The original symptoms of hip hop music/hip hop artist were mostly affected by West African music and storytelling. Early hip hop performers had been especially interested in the character of the griot in West African tradition. Before the written word started to be a prevalent type of self-expression in West Africa, the griot functioned as the oral historian, musician, and teacher of the community. Today, you see evidence of the didactic nature of hip hop in album titles much like the "Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," etc. and instructional titles, such as Dr. Dre. For rap musicians and fans across the globe, this music serves as a means for them to re-contextualize and comprehend their cultures (and sounds) in new and connected ways, based on experiences of migration, exile, and diaspora.
Unarguably, Africa is home to the greatest rap community away from the US. Well-known rap voices from across the continent include Positive Black Soul (Senegal) and Daara J (Senegal), X Plastaz (Tanzania) Zombo (South Africa), Army Squad (South Africa), and Yli Fuzzo (Mali). Diasporic artists include MC Solaar (originally from Senegal, now living in France) and Les Nubians (Cameroonian sisters now living in France), and JCC, also known as Abdul Bello (born in Nigeria, now residing in the UK).
However, Europe also has a number of gangster rap cultures, mainly appearing out of urban centers such as Paris, Marseilles, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart, Milan, Turin, Bologna, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Istanbul and Athens. Due to the range of sociological and ethnological aspects in all these cities, the themes in European hip hop are quite varied, including immigration law, cultural blending, national politics, sexuality, gender, arranged marriages, money, nationalism, racism, belonging, and religion. Similar to the U.S. rap movement, European hip hop has seen two waves of "new school" and "old school" performers. Renowned gangster rap musicians from across Europe include Zondani Nekri and Sadahzinia (Greece), Articolo 31 (Italy), Sultan Tunc (Turkey), Sona Family (United Kingdom), and B-Tight (Germany).
Nearly all French hip hop artists come from urban milieus on the outskirts of major French cities such as Paris, Marseilles, Toulouse and Nice. These areas, described in France as banlieues, are comprised of a series of cits, which are basically clusters of low-income high rises called HLMS (habitation loyer modr). HLMs are home generally to immigrants hailing from France's former African colonies. Therefore, many of these immigrant artists craft words regarding their encounters growing up in this environment. References to Africa and globalization abound in their work, as do explicit descriptions of the quotidian facts of immigrants in France. Major themes include poverty, racism, gender inequalities, unemployment, Islam, French bureaucracy, and citizenship.
Famous French hip hop artist include: IAM, Manau, Supreme NTM, La Cliqua, MC Solaar, and Saan Supa Crew. Common to the global rap movement is the practice of sampling excerpts of various musical genres of one's country of source, while at the same time taking thematic or stylistic cues from other international gangster rap performers. Though hip hop types and themes differ based on the culture of the performer, international hip hop performers share a need to conquer injustice and teach a worldwide viewers about national and interpersonal realities faced by individuals all over the world.
Unarguably, Africa is home to the greatest rap community away from the US. Well-known rap voices from across the continent include Positive Black Soul (Senegal) and Daara J (Senegal), X Plastaz (Tanzania) Zombo (South Africa), Army Squad (South Africa), and Yli Fuzzo (Mali). Diasporic artists include MC Solaar (originally from Senegal, now living in France) and Les Nubians (Cameroonian sisters now living in France), and JCC, also known as Abdul Bello (born in Nigeria, now residing in the UK).
However, Europe also has a number of gangster rap cultures, mainly appearing out of urban centers such as Paris, Marseilles, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart, Milan, Turin, Bologna, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Istanbul and Athens. Due to the range of sociological and ethnological aspects in all these cities, the themes in European hip hop are quite varied, including immigration law, cultural blending, national politics, sexuality, gender, arranged marriages, money, nationalism, racism, belonging, and religion. Similar to the U.S. rap movement, European hip hop has seen two waves of "new school" and "old school" performers. Renowned gangster rap musicians from across Europe include Zondani Nekri and Sadahzinia (Greece), Articolo 31 (Italy), Sultan Tunc (Turkey), Sona Family (United Kingdom), and B-Tight (Germany).
Nearly all French hip hop artists come from urban milieus on the outskirts of major French cities such as Paris, Marseilles, Toulouse and Nice. These areas, described in France as banlieues, are comprised of a series of cits, which are basically clusters of low-income high rises called HLMS (habitation loyer modr). HLMs are home generally to immigrants hailing from France's former African colonies. Therefore, many of these immigrant artists craft words regarding their encounters growing up in this environment. References to Africa and globalization abound in their work, as do explicit descriptions of the quotidian facts of immigrants in France. Major themes include poverty, racism, gender inequalities, unemployment, Islam, French bureaucracy, and citizenship.
Famous French hip hop artist include: IAM, Manau, Supreme NTM, La Cliqua, MC Solaar, and Saan Supa Crew. Common to the global rap movement is the practice of sampling excerpts of various musical genres of one's country of source, while at the same time taking thematic or stylistic cues from other international gangster rap performers. Though hip hop types and themes differ based on the culture of the performer, international hip hop performers share a need to conquer injustice and teach a worldwide viewers about national and interpersonal realities faced by individuals all over the world.
About the Author:
Hip hop music was first discovered in the nineteen seventies. In order to become a renowned Hip Hop Artist one must sing out well, possess the right attitude, and most importantly know how to dance. Being a New Hip Hop Artist will not be an easy job. It definitely requires a large amount of work, support, and dedication.
