Hip Hop

Putting The Science Into Music

Hip Hop developed in the Bronx during the 1970s through block parties, community events and the creative work of Black and Latino young people. The culture brought together DJing, MCing, breakdancing and graffiti, with music built from the percussion breaks of funk, soul and disco records.

DJ Kool Herc helped establish the foundation by extending instrumental breaks with two turntables, so dancers could move for longer. Grandmaster Flash advanced mixing and turntable techniques, while Afrika Bambaataa helped organise the culture and connect the music to a broader community identity.

MCs initially introduced DJs, encouraged dancers and delivered short rhythmic phrases over the music. Rap gradually became more structured, and recorded releases from the late 1970s carried Hip Hop beyond local parties and into the commercial music industry.

During the 1980s, drum machines, samplers and scratching changed the sound of Hip Hop production. Artists including Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Eric B. & Rakim and Boogie Down Productions expanded its lyrical, musical and political range.

The 1990s brought major regional and stylistic growth through East Coast Hip Hop, West Coast Hip Hop, Southern Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Gangsta Rap, Jazz Rap and Hardcore Hip Hop. Producers drew on Funk, Soul, Jazz, Reggae, Rock and electronic music, while rappers developed increasingly varied flows and forms of storytelling.

Hip Hop later became a global culture with strong local scenes across Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and other regions. The category now includes a wide range of Rap and beat-led music while keeping its roots in DJ culture, rhythm, sampling, community expression and the creative reuse of recorded sound.

At Scientific Sound Asia, hip hop is a defining feature of Mixtape Addict, with further appearances on Boom Bap Show, Basement Soul and Roots.