s and has encountered controversy along the way. Many people object to what they believe is the promotion of violence and misogyny in hip hop;...

Christian rap is a subgenre of rap music that deals with themes central to Christianity. It can be also be referred to as gospel rap, Christian hip-hop or holy hip-hop, and it is used by...

There are many techniques you can use to market a Hip Hop album. Whether you are trying to make your latest project a platinum record, or whether you are looking to achieve local notoriety, now...

Hip-hop is currently one of the most popular music genres, and its artists have the support of major record labels and tour promoters. In its early days, rap music, the basis of hip-hop, was the...

This is a question that is frequently asked not only by people who are unfamiliar with hip hop or rap, but also by hip hop practitioners and fans of rap music. While many people, including...

A combination of reggae and Latin American musical styles with an additional influence by hip hop, reggaeton is a popular form of music with Spanish-speaking individuals. Originating in Panama and...

The difference between rap and hip hop is not rigidly defined. Most people agree that hip hop is a cultural phenomenon while rap is a style of music. Hip hop includes fashion and trends, while rap...

Funk music is an relatively inclusive term describing a specific type of beat-driven music derived from rhythm and blues. Funk music generally focuses on the bass in particular and tends toward...

To define hip hop as synonymous with rap would be incomplete. As a musical genre, it certainly is well rooted in rap music, but as you study its history, it becomes clear how the music has...

From its unlikely urban New York beginnings during the late 1970s, rap and hip hop culture have blazed a remarkable trail through the music industry. Armed with drum machines, turntables and...

The art of using a phonograph turntable to manipulate sounds and create music is known as turntablism. The person uses the turntable is called a DJ mixer. A turntablist differs from a DJ who plays...

Hip hop and rap have a short but explosive history. The genre has created a number of different cultural effects, along with an overall impact on worldwide society. Originally created primarily by...

Finding the latest breaking hip hop news may be important to you if you are a rapper, a hip hop artist, or just a fan of rap music and hip hop music. Whatever you want to find out about hip hop...

Hip Hop music is a genre that uses rhythmic beats to accompany a lead rapping vocal. This is a very popular genre of music and one of the main components of what is considered Hip Hop culture...

Hip hop music is a popular genre that combines urban elements of spoken lyrics that rhyme, a back beat and perhaps vocals. Once thought to be a passing fad, hip hop music has grown in popularity...

Producing a genre-specific song like hip hop requires that the maker understands the styles of that genre. Hip hop is relatively new to the world of music as it has only been recognized for a few...

Grimy is a term to describe something that is rough, uncut and unpolished. Some of these adjectives may apply to grime music. This genre, however, is far more complex. It takes the original street...

What is MIDI data and how is it used to make rap or hip hop beats? Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Editing and adding effects to a rap or hip hop beat. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Using guitars to make a rap or hip hop beat. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

How synthesizers can create a rap or hip hop beat. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

How to use harmony in a rap or hip hop beat.

What is quantization and how is it used in rap or hip hop beats? Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Using auxiliary drums when making a rap or hip hop beat. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Making and using a bass line in a rap or hip hop beat. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

How to make a melody for a rap or hip hop beat. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

What is tempo and how do you make it for a rap or hip hop beat? Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

What is sampling for rap and hip hop beats? Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Audio vs. MIDI data in making rap or hip hop beats. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Using drums for a rap or hip hop beat. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Rap and hip hop beat hardware. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Rap and hip hop beat software. Learn what you need and how to create rap beats in this free video on music, instrumentation, and sampling.

Hip hop has never been more popular. For that reason, this is the perfect time to write a hip hop song and make it into a hit. To write a hip hop song, first listen to songs in the genre. Note the...

Hip-hop is more than a style of music, it's a culture. Whether you want to be rapper or you already live the life, you have to dress the part. Here is how.

Hip-hop is one of the most vibrant, interesting musical genres. Over the past 4 decades, hip-hop has taken many forms. The lyrics can be uplifting or somber, funny or violent. Hip-hop fans know...

Music has long since influenced the way people dress. For example, take the Greatful Dead in the sixties and Disco in the seventies. The Hip Hop music of such artists as LL Cool J and Alicia Keys...