How to Be a Hip Hop Fan
Hip hop is one of the most vital and fastest growing forms of popular music in the world today. If you enjoy hip hop and would like to know more about being a fan, read on.
[edit] Steps
- Listen to a wide variety of hip hop music to get a sense of the wide variety of hip hop in the world today. As a hip hop fan you should get to know some of these categories (among others):
- Old School - Old school hip hop typically refers to the hip hop or rap music of the late 1970s to the late 1980s. Some prominent artists to seek out: Eric B and Rakim; EPMD; Slick Rick; Doug E Fresh; Big Daddy Kane; Afrika Bamabaataa.
- Gangster - Gangster Rap refers to hip hop that describes and often sensationalizes the exploits of street gangs and drug dealers. Some prominent gangster rappers: N.W.A., Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z.
- Southern hip hop - Prominent artists include: Outkast, Lil John, Three-Six Mafia, Ying Tang Twins.
- Conscious hip hop - Known for being more positive in nature than much of hip hop and focused on social or cultural issues. Prominent artists include: Tribe Called Quest, Fort Minor, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common.
- International hip hop flavors - Many parts of the world have vibrant hip hop scenes. Check out hip hop from Paris, Latin America and the Carribean (Reggaeton), London (Grime), and other genres.
- Read to learn about the history of hip hop. Some things to learn about:
- The earliest days: MCs "toasting" over dub records in Jamaica and Kool Herc's block parties in the Bronx
- Grandmaster Flash and other DJ innovators
- Run DMC, the Beastie Boys, and the rise of hip hop as a commercial force in the 80s
- The rise of gangster rap and the East Coast-West Coast feud of the 1990s
- Understand that hip hop refers to more than just the music. Hip hop is also about break dancing (B-boying), graffiti writing, and DJing.
- Take your time to find what you enjoy; not every style of hip hop will suit every listener.
[edit] Tips
- A great way to learn about hip hop is to find a good record store and get recommendations from the employees there.
- Find online forums and participate in discussions; this will allow you to interact with serious fans and learn about new artists.
- Seek out underground and new acts to see what is new and innovative.
