Hip hop Bronx New York City style originated in the 1970s. It is characterized by four elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching with turntables, break dancing, and graffiti writing.
Hip hop music became popular outside of the African-American community in the late 1980s, and by the 1990s it had become a worldwide phenomenon.
The first generation of hip-hop artists in the Bronx came of age during the 1980s.
With a street-b-boy attitude, rappers projected a tough and cool image.
Eventually, Graffiti became an escape from gang warfare and a means of escape for children. This attitude spread throughout the entire city, making the Bronx a hotbed of hip-hop culture.
In addition, the ‘Wild Style’ movie helped create an image of a tough and cool b-boy.
Hip Hop Bronx New York Rappers projected a tough, cool, street b-boy attitude
The culture of hip hop in the South Bronx evolved in the late 1960s.
Rap music, turntablism, djing, b-boying, and graffiti art were all central elements of the culture. MCs varied vocal delivery and incorporated short rhymes.
Rappers began incorporating dozens in their songs, a style largely derived from African American culture.
The first rap group to gain popularity in New York was Kool Herc & the Herculoids, followed by other MC groups.
Rappers used samples from other genres to create their music.
Bambataa and Flash were notable examples of this. In addition to rapping about black culture, these artists also incorporated nationalist ethos into their songs.
The middle 1980s was a pivotal time for hip hop, with the mega rap stars Run DMC releasing the song “I’m Proud to Be Black”.
It was included on their Raising Hell album, which featured Aerosmith and a rap and roll version of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” After this, the genre began to incorporate other music genres, including New Wave and Techno.
Graffiti became an escape for children from daily struggles
Hip hop was born in the Bronx during the early 1970s and spread throughout the city in the 80s. The movement has four major components: rapping, graffiti art, break dancing, and DJing.
B-Boying, a form of street dance with similarities to martial arts, became an important part of hip-hop culture.
Rapping has become increasingly political and reflective, expressing the hopes and frustrations of youth.
Hip hop spread through the Bronx after Herc started throwing parties.
Because the NYC Police Department was under a budget cut, children were allowed to host outdoor parties on lamp posts and in parks. The parties would often last late into the night, and the police would allow them.
As hip hop became popular in the Bronx, graffiti became a safe haven for children from gang warfare.
Despite this, the emergence of graffiti art in The Bronx has prompted many people to wonder if the eradication of gangs is truly necessary.
The truth is that graffiti became an escape for children from gang warfare in the 1970s. However, the majority of children in the area did not engage in gang warfare because they did not identify with a specific gang.
The film “Style Wars” is one of the earliest documentaries about hip-hop culture.
The documentary follows the children involved in creating a fledgling subculture as adults seek to curb the perceived insurrection. The film acknowledges dissenting sides while not ceding authority.
It was an essential document of hip hop and its impact on society.
The early roots of hip hop can be found in the Bronx, New York.
The earliest hip-hop artists honed their skills on the concrete, earning the coveted battle scars. They pushed one another to audacious displays of style and guts.
This attitude remains central to the hip-hop culture today. Although it may be derived from different cultures, hip hop Bronx New York style is a distinct cultural expression.
In the Bronx, DJs often extended the rhythmic breakdown sections of dance records, or “breaks,” allowing the dancers to improvise. These improvisations led to the first battles, which were turn-based dance competitions.
Participants were judged on their musicality, creativity, and dance skills. Dance battles took place in groups, called cyphers, where dancers gathered around breakers.
The early b-boys and dance crews were ninety percent African-American or Puerto Rican.
Hip Hop Bronx New York Rappers – Introducing Boogie Down Productions (BDP)
Boogie Down Productions was a hip-hop group formed in the South Bronx in 1987 by KRS-One.
The group’s name comes from a nickname for the area of the Bronx where they were based. They are best known for their debut album, Criminal Minded, which was released in 1987 to critical acclaim.
The album featured the hit single “South Bronx”, which helped put the group on the map.
Boogie Down Productions was one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time, and their debut album is considered to be one of the classic albums of the genre.
