|
Hip Hop, as a genre of music, culture and way of life has been evolving since its beginnings in the late 1970s. Hip Hop is essentially the appropriation of many other genres of music, produced usually in four-four or two-four time, most commonly with a bass drum on the first beat and a snare on the second. The four elements of hip hop are ‘rapping and free-styling', ‘mixing and scratching', ‘breaking and dancing', and ‘graffiti and street arts'.
One of the most integral parts in the hip hop culture is the music. It provides the sound track to a gritty, urban-based way of life. However, the music is diverse and location-sensitive, meaning that different forms and sub-genres of hip hop evolve in different areas around the world. From ‘gangsta-rap' to ‘OZ-hip hop' to the ‘garage' and ‘jungle' styles born in the UK, there is a common bond which all these sub-genres share. This bond is the use of samples and catchy appropriations of past material to create new music. Sampling is at the heart of most hip hop backing-tracks, and where original music is written, its influences are from jazz, funk, rock and other forms of hip hop in such a way that it can be seen as a sort of sampling. The appropriation of past music or speech to enrich hip hop music is one of the reasons hip hop appeals to so many people around the globe. Scanning the course of hip hop's growth over the last three decades, we can see a pattern in some of the hit songs, and the catchy sampling that adds to the music.
I'd like to give two international and three Australian examples of where a certain sample or sound has enriched a hip hop track:
Cypress Hill had a monster hit in the early 1990s from the Black Sunday album, called "Insane in the Brain" in which they used a number of samples, the most famous of which is used on the fourth beat of the four-four time track, and sounds like a pitched-up horse sample. This sample is arguably one of the most famous samples in the history of hip hop and not surprisingly, that song was the first hip hop track to hold onto the number one spot on the U.S. charts.
Another international act who shared the upper echelons of hip hop's finest is the timeless trio, The Beastie Boys. Their song "Intergalactic" fused hip hop with video game music to create a dynamic hip hop sound. While the voice modulated chorus of Beastie Boys' "Intergalactic" is not technically a sample which has been appropriated, it acts in much the same way. A catchy chorus breaks up the verses of the three MCs, and gives Beastie Boys fans something to sing along to.
Australian Hip Hop is a relatively new contender amongst the array of other hip hop sub-genres. Of course, many Oz-hip-hoppers have been rapping, and making music since the golden days of hip hop, but it is only recently, that hip hop artists in Australia have had some mainstream success. It is the dream of most hip hop artists to acquire a large underground fan-base but the reality is that, eventually if you aren't making money out of your art, you have to get a day job. For some this isn't true, as hip hop is more like a hobby or pass-time, but for others hip hop is their career and their way of life. Some of these include Adelaide's premier hip hop outfit, The Hilltop Hoods whose album "The Calling" broke the mould, and extended the possibilities for an Aussie hip hop act. Others include Downsyde, The Herd, Bliss N Eso, and TZU. All of whom represent their own styles of OZ Hip Hop.
One of the reasons for the Hilltop Hoods' success is their song "Nosebleed Section", from their album, "The Calling" in which they utilised the voice of Australian singer, Melanie Safka for their chorus. The voice has been pitch-shifted because it was sped up to fit the tempo of the hip hop song, but other than that is unchanged. This song earned the Hilltop Hoods ninth spot on the Triple J's hottest one hundred for 2003. The sampled chorus fits beautifully with the timing and tone of the rapping in the song.
|
|
Another type of sample used is one which is less musical than a sound or a singing voice, but just as effective in some cases. At the start of The Herd's song "77 %", from the Elephant Never Forgets album, they utilise samples from Australian politicians and commentators which represent their theory that most Australians are racist. Just before the opening line of the song the last sample is a comment from Australia's Prime Minister on Australia's attitude towards refugees and the ‘Tampa Crisis' where he says, "I wish this problem were not ours". This is the most poignant statement in the cleverly put constructed array of samples leading to that final comment followed by the hard hitting verses passionately pleading with Australians to "wake up".
Downsyde, Western Australia's heavy hitters in the world of Hip Hop, had similar success with their song "El Questro". This song also has multiple samples, including scratching samples from DJ Armee. The main hook in this song, however, was the chorus which had female vocals willing fans to join downside in their party atmosphere. Downsyde are definitely influenced by Latin music in this song and even use the same sample as Cypress Hill at the start of the song.
Hip Hop music would not stand out from the genres it appropriates without the help of samples and sound grabs. It is an art form in itself and it is obvious that when samples are chosen and used wisely to provide a rap track with a punchy chorus or catchy sample, they can make a rap song into a hip hop hit.
Listen to these tracks at the following locations;
Cypress Hill, Insane in the Brain - http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/CypressHill/
Beastie Boys, Intergalactic - http://www.myspace.com/beastieboys
Hilltop Hoods, Nosebleed Section - http://www.myspace.com/hilltophoods
The Herd, 77% - http://www.elefanttraks.com
Downsyde, El Questro - http://www.downsyde.com.au/
Also check out DJ Wasabi's Top 5 Skratch Records;
|
