Imagine you are driving in your car. You hear music so loud that your seat begins to vibrate. It is the kind of music that makes you want to get up and dance! You are feeling inspired and begin to car dance yourself, most likely to Hip hop/R&B music.
Hip hop music and R&B music is all over the radio. Generally, hip hop and R&B are considered separate genres, but contemporary music is beginning to combine the two genres. How did these two styles of music come together to create a new kind of music? Like any great music, it takes time for it to develop into the form we know and love today.
Collision of Hip Hop and R&B
R&B music came first, then hip hop, both with distinct sounds: R&B sounding more jazzy and hip hop including more electronic sounds and rap. Gradually, hip hop and R&B music started to influence each other, resulting in more a more electronic sound, using machines such as auto tune. Now hip hop and R&B can be mashed together to form a larger genre of music, which has a variety of sounds and artists. The two genres have different backgrounds in terms of their influence, but also have similarities, which is why they are often grouped together. Now hip hop/R&B music makes use of synthesizers, percussion, sound effects and rap music.
R&B Music
R&B, or rhythm and blues, has experienced many changes, originating in the 1940s and most common in the African American community, R&B's lyrics often express situations of struggle and was influenced by “jazz, gospel, and blues from the 30s and 40s” (Whitney 2).
One of R&B’s first artists was Louis Jordan. He put out some of the first R&B songs in the 40s, but they sound much different than the R&B does today. It is easy to see the early influences of jazz. Take note of the instruments used in the song linked.
Louis Jordan
In the video, Jordan makes use of trumpets, saxophones, upright base, and a piano. These instruments were common in R&B music at that time. "The precursors of rhythm and blues came from jazz and blues" ( Rhythm and blues 6) and this influence can be seen in Louis Jordan's song.
Brook Benton is a good example of 50s R&B music. In his single "Some of my Best Friends", from 1955, there is an obvious change in the sound of the music. Saxophones, background vocals and a soulful sound carry the music forward as R&B music begins to transform.
Brook Benton- Some of my Best Friends
But by the 80s, R&B started to change, becoming contemporary, which we are more familiar with today. The contemporary R&B music incorporates "a polished record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, an occasional saxophone"(Contemporary R&B 1). Hip hop music and beats also began to influence the sound, yet the genres still maintained its mellow and smooth nature. A few good examples of Contemporary R&B artists are Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston (Contemporary R&B 2015).
Hip Hop Music
As for Hip hop, it originated in New York City, the South Bronx specifically, in the 1970s. It was also very popular in the African American communities and eventually became part of the culture. Hip hop was “derived from funk, disco, soul, performance poetry, and R&B” (Whitney 2011). The main concepts that are associated with hip hop are: rapping, break-dancing, and graffiti; each of these concepts influenced the culture where the music was born and continues to be associated with the current music (Hip Hop 1).
One of the first successful and popular hip hop songs was “Rappers Delight” by Sugarhill Gang. This song was extremely influential for hip hop all over the world.
Rapper's Delight- Sugarhill Gang
By the 80s, hip hop began to incorporate drum machines and sampling to create different beats. Sampling, allows artists to take part of a recording and apply it to different parts of a song, or even multiple songs. Sampling became essential to hip hop music, and gave it a more electronic sound (Sampling 1-3).
Here is an example of songs that use sampling: Music sampling examples
Hip hop continued to change. In the 90s, it was considered New School Hip Hop, which again made use of drum machines and the sound and lyrics tended to be more aggressive. Rap became more popular in the 90s as well. By the 2000s, alternative hip hop had formed, featuring artists like Kanye West and It began influencing mainstream pop and gain more popularity. Jay-Z is a good example of hip hop's growing industry. He became a very successful hip hop artist, label president, and clothing line owner (Hip hop music 2015).
Jay-Z makes use of rap, like most hip hop artists, in his song Heart of the City.
Hip hop is no longer just a genre of music, but a culture.
Differences
Because the two genres were originally two separate types of music, there are a few differences in the music. First off, R&B tends to have a smoother instrumental sound, have understandable and articulated lyrics, and the chorus is usually repeated throughout the song. In hip hop there is much less clarity in the words and lyrics, as artists tend to cut off words to fit them into a phrase. Also, the sound is more electronic than R&B. It is easy to see the influences in both of these genres, with jazz for R&B and funk and disco for hip hop (Whitney 2011).
