We looked at hip-hop through several lenses, considering essential elements, historical milestones, influences, and analyses and rankings of artists, albums, and songs. We also performed our own data analysis of decades of hip-hop lyrics to identify prominent terms and trends, including the first instances of slang and Hip Hop other words in lyrics.
Hip Hop World Hip Hop
ORIGINS AND THE OLD SCHOOL Although widely considered a synonym for rap music, the term hip-hop refers to a complex culture comprising four elements: deejaying , or “turntabling”; rapping, also known as “MCing” or “rhyming”; graffiti painting, also known as “graf ” or “writing”; and “B-boying,” which encompasses hip-hop dance, style, and attitude, along with the sort of virile body language that philosopher Cornel West described hip-hop movement began at society’s margins, its origins are shrouded in myth, enigma, and obfuscation. Graffiti and break dancing, the aspects of the culture that first caught public attention, had the least lasting effect. Reputedly, the graffiti movement was started about 1972 by a Greek American teenager who signed, or “tagged,” Taki 183 (his name and street, 183rd Street) on walls throughout the New York City subway system. were displaying graffiti in major galleries. New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority responded with dogs, barbed-wire fences, paint-removing acid baths, and undercover police squads.he beginnings of the dancing, rapping, and deejaying components of hiphop were bound together by the shared environment in which these art forms evolved. The first major hiphop deejay was DJ Kool Herc (Clive Campbell), as “postural semantics.” (A fifth element, “knowledge of self/consciousness,” is sometimes added to the list of hip-hop elements, particularly by socially conscious hip-hop artists and scholars.) Hip-hop originated in the predominantly African American economically depressed South Bronx section of New York City in the late 1970s. As the By 1975 youths in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn were stealing into train yards under cover of darkness to spray-paint colourful mural-size renderings of their names, imagery from underground comics and television, and even Andy Warhol-like Campbell’s soup cans onto the sides of subway cars. Soon, influential art dealers in the United States, Europe, and Japan an 18-year-old immigrant who introduced the huge sound systems of his native Jamaica to inner-city parties. Using two turntables, he melded percussive fragmentsrom older records with popular dance songs to create a continuous flow of music.
Let’s explore the extensive impact of Hip Hop has on everyday language & slang. The Impact of Hip-hop on Language and Slang Hip-hop Language Ever since the arrival of hip-hop on the music scene, it has influenced more than a few parts of life and society. Hip-hop has had a clear influence in dance, fashion, sports, and several other things. One other major part of life influenced by hip-hop is language. There can be no doubt that rap and hip-hop have heavily affected our way of speaking English. We’ve adopted jargon after jargon into our speech, so much that some people have cried out against hip-hop. Their argument is that hip-hop is causing a massive deterioration in our ability to learn and use English properly. The opposing argument is that hip-hop has its own language and won’t be the same if it’s stripped away. So should hip-hop be restricted to proper English or does it have its own language? Can you remember the first time you ever tried ta bit. Hip-hop rap comes with its own jargons anmodified. Much of this lingo is derived from theAmerican neighborhoods.As hip-hop grew moreinto other countries, even other continents. Andno one cared. Hip-hop had its own language, an
to follow the lyrics to a random hip-hop song? Chances are you probably struggled with the words and grammar nd lingo. New words are formed, regular ones are given new meanings, and the normal grammar structures are e African American vernacular English, which is logical when you consider that hip-hop was invented in African e and more popular, this vernacular English spread wider. Before long, hip-hop had crossed the American border d with hip-hop came the language. Whenever anyone would point out the obvious grammatical errors in hip-hop nd it wasn’t at the mercy of any English textbooks.
Why Is Hip hop So Un
grammatical?
Fans watch Kanye West during “The Donda Experience” listening party at Soldier Field on Aug. 26, 2021, in Chicago.
We tend to forget that rap isn’t the only form of art that disobeys conventional rules. I find this funny because even standard poetry does not follow the rules of grammar. I agree that hip-hop takes it a step further, but art hardly ever follows the rules anyway. It’s Art
Kendrick Lamar performed “Savior” on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage.
