Elements of Hip Hop

What are the elements of hip hop?

Rapping, Djing, Graffiti and break-dance. These are what you associate with hip hop. Rapping is about making your lyrics rhythm. Other names for Rapping are Mcing, Rhyme spitting and Emceeing. It is a type of poetry that can be used to express oneself. One can express oneself through lyrics that rhythm. One can express oneself about how they live their life.

Djing, woes not invented by hip hop but rather became a part of it. A DJ can use two turn tables at once to make ordered beats to the ear. Early DJs include Grandmaster Flash, DJ Scratch from EPMD DJ Scott La Rock from the well known Boogie Down Productions stable. Jam Master Jay and Run DMC and Mantronics are also highly well respected in the DJ ring.

Graffiti was and still is used as a form of expression by activists whether political or not. Many gangs also use graffiti to express power and dominance between each other. The gangs were of different races, color and creed and of all walks of life. The rise of the Hip Hop culture saw the rise of the graffiti culture. An agreement between gangs was that if you passed by a particular graffiti then you would have passed into a particular territory and the question is how will you tread in that piece of land. How you tread will determine if you come out alive and to much extent your reputation with other territory gangs.

The Elements of hip hop also see breakdancing or B-Boying or indeed B-girling. This is an highly skilful dance routine that makes use of most parts of the body as an expression. The South Bronx was where it was at and did it spread. The Zulu Kings Crew were one of the early adopters of the breakdancing. The B-Boppers would spin on their head, spin on their hands stretching out their legs. There would be an audience and a time for one to make a name for oneself. Nuff Respect!