The other difference between R&B and hip hop are the instruments used. R&B tends to use saxophones, horns, organs, electric guitars, and double bass. Hip hop makes use of synthesizers, bass, beat boxing, and turntables. Both genres generally make use of piano and drums. (Whitney 2011).
Common Themes
Some common themes in hip hop/R&B style singing and music are:
· A laid back feel
· Singing off the beat, or behind the beat
· Improvisations and riffs
· Percussion
· Rap
· Electronics
Examples:
GDFR: Flo Rida
If you listen to the songs above, you will notice the use of rap, electronics, and percussion.
Soldier: Damien
If you listen to Solider, you will notice the use of percussion, laid back style, and behind the beat style. This specific song leans more towards the gospel style of R&B.
Beyonce: 7/11
Beyonce makes use of rap, drum machines, sampling, auto tune, and an electronic sound.
The Weekend: Often
The Weekend includes drum machines for percussion, sampling, and electronics. Unlike other hip hop/R&B songs, "Often" does not use rap, rather sung vocals. The Weekend leans more towards an R&B group than hip hop.
Today, there are many current artists that are considered hip hop/R&B such as: The Weekend, Beyonce, Chris Brown, and Iggy Azalea, Rhihanna, Flo Rida, and Kanye West. You may enjoy these artists if you enjoy what you have learned and heard so far!
Current Discussions/Controversy
When discussing the changes in modern day music, according to sources such as Pitchfork and Student Pulse, hip hop/R&B is under harsh social eye. Because hip hop/R&B historically has been most popular with African American artists and listeners, and now there are growing numbers of Caucasian artists, there is controversy over what should be considered hip hop/ R&B. There is discussion on whether or not “a chart devoted to black-derived music should be dominated by white acts most of the time” (Molanphy 3).
While race is an important factor in hip hop/R&B music, it is not the only one (Molanphy 2014). Culture is always essential to a genre's roots, but the sound of the music, old or modern, must be taken into consideration. If a song fits in the characteristics of a hip hop/R&B songs, then that is exactly what it is, regardless of who the artist is. For example, Mackelmore dominated the charts for 5 months as a Caucasian male rapper (Molanphy 2014) and his race should not discredit his music. While this is a touchy topic, it is important to the world of music and artists of all genres. It is important to acknowledge a genre's background, but a genre should not be limited because of this.
In summary:
· R&B originated in the 40s and was influenced by jazz, gospel, and blues music.
· Hip hop music originated in the 70s and was influenced by funk, disco, soul, performance poetry, and R&B music.
· R&B music uses brass instruments, electric guitars and double basses, while hip hop uses more synthesizers, bass, beat boxing, and turntables. Both genres use piano and drums.
· Hip hop and R&B started to collide and formed a new style of music that combines the unique styles and nuances of hip hop and R&B.
· Hip hop/R&B makes use of a more electronic sound, using auto-tune and different sound effects
· Hip hop/R&B tends to include a variety of types of songs and artists
· Some 21st century artists include: Rhihanna, The Weekend, Beyonce, Flo Rida, Chris Brown, Iggy Azalea, and Nikki Minaj.
Works Cited:
Allen-Price, Olivia. "Music Sampling Examples." YouTube. YouTube, 22 Nov. 2008. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
"Brook Benton." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Feb. 2015. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
Brown, Johnny. "Brook Benton. Some Of My Best Friends." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
"Contemporary R&B."Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Dean, DJ Michael. "GDFR (Completely Clean Mix) by Flo Rida." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Nov. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Hip Hop."Oxford Music Online. 6 June 2006. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Hip-Hop Is for Everybody: Examining the Roots and Growth of Hip-Hop."RSS. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Hip Hop Music." Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Molanphy, Chris. "Articles: I Know You Got Soul: The Trouble With Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Chart." Pitchfork. The Dissolve, 14 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Music, CLEAN. "The Weeknd : Often (CLEAN) Lyrics." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Aug. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
"Rapper's Delight." Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Rhythm and Blues." Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Sampling (music)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Dec. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
"The Sugar Hill Gang - Rapper's Delight ( HQ, Full Version )." YouTube. YouTube, 20 Oct. 2010. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"The Voice 2014 - Damien: "Soldier" (Official Music Video)." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Dec. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Trail, Paper. "Jay-Z - Heart of The City (Ain't No Love)." YouTube. YouTube, 27 Dec. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
"What Are R&B Singing Techniques? | Singing Lessons." Howcast. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Whitney, Kaycee. "What Are the Differences Between R&B & Hip-Hop Music?" EHow. Demand Media, 24 Apr. 2011. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Zonadejazz, Gus. "Louis Jordan - Buzz Me Baby." YouTube. YouTube, 29 July 2007. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Hip hop music and R&B music is all over the radio. Generally, hip hop and R&B are considered separate genres, but contemporary music is beginning to combine the two genres. How did these two styles of music come together to create a new kind of music? Like any great music, it takes time for it to develop into the form we know and love today.
Collision of Hip Hop and R&B
R&B music came first, then hip hop, both with distinct sounds: R&B sounding more jazzy and hip hop including more electronic sounds and rap. Gradually, hip hop and R&B music started to influence each other, resulting in more a more electronic sound, using machines such as auto tune. Now hip hop and R&B can be mashed together to form a larger genre of music, which has a variety of sounds and artists. The two genres have different backgrounds in terms of their influence, but also have similarities, which is why they are often grouped together. Now hip hop/R&B music makes use of synthesizers, percussion, sound effects and rap music.
R&B Music
R&B, or rhythm and blues, has experienced many changes, originating in the 1940s and most common in the African American community, R&B's lyrics often express situations of struggle and was influenced by “jazz, gospel, and blues from the 30s and 40s” (Whitney 2).
One of R&B’s first artists was Louis Jordan. He put out some of the first R&B songs in the 40s, but they sound much different than the R&B does today. It is easy to see the early influences of jazz. Take note of the instruments used in the song linked.
Louis Jordan
In the video, Jordan makes use of trumpets, saxophones, upright base, and a piano. These instruments were common in R&B music at that time. "The precursors of rhythm and blues came from jazz and blues" ( Rhythm and blues 6) and this influence can be seen in Louis Jordan's song.
Brook Benton is a good example of 50s R&B music. In his single "Some of my Best Friends", from 1955, there is an obvious change in the sound of the music. Saxophones, background vocals and a soulful sound carry the music forward as R&B music begins to transform.
Brook Benton- Some of my Best Friends
But by the 80s, R&B started to change, becoming contemporary, which we are more familiar with today. The contemporary R&B music incorporates "a polished record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, an occasional saxophone"(Contemporary R&B 1). Hip hop music and beats also began to influence the sound, yet the genres still maintained its mellow and smooth nature. A few good examples of Contemporary R&B artists are Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston (Contemporary R&B 2015).
Hip Hop Music
As for Hip hop, it originated in New York City, the South Bronx specifically, in the 1970s. It was also very popular in the African American communities and eventually became part of the culture. Hip hop was “derived from funk, disco, soul, performance poetry, and R&B” (Whitney 2011). The main concepts that are associated with hip hop are: rapping, break-dancing, and graffiti; each of these concepts influenced the culture where the music was born and continues to be associated with the current music (Hip Hop 1).
One of the first successful and popular hip hop songs was “Rappers Delight” by Sugarhill Gang. This song was extremely influential for hip hop all over the world.
Rapper's Delight- Sugarhill Gang
By the 80s, hip hop began to incorporate drum machines and sampling to create different beats. Sampling, allows artists to take part of a recording and apply it to different parts of a song, or even multiple songs. Sampling became essential to hip hop music, and gave it a more electronic sound (Sampling 1-3).
Here is an example of songs that use sampling: Music sampling examples
Hip hop continued to change. In the 90s, it was considered New School Hip Hop, which again made use of drum machines and the sound and lyrics tended to be more aggressive. Rap became more popular in the 90s as well. By the 2000s, alternative hip hop had formed, featuring artists like Kanye West and It began influencing mainstream pop and gain more popularity. Jay-Z is a good example of hip hop's growing industry. He became a very successful hip hop artist, label president, and clothing line owner (Hip hop music 2015).
Jay-Z makes use of rap, like most hip hop artists, in his song Heart of the City.
Hip hop is no longer just a genre of music, but a culture.
Differences
Because the two genres were originally two separate types of music, there are a few differences in the music. First off, R&B tends to have a smoother instrumental sound, have understandable and articulated lyrics, and the chorus is usually repeated throughout the song. In hip hop there is much less clarity in the words and lyrics, as artists tend to cut off words to fit them into a phrase. Also, the sound is more electronic than R&B. It is easy to see the influences in both of these genres, with jazz for R&B and funk and disco for hip hop (Whitney 2011).
The other difference between R&B and hip hop are the instruments used. R&B tends to use saxophones, horns, organs, electric guitars, and double bass. Hip hop makes use of synthesizers, bass, beat boxing, and turntables. Both genres generally make use of piano and drums. (Whitney 2011).