It’s spoken art Rap is not just art, it’s spoken art. That’s a whole other level of disregard for grammar because our spoken English is heavily flawed. For many writers, there’s been a shift from using ofWficial tones and impeccable English to making content as easy to understand as possible by writing in your speaking voice. Rap started out like that. These young, African American rappers wrote their verses exactly the way they would’ve said them.
It’s the language of their primary audience It’s massive all over the world today, but when hiphop started, it was only a means of expression. The original audience for hip-hop artists happened to be their own people, African Americans. They made music for an audience fluent in African American vernacular, so why not use it too? Rap isn’t ungrammatical only because that’s how the rappers talk, but also because that’s what their original audience understood.
It’s anti-establishment Rap is a form of art, but don’t forget that it started primarily as part of a bigger anti-establishment movement. And correct grammar is the establishment for rap as a literary art form. So when a hiphop rapper refuses to stick to correct English, it’s a way of showing defiance and refusing to bend to the norm.
To avoid legal trouble If you read about hip-hop history before, you know that the early days were full of violence. And I don’t mean the figurative type we hear from most rappers today, I mean real violence. In the early days, many rappers broke the law in several ways, and they would rap about it. Instead of setting themselves up for trouble, they would just use different words to express themselves.
Hip Hop slang makes use of different pronunciation and portmanteau (invented words). It tends to cancel out certain verbs, usually “is/are”, called deletion of verbal copula. For example, he workin. Nonetheless, would it be fair to call it a “lazy grammar”? If so, then you must think that Arabic and Mandarin also use lazy grammar. Plus, in the first verse of “Middle Child”, the remote present perfect marker is largely observed. It indicates that not only something is the case, and not only it is completed.
J.cole
Lazy grammar in the first verse of Middle Child.J.Cole Lazy grammar “ The real ones been dying” ( Standard English: The True Friends continue to die ) Those aren’t the only grammatical features that dif - fer f r o m t h e S t a n d a r d E n g l i s h : t h e d o u b l e n e g a t i v e , b y example “Now I ain’t do no promo” (Standard English: I’m not doing promotions anymore ) T o s u m m a r i z e , H i p H o p m u s i c m a k e s u s e o f A A V E , encouraging the “Ebony” prescriptive grammar..
figurative language in hip hop In literature, figurative language is used to color our writing and to engage readers in a creative tone. In Hip-Hop music, hyperboles, and metaphors are very present, especially back in the ’90s. Rappers like Big L, in the ’90s, enjoyed incorporating similes in their songs. Whereas, as music evolved, today more onomatopoeia and repetition are used to set an exciting mood. internal rhyme imagery,repetition
Shine bright like a diamond Shine bright like a diamond Find light in the beautiful sea, I choose to be happy You and I, you and I, were like diamonds in the sky You’re a shooting star I see, a vision of ecstasy When you hold me, Im alive… In the phrase ‘You’re a shooting star I see’ there is a metaphor. A person is compared to a shooting star without using like or as. The very first line has a simile. The singer is comparing a person’s character (shine) to a diamond’s brightness.There is a repetition of ‘shine bright like a diamond’ several times. In the phrase, ‘As we moonshine and molly’, the sound of /m/ is an alliteration. ‘When you hold me, I am alive’; it is a hyperbole because of exaggeration. Diamond – Rihanna
Ice ice baby Ice ice baby… Bum rush the speaker that booms I’m killin’ your brain like a poisonous mushroom You better gain way You better hit bull’s eye The kid don’t play Onomatopoeia is here because the line, ‘bum rush the speakers that boom’, has the sound of a speaker playing music. In verse, ‘you better gain way, you better hit bull’s eye’, the sound of /y/ is repeated. Hence the ‘y’ sound is a consonance. In the same line, the imagery (hearing) can also be found. Later in the line, ‘too cold, Too cold’, there is imagery and repetition of the phrase. In ‘your brain like a poisonous mushroom’ the singer has used a simile. He compared his brain to a poisonous mushroom. Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
Since the first kick flip he landed Labeled a misfit a bandit cucump cucump cucump… So he kick push kick push kick push kick push coast… My man got a little older became a better a roller Yea no helmet hell he’ll end up killing himself In the phrase, ‘cucump cucump cucump’ is an onomatopoeia, where the singer has described the sound of the skateboard. The sound of /h/ is alliteration in ‘Yea no helmet hell he’ll end up killing himself’. Skateboarding and also the entire song is an extended metaphor for life challenges. The repetition of the line ‘he kick push kick push kick push kick push coast…’ is a dominating in the whole song. Kick push – Methew Chacrellah