Their music was influential in both the East Coast and West Coast scenes, and they were one of the first groups to bridge the gap between the two scenes.
They are also credited with helping to pioneer the use of sampling in hip-hop music.
After the release of Criminal Minded, Boogie Down Productions’ popularity continued to grow, and they released a number of other successful albums, including:
- By All Means Necessary (1988)
- Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop (1989)
In 1992, tragedy struck when group member DJ Scott La Rock was killed in a shooting. The group disbanded shortly after his death.
KRS-One went on to have a successful solo career, and Boogie Down Productions’ legacy continues to influence hip hop music today!
‘Wild Style’ movie
‘Wild Style’ is the first film to document the emergence of hip-hop culture. The raw and low-budget film quickly became a foundational document for the culture.
Its release year was the same year that the rap group Run-DMC dropped their first single, and the ensuing rap revolution was a worldwide phenomenon.
The film was the perfect time capsule for hip-hop culture in its formative years.
The film was shot on location in the Bronx and stars real-life breakdancers, graffiti writers, and rappers. It was also shot on a shoestring budget and captures the DIY aesthetic of the hip-hop milieu.
The movie’s stunningly vibrant murals are paired with abandoned buildings and bombed-out houses.
The film’s creator, Lee Quinones, was inspired by his own experiences and believed that hip-hop belonged alongside punk, new wave, and other subcultures of the 1970s.
The film’s budget was low, but it was an artistic experiment that spawned several sequels. One of the most popular of these movies, “Wild Style” – which celebrated its 30th-anniversary last month at IFC – was a documentary-style movie about New York’s hip-hop culture.
Ahearn was a graffiti artist and filmmaker and had been documenting the hip-hop scene in New York for over a decade.
The film’s protagonist, Zoro, is a graffiti artist and he weaves through various scenes.
The Early Days of Hip Hop in the Bronx
The early days of hip hop were characterized by a do-it-yourself attitude. MCs would often write their own rhymes and create their own beats, using whatever they could find lying around the house.
This DIY ethic is still very much alive in hip hop today, with many artists producing their own music and videos.
The Golden Age of Hip Hop
The golden age of hip hop was a period of great creativity and innovation. Artists such as Run DMC, Public Enemy, and NWA pushed the boundaries of what was possible in music, and their influence can still be felt today. This was also a time when rap became more commercialized, as labels began to sign more rappers and release more mainstream hip hop albums.
The present-day Hip Hop scene
The present-day hip-hop scene is very diverse, with artists coming from all corners of the globe.
There is also a greater focus on social and political issues, with many rappers using their platform to speak out against injustice.
The music itself has also evolved, with new genres such as trap and drill gaining in popularity.
Universal Hip Hop Museum – A Museum dedicated to hip hop culture in the Bronx
The museum will feature the history and art of hip hop in the Bronx, including the founding of the music, which began at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue and 50 East 150th Street.
The culture began as a way to express one’s self, particularly in a city riven by disinvestment and poverty.
The museum will honor hip hop’s roots in the Bronx and will highlight its five pillars.
LL Cool J has praised Bucano for preserving the concept of a museum dedicated to hip-hop culture. The gold-age hip-hop singer credits hip hop with giving him a voice. Bronx-born hip hop artist Slick Rick has also praised the museum’s founder. He called it a fitting tribute to hip hop.
It will open its doors in 2023, the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum is the first museum dedicated to culture.
Bottom Line…
Hip Hop in the Bronx is a style of music that developed in the late 1970s. It is characterized by its use of samples from other songs, often from funk or soul records. Hip hop in the Bronx was initially popularized by DJs who would play these records at block parties.
As the popularity of hip hop grew, MCs began to rap over the beats, and graffiti artists began to write messages on walls and trains.
The Bronx has been home to many influential hip-hop artists, including Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, and KRS-One.
The borough has also been the site of several important hip hop events, such as the first-ever hip hop concert, which took place in 1977.
Today, Hip Hop Bronx New York style is still an important center for hip hop culture, and its influence can be seen and heard around the world.
