Old school hip hop
The very first hip hop to come out of the block parties of
New York City in the
1970s and early
1980s is called
old school hip hop. Compared to more modern,
new school rap, old school has relatively simple rhythms and cadences that occur on the beat instead of wrapping around the rhythm, as has become common. Generally, subject matter was simple, good times, parties and friendship, with only a handful discussing political or social themes (
Grandmaster Flash was a notable exception). Also compared with later hip hop, old school had a high amount of female artists, even though none reached quite the level of fame of their male counterparts. Rappers usually performed over
disco or
funk tracks.
The first recordings of old school hip hop were The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" and Fatback's "King Tim III". Sugarhill Records was particularly important in the early hip hop scene.
Sound samples:
- by Eric B. & Rakim (1988); note the rapid-fire delivery and the strength and clarity of the voice -- this duo, and this song, are often considered the peak of the Golden Age of Old School, which ended in approximately 1989
- by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force (1982); note the strong P Funk influence, a precursor to the 90s G Funk sound, and its electro-inspired beat
- by The Beastie Boys (1986); note the crew's unique method of delivering rhymes in tandem with each other, where sentences and phrases may be uttered by two or more performers in sequence, as well as a strong breakbeat (characteristic of rock and roll)
- by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five (1982; note the subject matter, which is addressing socio-political and economic issues, virtually unknown at the time of its release -- this was the first "message rap"
List of artists: