Rap Thread

[Kevin Davis]

I honestly have never understood the difference between the two terms

[BurtReynolds]

when i think of "hip hop" i think of adorable bunny rabbits.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I honestly have never understood the difference between the two terms

I feel bad for you son

[LoathedVermin72]

I honestly have never understood the difference between the two terms

I feel bad for you son

Heh

[Kevin Davis]

I was curious about this so I looked around. The available sources don't do a particularly compelling job laying out the two concepts as separate musical genres:

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-diffe ... nd-hip-hop

Historically, Hip Hop comprises 4elements, 1 of which is rap, as outlined by DJ Afrikaa Bambaataa.

The four elements of Hip Hop are DJing, MCing (a.k.a. rapping), B-Boying (a.k.a. breakdancing) and graffiti writing

Rap can be any kind of speaking, typically over a beat but not always.

Blondie's "Rapture" had a rap, but it is not hip hop. It's disco or punk or pop.

Another source:
http://www.ebony.com/entertainment-cult ... z3pY6SqqDA

One common understanding is that hip-hop is a culture and rapping is one of four elements contained therein—the others being breakdancing, DJing and graffiti. Today, with the other elements not appearing as prominently as they once did, it's been easy to conflate the two. 
But many have opinions about what separates the genres.

Based on these definitions -- which are fairly consistent across other sites as well -- it doesn't really seem like rap and hip-hop are two separate genres of music at all; in fact, these general definitions don't really make a very compelling case for either term serving as a sufficient identifier for a musical genre. If hip-hop is a cultural trend that by definition must contain nonmusical elements such as breakdancing and graffiti, how can that be co-opted into the labeling of a musical genre? It would be like saying grunge isn't "grunge" unless it also contains moshing and flannel shirts. Those things denote a cultural fad, not a musical genre.

Furthermore, "rap" is pretty explicitly laid out as a vocal technique that is a part of hip-hop, but is a vocal technique really a qualification for being a genre unto itself? In this regard, "singing" is as valid a musical genre as "rap" is.

So, I don't really understand the "I like hip-hop, not rap" thing. To me it's like saying, "I prefer after-hours piano bars to jazz music" -- you're not comparing two of the same thing, in fact one is a direct subset of the other.

Terms for musical genres are vaguely useful for conversational purposes, but when you break them down, none of them mean shit.

[i got bugs]

I always think of rap as cool shit like nwa biggie n pac

And hip hop as like drake

[Kaius]

I've always associated hip hop with artists that strive to weave melody and harmony into their songs, whereas rap focuses more on a what's being said lyrically over the top of a beat, but this is admittedly a large generalization. These concepts obviously are closely related and more often than not indistinguishable when it comes to high-level artists. These ideas of mine are also probably very wrong according to someone who knows the genre better. I wish Lament were here to set the record straight.

[LoathedVermin72]

Guys, I don't think there is a difference musically. The only thing is that rap implies rapping, while hip-hop can be instrumental. But other than that, if it has vocals, they're interchangeable terms.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Now KD's web browser history includes "ebony.com"

[nyquillyn]

It's pretty simple. Rap is the music. Hip hop is the culture that includes the music.

[Kevin Davis]

Now KD's web browser history includes "ebony.com"

"Browser history," "favorites" -- tomato, tom-ah-to really.

[Kevin Davis]

It's pretty simple. Rap is the music. Hip hop is the culture that includes the music.

The terminologies are simple enough, but going on these definitions, the idea that the terms represent two differing musical genres seems incorrect to me.

[nyquillyn]

It's pretty simple. Rap is the music. Hip hop is the culture that includes the music.

The terminologies are simple enough, but going on these definitions, the idea that the terms represent two differing musical genres seems incorrect to me.

What?

[Kevin Davis]

It's pretty simple. Rap is the music. Hip hop is the culture that includes the music.

The terminologies are simple enough, but going on these definitions, the idea that the terms represent two differing musical genres seems incorrect to me.

What?

THE TERMINOLOGIES ARE SIMPLE ENOUGH BUT GOING ON THESE DEFINITIONS THE IDEA THAT THE TERMS REPRESENT TWO DIFFERING MUSICAL GENRES SEEMS INCORRECT TO ME

[nyquillyn]

Quality post, KD. Thanks for the engaging discussion.

[BurtReynolds]

Quality post, KD. Thanks for the engaging discussion.

What?

[nyquillyn]

I never said the terms represented two different genres. Hip hop is the culture that includes rap.

[Kevin Davis]

I didn't say that you said it, t2b -- the impetus for the discussion was Ruddo saying he preferred hip-hop to rap, which is a common distinction people make when in actuality one is just a part of the other.

[nyquillyn]

I would guess that's because many people seem to associated the term "hip hop" with the 80s/breakdancing and the "New Jack" eras. So some people, like Kaius, seem to think of it as more melodic.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I just want iTunes to pick one and stick with it