Hip Hop Story: A Brief History
Hip-hop is considered an art movement similar to that of the Harlem Renaissance. Both movements emerged out of urban despair, poverty and economic blight. However, during the 1970s, in New York and other major cities where a large number of African Americans were concentrated, there was an economic collapse. White flight occurred and many white families moved to the suburbs, leaving fewer resources and job opportunities behind. The strides made in Brown v Board of Education (1954) appeared to be a moot point. This landmark decision extinguished the separate but equal doctrine prohibiting segregation in public schools. Although the Supreme Court decision was unanimous and they agreed that “separate educational facilities were inherently unequal” integration was still a nightmare.
History continues to repeat itself in African American communities and by the 1970s urban communities were re-segregated. Conditions worsened with an increase in poverty, unemployment and under resourced schools where art expression was nonexistent. Ordinarily, when public schools are underfunded art and music are considered extracurricular activities and are the first on the chopping block.
During this time in the Bronx, youngsters were creative and used parking lots and abandoned buildings for block parties. DJs and MCs set up mobile sound systems introduced by Jamaican culture. Sheets of cardboard became dance floors for break-dancers and brick walls became canvas for graffiti art.
DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grandmaster Flash are the influential creators of hip hop. They are considered the “Holy Trinity” of hip hop. Kool Herc is also credited for the development of the rhythmic spoken delivery of rhymes and wordplay performed by MCs.
Rhymes and wordplay were delivered over instrumental sections of songs and this would hype/energize the crowd. This style of lyrical chanting and wordplay was an advanced form of rapping inspired by the Jamaican tradition of toasting. Toasting is a lyrical style of chanting in Dancehall music which involves a deejay talking over a riddim (rhythm). The art of chanting over a beat can be found in many African-based musical traditions. An example of a Kool Herc toasting sample is “This is the joint! Herc beat on the point,”To the beat, y’all,” and “You don’t stop!” Foundation SKA, 2014.6
Another pioneer of hip-hop worth mentioning is Grandmaster Flash. He was another innovative DJ from the Bronx. He is recognized for being the first DJ to maneuver records in a backwards, forward or counterclockwise motion. He was also the mastermind behind the breakout group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. They delivered a unique style by trading off lyrics between four rappers and blending them with flash’s DJ skills. Their first hit “The Message” portrayed the realities of growing up in urban ghettos Saddler, 1982.7 This song solidified rap as a credible genre to be reckoned with.
In the 1980’s Yo! MTV Raps, a television video program, was largely responsible for spreading hip-hop around the world. Yo! MTV Raps helped create a worldwide appreciation and interest of the hip-hop scene worldwide. Hip hop became the top grossing music genre by the 1990s. West Coast rappers introduced gangsta rap, southern rap and various other forms of rap produced a new wave of artists. N.W.A., Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, T.I. and Lil Wayne to name a few. By the end of the decade, hip-hop became one of the most influential genres worldwide.
The latest chapter in hip-hop music for Chicago fans classifies as drill rap that originated from the Southside of Chicago. Chief Keef, G. Herbo, Lil Dirk, Polo G, Sasha Go Hard and Dreezy are some of the popular artists of this genre. Each of these rappers sing about the violence that plagues West and Southside communities. We want to empower our students throughout this unit to become agents of change. June 16, 2021 a mass shooting in the Englewood community left four people dead and four wounded. The non-profit organization titled Target Area Development are community violence interrupters. Their goal is to meet with residents to address the needs of the community.
The members of Target Area Development offer local support by occupying corners promoting peace. They also offer counseling to support the lack of mental health resources. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) is a method that helps teachers recognize students' understanding of a concept or idea Guido, 2020.8 It provides them with a framework of reference along with the necessary vocabulary to analyze how a student thinks or analyses content. It also helps teachers understand the assessments, tasks and lessons while preparing for students.
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