Common Themes
Some common themes in hip hop/R&B style singing and music are:
· A laid back feel
· Singing off the beat, or behind the beat
· Improvisations and riffs
· Percussion
· Rap
· Electronics
Examples:
GDFR: Flo Rida
If you listen to the songs above, you will notice the use of rap, electronics, and percussion.
Soldier: Damien
If you listen to Solider, you will notice the use of percussion, laid back style, and behind the beat style. This specific song leans more towards the gospel style of R&B.
Beyonce: 7/11
Beyonce makes use of rap, drum machines, sampling, auto tune, and an electronic sound.
The Weekend: Often
The Weekend includes drum machines for percussion, sampling, and electronics. Unlike other hip hop/R&B songs, "Often" does not use rap, rather sung vocals. The Weekend leans more towards an R&B group than hip hop.
Today, there are many current artists that are considered hip hop/R&B such as: The Weekend, Beyonce, Chris Brown, and Iggy Azalea, Rhihanna, Flo Rida, and Kanye West. You may enjoy these artists if you enjoy what you have learned and heard so far!
Current Discussions/Controversy
When discussing the changes in modern day music, according to sources such as Pitchfork and Student Pulse, hip hop/R&B is under harsh social eye. Because hip hop/R&B historically has been most popular with African American artists and listeners, and now there are growing numbers of Caucasian artists, there is controversy over what should be considered hip hop/ R&B. There is discussion on whether or not “a chart devoted to black-derived music should be dominated by white acts most of the time” (Molanphy 3).
While race is an important factor in hip hop/R&B music, it is not the only one (Molanphy 2014). Culture is always essential to a genre's roots, but the sound of the music, old or modern, must be taken into consideration. If a song fits in the characteristics of a hip hop/R&B songs, then that is exactly what it is, regardless of who the artist is. For example, Mackelmore dominated the charts for 5 months as a Caucasian male rapper (Molanphy 2014) and his race should not discredit his music. While this is a touchy topic, it is important to the world of music and artists of all genres. It is important to acknowledge a genre's background, but a genre should not be limited because of this.
In summary:
· R&B originated in the 40s and was influenced by jazz, gospel, and blues music.
· Hip hop music originated in the 70s and was influenced by funk, disco, soul, performance poetry, and R&B music.
· R&B music uses brass instruments, electric guitars and double basses, while hip hop uses more synthesizers, bass, beat boxing, and turntables. Both genres use piano and drums.
· Hip hop and R&B started to collide and formed a new style of music that combines the unique styles and nuances of hip hop and R&B.
· Hip hop/R&B makes use of a more electronic sound, using auto-tune and different sound effects
· Hip hop/R&B tends to include a variety of types of songs and artists
· Some 21st century artists include: Rhihanna, The Weekend, Beyonce, Flo Rida, Chris Brown, Iggy Azalea, and Nikki Minaj.
Works Cited:
Allen-Price, Olivia. "Music Sampling Examples." YouTube. YouTube, 22 Nov. 2008. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
"Brook Benton." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Feb. 2015. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
Brown, Johnny. "Brook Benton. Some Of My Best Friends." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
"Contemporary R&B."Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Dean, DJ Michael. "GDFR (Completely Clean Mix) by Flo Rida." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Nov. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Hip Hop."Oxford Music Online. 6 June 2006. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Hip-Hop Is for Everybody: Examining the Roots and Growth of Hip-Hop."RSS. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Hip Hop Music." Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Molanphy, Chris. "Articles: I Know You Got Soul: The Trouble With Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Chart." Pitchfork. The Dissolve, 14 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Music, CLEAN. "The Weeknd : Often (CLEAN) Lyrics." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Aug. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
"Rapper's Delight." Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Rhythm and Blues." Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"Sampling (music)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Dec. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
"The Sugar Hill Gang - Rapper's Delight ( HQ, Full Version )." YouTube. YouTube, 20 Oct. 2010. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
"The Voice 2014 - Damien: "Soldier" (Official Music Video)." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Dec. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Trail, Paper. "Jay-Z - Heart of The City (Ain't No Love)." YouTube. YouTube, 27 Dec. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
"What Are R&B Singing Techniques? | Singing Lessons." Howcast. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Whitney, Kaycee. "What Are the Differences Between R&B & Hip-Hop Music?" EHow. Demand Media, 24 Apr. 2011. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Zonadejazz, Gus. "Louis Jordan - Buzz Me Baby." YouTube. YouTube, 29 July 2007. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.