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Hip-hop: Worldwide Music
By Shadeed Eleazer
2005.12.02
Hip-hop is a worldwide phenomenon that started in New York City and has spread worldwide to include many different cultures and civilizations. The rise of international hip hop has resulted in hip hop music recorded in the native tongue of that particular country. No longer is hip hop a strictly American artform.
The early influences of hip hop can be traced to the griots of Western Africa, singers and poets that had unique elements that would later evolve into hip-hop music. As Africans came into the New World and were settled in the United States, United Kingdom, and Caribbean, many of the traditions were intact. Hip hop's major influence was in Jamaican dub music, which is an offshoot of reggae which showed up around the 1960's timeframe. Pioneers of the dub sound such as King Tubby noticed that the crowd within the club responded to the isolated beats of the records, which were later known as instrumentals. The hosts of the club or party would begin to speak over the instrumentals which lead to many of the hosts becoming popular as a result. DJ Kool Herc, a Jamaican immigrant, imported the dub sound to New York City and began playing parties on the streets, parks, and community centers throughout the Bronx, New York area.
Kool Herc eventually switched from reggae records to funk, rock, and disco records. It was discovered that dancers liked the extended breakdown percussion of the records, and DJ techniques were used to extend the breakdown so that the percussion could be heard for longer periods of time to keep the party moving. Kids who danced to the breakdown section were known as B-Boys. The B-Boy scene was highly competitive and many different styles were put on the dancefloor. A major influence to breakdancing is old kung-fu movies. Many dancers would copy the moves they saw in the movies and perform them to the breaks. Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash started mixing two copies of the same record to make the breaks last longer. This was accompanied by scratching and stylistic moves to extend the music further.
There are many movies that capture hip hop?s beginning stages. Style Wars is a documentary of the graffiti scene that was very popular during the 70?s and 1980?s in New York City. Wild Style also features many of hip-hop earliest stars during that timeframe.
Today?s hip hop music is different in many ways from the sound and culture that made hip-hop popular. Countries such as Japan and Germany and many other countries throughout Europe have maintained the major elements of hip-hop which are breakdancing, graffiti, the DJ, and the MC. In Japan it is still very common to see young kids breakdancing in Yokohama and Tokyo. The DMC competition is held every year in Tokyo, Japan to determine who is the best DJ.
Japanese hip-hop has many pioneers and artists that have become international stars. DJ Krush Krush was born in Tokyo in 1962 and was fascinated with Japan?s club music/hip hop scene while in his late teens. He formed the legendary group Krush Posse in 1987, which quickly became Japan?s best hip hop crew. Krush Possee was involved with hip-hop before it became popular in Japan. Krush later went solo after the group broke up in 1992, and he focused his sights and goals on the international club scene.
Perhaps Krush?s best overall effort is his 2001 album, Zen. Zen was named Best Electronica Album at the 2002 AIFM Awards. Krush Posse also started the career of legendary Japanese MC Muro as well.
DJ Honda is Japan?s biggest international hip hop star to this day. It was only a matter of time before Japanese hip hop scene produced an international star. Honda moved to Tokyo at the age 17 to follow his dream of playing in an American rock band. He first band was called, "Clique" and he played guitar and back-up vocals. The band wasn?t doing too good so he started DJing in a small city nearby.It was during this time he was introduced to hip hop music and the different techniques made famous by the legendary Grandmaster Flash. He began to make a name for himself and has never look back since.
He began to DJ gigs at Tokyo?s largest clubs and started remixing popular songs for local record companies. He began building relationships with influential people such as Afrika Bambaata and many other artists who would later appear on his first LP. Honda?s first self-titled album was released worldwide in 1996. It featured groundbreaking hip-hop group Gangstarr, Brand Nubian?s Sadat X and Grand Puba, The Beatnuts, Fat Joe, Common, and Biz Markie. DJ Honda?s second album featured De La Soul, Cuban Link, and KRS-One. Mos Def?s Travelin? Man actually made the Billboard charts.
DJ Honda started his own independent record label called DJ Honda Recordings. DJ Honda Recordings has three offices worldwide. Flare for fashion, a keen eye for design & art and his affinity with music into one gallery space. DJ Honda has shown that hip-hop is multi-cultural because he is using the artform of hip hop to unite many cultures.
In Japan, Brooklyn, NY native DJ Spinna has worked with DJ Krush, Shina Jupei, Shaka Zombie, Soul Scream, Tiger and platinum recording artist Double. In June 1999, Heavy Beats, Volume 1 was released on Rawkus Records. The album featured collaborations with Beatnuts, Black Attack, Apani B the Fly Emcee, and Thirstin Howell III. The single entitled Rock is a classic overseas and has rocked many clubs in Asia and Europe remains a dance floor classic throughout Europe and Japan.
Hip-hop may have started on the streets and in parties in New York, but with the popularization of hip-hop, it quickly expanded to many cultures and lifestyles and has become the voice of the youth worldwide.