The ROOTS of RAP

Kherson College of Economy Journalism and Law 2012 Project made by Alexander Vershina Group 402 Teacher : Ludmila Vitvitska

Many people think rap music is a fad which they hope will go away. However, it has been around for over 20 years. To understand it, you need to know about 'Hip Hop' culture. This includes graffiti, break dancing and the attitude and dress of the people of this sub-culture. Everything points to the Bronx area in New York City as the origin of Hip Hop.

The Bronx underwent major changes in the 1960s. Enormous apartment buildings were built for the growing population and these soon turned into slums. Well-off middle-class people moved out of the area and poor black and Hispanic families moved in. Crime, drug addiction and unemployment were big problems. Young people formed street gangs, such as the Black Spades, and many future rappers were gang members at some time in their lives.

Street gangs wrote graffiti to mark their territory and to assert their identities. Meanwhile, something was happening in Jamaica which had an enormous influence on Hip Hop. The DJs there performed as well as played music. Рог example, one DJ, Duke Reid, dressed in a gold crown and a long cloak shouted to the dancers in time with the rhythm of the music. It was the first form of 'rapping'.

When rapping started in New York, new dances were invented. First, there was break dancing. This often involved spinning your body around on the floor but it is no longer popular. Later, the electric boogie appeared. With this, the dancers moved like robots, twitching their bodies in time to the music. Nowadays, there is free style -dancers just do what they want. If you look at the fashions of the 'Hip Hop' culture, you can see the choice of clothes was influenced by the way of dancing. You needed loose clothes to do break dancing.

The fashion for trousers hanging below the hips has a different origin. Unfortunately, a lot of young people from the Bronx have had prison experience Prisoners have to remove their belts so they can't use them as weapons. When these young men were released, they brought this habit to their neighborhood. And this style became popular with many young men who didn't realize where it came from.

Today, rap music is popular with audiences of all ethnic groups. The music industry has taken it over. 'Run-DMC were the first black rap group to become popular with a mass white audience. Even though they dressed as if they came right off the street corner, this was not true. In fact, they were never deprived of anything and they were never in a gang! Yes, today's rap music is for everyone.

It doesnt matter if youre black, white or Chinese Live in the state or reside overseas cause you and I are special, same as everyone else And if you dont believe me Youre only cheating yourself (Song words by Grandmaster Flash, DJ and rapper )

RESOURSES: *Michael Harris, David Mower, Anna Sikorzynska. Education for Life. New Opportunities Pre- Intermediate. Longman *