UCI Relationship Between Blues and Hip Hop Discussion & Response
Initial Post
Find, share and discuss at least one contemporary example that can shed light on the relationship between blues and hip hop both culturally and musically.
Response
Review examples provided by one of your colleagues (no more than two responses allowed to a single student). Again, speculate on how these contemporary artists use their work as a tool for advocacy, and/or as an expression of their cultural experiences. Does the use of music in your life serve similar purposes?
Reading: William F. Danaher & Stephen P. Blackwelder. Popular Music & Society, 17:4, 1-12, 1993.
This answer is used when replying to other colleagues, so you need to add it to the reply
Contemporary hip hop artists use their music as an expression of experiences they have had which they share in their lyrics. Artists such as Kendrick Lamar paint a picture of police brutality that is prevalent in current times. This is after he speaks about the history of pain and struggle embedded in the black community (McKinney, 2020). This has made his song “Alright” one of the most important protest anthems that has been played at several Black Lives Matter protests. I listen to music whose lyrics I relate with. I especially have a liking towards sad music, which evokes feelings of being understood by the artist, that the experiences I have had they have had too which makes me feel less lonely.
here is part two Response one of colleagues
Blues as the Root for Rap Music
Rap did not originate as a genre but rather as a cultural melting pot. It involved breakdancing, DJing, and spoken word. Rap came into existence in similar ways as the blues, although they came in different periods orchestrated by African-Americans young generations (Danaher & Blackwelder, 1993). Rap came into existence when African-Americans faced oppression and difficult times, such as being economically disconnected from the American majority. It mostly consisted of a DJ and an MC. The mixer and turntable were the common instruments in rap where the DJ would spin various records, scratch, cut and mix the tracks with style and skill.
The famous ‘ call and response’ musical pattern is a good example that depicts blues as the root for rap. While the musical pattern usually occurs between a guitar and a vocalist in blues, rap involves a passive listener with an active performer. The active performer can get a whole room involved or focus on a specific audience target with precise references. Therefore, the musical pattern is prominent in the majority of the blues and has also featured in many rap tracks in slightly changed form (MasterClass staff, 2021). Therefore, the ‘call and response’ musical pattern highlights the significant contribution of blues towards the creation of rap music by the young generation of African-Americans as they strived to air out their grievances through music.
