HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF HIP-HOP

Hip hop or hip-hop is a culture and art movement that was created by African
American and Caribbean Americans. The term hip hop is often used to refer exclusively to
hip hop music which specifically pertains to rap. It is characterized by nine elements of which
only four are considered essential to understanding hip hop musically.

1970

In the 1970s, an underground urban movement known as hip hop began to form in
the Bronx. New York City. It focused on emceeing over house parties and neighborhood
block party vents. Historically, hip hop arose out of the ruins of a post-industrial and ravaged
South Bronx, as a form of expression of Urban Black and Latino youth, whom the public and
political discourse had written off as marginalized. By 1979 hip hop music and dance had
become a mainstream genre. This form of music using hard funk and rock formed the basis
of hip-hop music. DJ Kool Here, a pioneer in developing hip hop music dubbed the hip hop
dancers as "break-boys" and "break-girls" or simply b-boys and b-girls. According to Here,
"breaking" was also street slang for "getting excited" and "acting energetically.

1980

Encompassing graffiti art, MCing/rapping, DJing and b-boying, hip hop became the
dominant cultural movement of the minority-populated urban communities. During the
1980's many artists make social statements through hip hop. The appearance of music
videos changed the world of entertainment. The hip hop artwork and "slang" of US urban
communities quickly found its way to Europe. The four traditional dances of hip hop are
rocking, b-boying/b-girling, locking and popping, all of which trace their origins to the late
1970s.

It showcased the subculture of hip-hop musicians, graffiti artists and b-boys /b-girls. Gangsta
rap became the dominant force in hip hop music.

1990

With the commercial success of gangsta rap in the early 1990s, the emphasis in lyrics
shifted to drugs, violence and misogyny. Early proponents of gangsta rap included groups
and artists such as Ice-T. It became a platform for artists who chose to use their music to
spread political and social messages to parts of the country.

Breakdancing gradually got the center stage in hip hop. Breaking also called B- boying/B-
girling or breakdancing is a dynamic, rhythmic style of dance which developed as one of the
major elements of hip-hop culture. Like many aspects of hip-hop culture, breakdance
borrows heavily from many cultures of dance such as Russian folkdance and the dance
moves of James Brown and Michael Jackson.
What is Hip-Hop?
Hip-hop is a style of street dance composed of variety of freestyle movements
characterized by bounces and rocks performed to hip-hop music. Evidently, the dance was
pioneered by a New York rapper Kevin Donogan (Africa Bambaataa) known as the
grandfather of hip-hop.

The growth of hip-hop dance started from the East Coast. The East Coast hip-hop initiated
with the contribution of a Jamaican native, Kool DJ Herc who stayed in New York City and
gained popularity as one of the most liked DJ's. He was able to make unique music wherein
the rhymes he created became one of the important elements of hip-hop.

On the other hand, the West Coast formed its own hip-hop dance style. They took some
dance styles of East Coast transforming the moves to more robotics utilizing the music of the
Jackson Five and claimed it as their own style. Additionally, two styles popping and locking
emerged and eventually became iconic styles.

Hip-hop dance gained popularity, thus increasing the number of performers and dance
competitions as well as springing up of battles, one-on-one and group competitions which
normally happened on the dance floors surrounded by spectators who watch and enjoyed
the showdown performances of the different competitors.

As a dance form, hip-hop is performed to hip-hop music exhibiting unique vibrant exciting
styles of street dancing. The informal competitions held in the streets or any available space
encouraged more participation from dancers that developed recognizable moves and
choreography. Performances on the streets, parking space or wherever a vacant place is
found have shifted to more formal venues. Suddenly, competitions are now held on stage
with the presence of expert individuals who serve as judges to determine the winners of the
competition.

“Hip”= present, “Hop”= action.

The Four Elements of Hip-Hop

1. Deejaying (turntabling)

It means scratching or turn- table record mixing. Djing started in the 1970s with its
trademark innovative breaks and isolation of the percussive sounds. The first major hip-hop
DJ Kool Herc (Clive Campbell), an 18-year-old immigrant who introduced the huge sound
systems of his native Jamaica to inner-city parties. Using two turn tables, he melded
percussive fragments from older records with popular dance songs to create a continuous
flow of music.

2. Rapping (MCing)

It is a form of poetic and verbal "acrobatics." It was inspired by ancient African culture and
oral tradition and was also known as "rapping". Rapping differed from other popular singing
forms because of its rapid-fire wordplay, freestyle rhymes, and lyrics that I told stories about
urban life as rappers of the time knew it. Rap first came to national prominence in the
United States with the release of the Sugarhill Gang's song "Rappers Delight" in 1979. The
major pioneers of rapping were Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kurtis Blow, and
the Cold Crush Brothers.

3. Graffiti Painting (Writing)

Perhaps the most controversial of all the elements, graffiti has and continues to be
considered "vandalism" to many. It is signified by "tags", or creatively designed spray-
painted signatures of graffiti artists, sprayed on wall, garbage cans, and other public
surfaces. Reputedly, the graffiti movement was started about 1972 by a Greek American
teenager who signed, or "tagged", Taki 183 (his name and street, 183rd Street) on walls
throughout the New York City subway system. Today, in various parts of Toronto, Montreal,
and other major cities, approved graffiti has evolved into enormous, beautiful, colorful
illustrations that cover walls and even sides of buildings.

4. Break Dancing (B-boying)

A style with a repertoire of acrobatic and occasionally airborne moves, including gravity-
defying headspins and backspins. It is an elaborate social dance form that came from
teenage Latino and African American males in the South Bronx of New York City circa 1970.
According to DeFrantz, it started "as a form of fighting, a mixture of physically demanding
movements which exploited the daredevil prowess of their performers, and stylized
punching and kicking movements directed at an opponent.

In the 1980s breaking reached a greater audience when it was adopted by mainstream artist
such as Michael Jackson. Jackson's moonwalk a step that involved sliding backward and
lifting the soles of the feet so that he appeared to be gliding or floating- became a sensation
among teens.

Two Main Categories of Hip-Hop

A. Old School Dance Style

Old school is the base of hip-hop, all that danced in the period of its origin and
development. Old school is free, improvised, relaxed but energetic.

1. Breaking- also known as break dancing; it is an unstructured and highly improvisational

style that incorporates gymnastic and acrobatic movements (Ojofeitimi et al., 2010). It was
popularized in the early 70s. In break dancing, the dancer executes several explosive,
acrobatic movements with breaks or freezes in between acts. That is, holding the position of
the movement for a few seconds before continuing or shifting to the movement.

Below is a list of power moves used in break dancing.

A. Windmill- It is a move in which the dancer spins from his upper back to his chest while
twirling his legs around his body in a V-shape. There are many variations to this move such
as nutcrackers and handcuffs. Many dancers will spend anywhere from two to six months
learning how to do a basic windmill, since the motion is quite unorthodox.

B. Headspin- The dancer spins his head, often while wearing a stocking cap or handkerchief.
When the dancer uses his hands to aid in speeding up the spin, it is called "tapping". A
dancer may tap for a few rotations and then 'glide' for as many as 15 rotations. Kid Freeze is
the b-boy who claims to have invented the headspin.

C. Flare- This is an incredibly difficult move borrowed from gymnastics and resembles the
use of a pommel horse, but is performed without one.

D. Jackhammer- It is a move performed on the ground having the dancer balancing on one
hand and laying his body on the elbow of the same arm. He then bounces up and down with
his hand as he spins around.

E. Top Rock- This is a simple dance done standing up to initiate break dancing. Its style is
obvious to anyone watching because it is incredibly unorthodox looking. Breakdancers take
pride in having unique toprock that still stays within the definition of what toprock actually
is.

F. Uprock- This is doing toprock with someone else, sort of like a fight but without contact
and very rhythmic. Uprocking is often confused with toprock, but the two are different
dances.

G. 6-step- It resembles walking in a circle on the ground. Only one hand is touching the
ground at a time. The 6-step is the building block for the rest of the dance, and is heavily
"teched" or modified to allow for variation and style.

H. Moonwalk- A move where a dancer slides backward while their legs appear to be walking
forward.

J. Worm- A move in which a dance lies on the ground and forms a rippling motion through
his body. This can be done in one of two ways, either forward or backwards, either shifting
your weight from the upper body to the lower body (backwards) or vice- versa for forwards.
Sophie Tucker is recognized as the creator of this move, which goes back to the 1920s.

2. Popping - was created by Sam Solomon in Fresno, California and performed by his crew
the Electric Boogaloos. It has a slower pace and is defined through hard muscle contractions
called pops. When music production shifted from musicians with instruments to drum
machines and synthesizers, the dance music was infused with a very precise and robotic
vibe, which further shaped the look of this style. Poppers create illusions in their movement
by using isolation techniques to create seemingly impossible moves and the style is often
used as a catch-all term for similar styles even though pioneers of these styles disagree on
that and have their own separate names for them.

3. Locking - created by Don Campbell in Los Angeles, California in 1996. It was originally
called Campbellocking. It relies on fast, distinct arm and hand movements combined with
relaxed hips and legs wherein the lock is the basic move used. It is characterized by the
frequent locking in place and moving again after a quick freeze. The movements are
generally large and exaggerated, rhythmic and tightly synchronized with the music. It has
specific movements that make it different from popping and other hip-hop styles.

B. New School Dance Style

The new school came to hip-hop culture with the beginning of the
commercialization of dance. It absorbed all that is in the old school but became more
technically complex. The new school is characterized by choreography.

1. Krumping - This is a style of street dance popularized in the United States, described as
Afro- diasporic dance, characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated, and highly energetic
movement. It is "characterized by unrestrained, rapid-fire and highly energetic moves of the
limbs and torso".

2. House - This is a form of street. dance primarily danced to house music. It originated as a
counter to popular disco music of the 1970s, where DJ's mixed disco music with breaks,
electronic music and afro beats. House dance is characterized by intricate footwork, fluid
upper- body movement, jacking and lofting.

3. Street Jazz - It is a dance from combining jazz, hip-hop, and funk. Street jazz is funkier and
harder than traditional version with a myriad of influences like hip-hop, electro, break
dancing, tektoniks, and robotics. Street jazz is nearly always performed in front of a crowd
with just the dancers, a music system, and nothing else.

Fundamental Hip-Hop Movements

1. Breaking (Break Dance)

 Executes several explosive, acrobatic movements with breaks or freezes in between

acts.

 Hold the position of the movement for a few seconds before continuing or shifting to
the next movement.

2. Popping

 A quick contraction and relaxation of muscles producing jerking of various joints.

3. Locking

 It includes a lot of acrobatics and physically demanding moves, such as landing on one's
knees and the split.

 Other famous moves are waving of arms, pointing, walking stationary, and grabbing and
rotating the cap or hat.

4. Krumping
 Characterized by unrestrained, rapid-fire, and highly energetic moves of the limbs and
torso

 A dance style meanig "to release"

5. House Dance

 Combination of skating, stomping and shuffling

 There is a fast and complex step combined with fluid movements of the torso.

6. Street Jazz

 Funkier and harder than traditional version with influences of hip-hop, electro, break
dancing, tektoniks, and robotics.

Fitness Benefits of Hip-Hop

1. Improves Endurance and Stamina

As a dance form, hip-hop dance requires maximum endurance as the performer

executes difficult and tiring movements in the duration of the whole dance. The body should
be in good shape capable of sustaining physical energetic moves.

2. Strengthens Flexibility and Agility

The maximum ability to move the joints of the body through a wider range of
motion will help in excellent execution of movements. The wider the range, the more that
the performance is emphasized. Changing the body's direction rapidly and accurately will
add beauty to the performance.

3. Develops Balance and Strength

Unlike other dances, hip-hop dance involves balance and muscular strength. Certain
movements require the performer's hand to support the weight of the body including the
feet and legs while performing the routine. Maintaining equilibrium while stationary or
moving develops balancing techniques.

4. Increases Self Confidence and Creativity

Constant participation in hip-hop dance will definitely increase one's self confidence
as the performer mastered his style and routine. Conceptualizing in terms of movement
choice and its sequence are creativity that leads to choreography.

Summary

Hip-hop dance is a unique and exciting style of street dance that has transformed
the world of dance and has been integrated into major theatrical and cinematic productions.
It is a vibrant means for exercise, art, and movement, creating a platform for individual
expression and undeniable talent. Hip-hop culture is characterized by key elements of
rapping, DJing, turntablism, and breakdancing, as well as historical knowledge of the
movement.