W Simile? What is the DiffSo what is a simile? What is a metaphor? When writing your rap lines, you’re going to want to use similes and metaphors. Listen to any rap song and you’ll hear the artist comparing something they are describing to something else – something unconnected. They are relatively commonplace terms so you might be embarrassed to ask, “what’s a metaphor?” or “what’s a simile?” Never fear, you’ve come to the right place. The difference between metaphor and simile is slight but important to understand. Simile is a comparison that uses the word “like” or the word “as.” This comparison is usually between things that are different from each other. Metaphor is a description that uses the word “is.” It is a description that implies comparison by describing one thing as something else. The connections created by similes and metaphors are usually clever or insightful, revealing more information about the situation of describing it more fully for the listener. If you’re confused, don’t worry – it’s confusing! In rap, artists usually use words that have more than one meaning as the first part of the simile. Then, they use the second meaning of the word to link it to another word as a comparison. Similes can be simple or more complex. Here is an example: “I’m high like a kite.” So let’s break it down: The word high can have two meanings: 1) on drugs or 2) literally up in the air. In this simile, you are saying you’re high, as in on drugs. Then, you are using the word like to make a comparison. Finally, you are using the second meaning of high, as in literally up in the air, with the word kite. Kites are most commonly found up in the air. There are two different words used to describe comparisons in songs and writing: simile and metaphor. This article will teach you how to tell them apart and write them for yourself. Let’s start with simile. What does simile mean?
ference Between Metaphor? In rap, artists usually use metaphor when they want to make a stronger point. A metaphor usually seems more intense because you are using the word “is” to compare something to something else. In other words, you’re explaining one thing by saying it’s something completely different. That’s more extreme than just comparing something to something else. Here is an example: “my heart is broken.” Let’s break it down: A heart is an organ made up of muscles and tissue that powers the body. It can stop, but it can’t break. However, when something is broken, it doesn’t work. If your heart is feeling so bad it doesn’t work anymore, this is the metaphor you’d use. The metaphor is a little bit more direct than a simile. For instance, if you wanted to rewrite this example as a simile, you could say, “my heart is like something broken.” Doesn’t really have the same weight to it, does it? Metaphor will make your comparisons more intense. Still not understanding the difference between simile and metaphor? Here’s another way to think about it. A simile compares two things by relating them to each other. A simile describes something by comparing it to something else. A metaphor compares two things by linking them directly to each other. A metaphor describes one thing as something else. A simile is a more indirect way of making a comparison, while metaphor directly compares two things by claiming one is the other. Here are lots of other examples of the difference between simile and metaphor. Let’s move on to metaphor. What does metaphor mean?
Wat it do – Hello hood – n.- neighborhood dog -n.- a close and trusted friend Who am is – Who am i cheese – n.- money Papi – The drug connect White Lady – Cocaine Mo’ Fo’ -n.- motherfucker wifey – girlfriend marinate -v.- chill, relax fly – adj.- cool, 24/7 – all day hustle bent – adj.- intoxicated pig -n.- police officer kicks – sneakers chillax -v.- relaxing scrilla -n.- money L dog – a Lincoln Timbs – Timberland boots 211 – robbery 187- homicide cookies – crack cocaine baller -n.- a high-roller boi – heroin green – marijuana ice -n.- diamonds Big Face – 100 Dollar Bill biscuit – n.- gun, pistol
ENGLISH WORDS WITH CHANGED MEANINGS When music rap was invented, the English lexicon significantly changed. Understanding the world of rap and hip-hop music can be a challenge without the proper terminology.This guide aims to familiarize you with the important vocabulary associated with this rich and varied music genre. Surely, these words can be found with the same spelling in any English dictionary. However, in hip hop music they are used as slang words and are given an alternate meaning, forming their own dictionary.
Welcome to hip hop slang dictionary A-Z Did you know?
Welcome to hip hop slang dictionary A
Aa Did you know? audi 5000 all that and a bag of chips If you’re unfamiliar with automotive history , you might think that someone claiming to be “ Audi 5000 “ meant that they’d be leaving in high performance style , Alpines cranked and windows tinted . But if that’s what the phrase actually meant , you’d say something like “ Im Audi Quattro , “ or maybe “ I’m Audi RS 2 Avant “ if it was 1994 and you were into high - performance station wagons ( People like that usually refer to them as “ estates “ and are overall just kind of weird . ) The 5000 was a product of Audi’s “ slightly more upscale than VW “ days , and there was a major design flaw that led to what is known as “ sudden ) unintended acceleration , “ or in layman’s terms , “ the accelerator and brake pedals not being far enough apart and whoops what the fuck “ . This means that anyone who was really Audi 5000 was caught up in the unexpected and unwanted obligation to go like hell when they’d rather stay put . This example of solid wordplay turned outdated once Audi got that whole “ Truth in Engineering “ thing down , and “ Tm 2009 Toyota Corolla “ just doesn’t have the same ring -Nate Patrin used to describe something that is meritorious beyond belief Like , actually so good . Aa Did you know? audi 5000 all that and a bag of chips If you’re unfamiliar with automotive history , you might think that someone claiming to be “ Audi 5000 “ meant that they’d be leaving in high performance style , Alpines cranked and windows tinted . But if that’s what the phrase actually meant , you’d say something like “ Im Audi Quattro , “ or maybe “ I’m Audi RS 2 Avant “ if it was 1994 and you were into high - performance station wagons ( People like that usually refer to them as “ estates “ and are overall just kind of weird . ) The 5000 was a product of Audi’s “ slightly more upscale than VW “ days , and there was a major design flaw that led to what is known as “ sudden ) unintended acceleration , “ or in layman’s terms , “ the accelerator and brake pedals not being far enough apart and whoops what the fuck “ . This means that anyone who was really Audi 5000 was caught up in the unexpected and unwanted obligation to go like hell when they’d rather stay put . This example of solid wordplay turned outdated once Audi got that whole “ Truth in Engineering “ thing down , and “ Tm 2009 Toyota Corolla “ just doesn’t have the same ring -Nate Patrin used to describe something that is meritorious beyond belief Like , actually so good . used to describe something that is meritorious beyond belief Like , actually so good .
Aa Did you know? all as if ace aight ak ar - 15 all that assed out used in place of “ like . “ You know , “ She was all .. and he was all ... “ It really gets the point accross used to describe something that is meritorious beyond belief Like , actually so good . translation : I don’t think so buddy ! Funny how one movie could bless us with one of the most known 90s slang phrases ever best friend , main man , a person who has someones back , or protection or who will go clown for their friend or crew short for “ all right “ , everything is cool , or a way of saying something is not great , and not bad , but in the middle ak 47 gas - operated assault rifle . AR - 15 is a lightweight , magazine - fed , air - cooled autoloading centerfire rifle . you think you hot , or the hottest , or the coolest Lost out , lost out on something , or your fucked . meaning you blew it or your doomed . example : that kid got caught at the wrong place and the wrong time , he’s assed out .
Did you know? B
Bb B baby mama / baby daddy back / back up bail banger bank baller beef benjamins benz An east cost term short for brother , or bro example : whats up B a person you had a child with 1. booty , but nice looking round butt 2. crew , people that will defend you and back you up in a situation to leave , or go , short for out on bail . example : we had fun at the party but now i gotta bail out knife or sharp weapon money , cash 1. ghetto term for money makers in the hood , be it by legal or illegal activites . 2. term for street basketball player serious trouble with an individual , or group , or gang . example : i cant stand that dude , me and him got beef over that girl $ 100 bills , that has benjamin franklins face on it . short for mercedez benz Did you know?
Bb biscuit blew it up / blew up the spot back / back up blunted bolo bomb boogie down / south boogie booya break it down another word for bun when a hip hop crew gives a great performance that leaves the crowd screaming high off marijuana rolled in a cigar erm used to describe a whild punch that was invented by famous boxer kid chocolate and used by sugar ray leonard example : if me and that kid fight , im throwing bolos 1. a graffiti rampage on trains and walls , where you try and flood as many tags and throw ups as possible . 2. when fighting to throw as many big punches as to end the fight quick slang for the bronx , boogie down bronx . 1. sound of a shot gun blast 2. used as an exclamation point 3. name of a west coast samoan gangsta rap group 1. to dissect a knowledge situation or concept , and explain it in a simple format 2. to get down in any aspect of culture , especially dacne Did you know?
Bb buggin bust / bus buck / buck wild bum rush butt / booty bounce bout it bugg’n bent bird acting silly 1. to take action or fight / hit / punch / shoot a gun 2. to dance or get down 1. to shoot someone , or at someone 2. to get crazy or violent towards someone 1. when a crew or group of people rush the door or gates of a party without paying 2. a person getting jumped / beat up by a group of people 1. someones ass 2. when someone , someones skills or something is not good or is lacking used to announce an imminent departure a terminology emanating from hip - hop culture of the 90s indicating that one is “ down for anything “ used to express concern about someone who is probably freaking out about something that doesnt need to be freaked out over intoxicated girl Did you know?
Bb bitch blunt blunted boo bugged out bumpin burner bust busted biscuit besides the usual meanings , the phrase “ my bitch can simply mean “ my girl . “ hen applied to males , it is an insult meaninf coward , sissy .. punk etc. a cigar used as a joint , filled with marijuana instead of tobacco same meaning as ‘ stoned ‘ , but specifically the intoxication from smoking a blunt . affectionate term for one’s significant other acting weird , unorthodox , or upset etc. cool , pleasurable , to ones liking gun perform / do example : bust a rhyme = rapping a rhyme ugly caught doing a crime gun , pistol Did you know?
Did you know ? At the tender age of 12 , famous Hip Hop artist and producer Jay Z shot his older brother over a stolen ring Did you know?
Did you know? C
Cc cap capped cheese / cheddar chill chillin cold coolin crab crib chin check chips chrome chucks clock , clockin bullet shot money 1. relax , keep cool 2. relaxed , alright relaxing tight , good , nice and sometimes mean relaxing , being comfortable a derogatory term used by factions of the blood gang to refer to crip gang members place of residence ( refers to MTV cribs ) punch someone in the chin / face referring to casino chips , money , cash 1. Guns 2. chrome car rims short for chuck taylor converse all star sneakers killin time Did you know?
Cc cipher clown walkin cop crab / crab bitch crackin crew crooklyn cut up refers to a circle of people where me’s battle and freestyle new young hip hop dance style , uses alot footwork to buy , orginally a term for buying drugs example : i’m going down to the spot and cop me a dime bag a person who has nothing to show for him / herself , and still likes to talk shit whats happening a group of people who work together for a common cause lang for brooklyn refers to getting down , dancing example : poppin pete was cutting up last night Did you know?
Cc Did you know ? Fetty Wap’s disfigured left eye is the result of an injury he sustained during his childhood . Did you know?
Did you know? D
Dd dime dip doggy dope down dead presidents deep def digits dime a very attractive woman leave close friend cool , appearling with it , or willing to take part paper money a serious situation . example , that kid got shot in the head , shit that was deep old school term for something great phone number 1. hag of weed 2. a snitch 3. a way to tell someone to call you 4. bo derricks move ten , a perfect woman Did you know?
Dd dome / dome piece don dope do or die down low / D.L down by law dozens drop science a persons head , usuallt referring to fighting and punching someone in the head spanish and italian word for god father , or person of great respect 1. another word for someone or something great 2. drugs slang for bedstuy brooklyn 1. to keep something quiet , to protect a secret 2. to lay low and not be seen for a while because of a situation an old school term for a person who is certified , or who has great credentials , great repoir in the streets a back and forth game of making fun or cach others mothers , family , disabilities , this is no holds bar jokes where people get their feelings hurt but you have to suck it up . to teach someone street knowledge to other people , knowledge of self . Did you know?