This blog is a study over British Media, basically targeting the UK Hip Hop Movement. Essentially, the study will show how hip hop emerge within UK, and what different genres of music and ethnic groups influenced the country's rhythmic beats in its hip hop culture. Lastly, this blog will show how UK hip hop has integrated within the BBC by establishing its own radio, television, and internet channel programming.
British Hip Hop was original influenced by the New York Hip Hop scene. British rappers adopted to American accents in the early years. According to New York Times reporter, Angus Batey, he stated,
"UK rap is a broad sonic church, encompassing anything made in Britain by musicians informed or inspired by hip-hop possibilities, whose music is a response to the same stimuli that gave birth to rap in New York in the mid seventies.(1)"
However, the true major milestone hit the U.K. Hip Hop movement when a guy by the name of Simon Harris discovered the first hip hop label called Music of Life Records.
When Music of Life Records started to rise in the hip hop industry, it was with the help of the UK iconic rapper, Derek B, who sold millions of albums for the record label, making him the first UK rapper to achieve chart success.(2)
One of Derek B's successful songs were Good Groove and Bad Young Brother from his debut album called "Bullet From A Gun. The London-born rapper scored top 20 hits with Goodgrove and Bad Young Brother in 1988. (3) " Here is a sneak video peak of one of his videos Bad Young Brother.
Simon Harris did not stop there with his record label. He set out to find many other hip hop artists that became a huge success as well. Although Derek B was the first U.K. rapper founded by the record label, Music of Life went on to discover and sign legendary British hip hop groups, such as Hijack,the Demon Boyz, Son of Noise, and MC Duke. These U.K. rap groups became essential listening stardom for the discerning British hip hop fans, mixing homegrown talent like Thrashpack and the She Rockers with intentions of getting US artists such as Professor Griff's attention. Music of Life laid the foundations for other UK hip hop record labels to be founded, such as Mango Records and Kold Sweat.(2)
As mentioned above, other than Derek B shining the light to guide all U.K. rappers to the hip hop scene, it was MC Duke, who brought the underground rapping freestyles above ground to the U.K. Here is MC Duke with one of his singles,"I'm Riffin" which appeared in several C90s dance hits averaging in 237 recordings in 2001.(4)
After Music of Life Records emerged on the hip hop scene, other record labels began to take place. Mango Records and Kold Sweat was the two other influential record label that paved the way for several U.K. hip hop artists. Mango Records was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. He set the record label to be based in United Kingdom.
Really founded in 1959, Poly Gram bought the record company from Blackwell in order to rename the record company to Island Records. By 1990, Island Records was known as the largest Jamaican and Indie record label in history and the U.K.(5) Some of the well known artists signed underneath Island(Mango labe) records were Bob Marley, Angélique Kidjo, and Ziggey Marley.
After RCA yielded Bob' Marley album Exodus, it was Island Records who picked up and released the album in 1977. This album was Bob's Marley first gold album, which also helped marketed the record label to receive it's first gold album certification.(5) Exodus stayed on the British album charts for 56 consecutive weeks. It included four UK hit singles: "Exodus", "Waiting in Vain", "Jamming", and "One Love" Here is a video peek of on One Love
Saturday 26 June 2010
Kold Sweat was founded in West London in 1990. After the successes of the pioneering UK label Music of Life, Many artists jumped straight from Music of Life to Kold Sweat. Several artists who transitioned from Music of Life to Kold Sweat Records were Son of Noise, St. Troopers, Katch 22, and Standing Ovation, and along with other new and different artists, such as Krispy 3, Unanimous Decision, F9's, Dynametrix and offered a new identity to UK Hip Hop's growing fanbase.(6) These artists saw what was happening in the UK; Hip Hop was beginning to take its place in the music industry.
Once UK hip hop scene started to emerge in the early 90s, Kold Sweat managed to bridge a gap by allowing an easy and credible transition of new artists to looked for new directions lyrically and new sounds to sample. Under the guidance of accomplished songwriter, record producer, and engineer Angelo Starr, Kold Sweat managed to contribute to British Black music and hip hop history. For an independent record label, their diverse acts, distinctive green record covers, healthy amount of air play and increasing record sales the label grew strongly in early 90s.
Unfortunately,as the late 90s started to approach, American hip hop was starting to flourish more than ever. As American hip hop labels were releasing new artists by the minute; such as, the infamous Notorious B.I.G, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Tupac, Kold Sweat record label took a turn for the worse. Kold Sweat artists like the F9's and Point Black simply could not compete with the quantity and quality coming out of the U.S. The F9's legendary album, "Are a hip hop Band" went down as one of the worst British Hip Hop albums ever released. Kold Sweat's somewhat limited success did not last, and Kold Sweat ceased trading in the mid-1990s, leaving their artists homeless.(7)
Here is one of Kold Sweat successful artists Unanimous Decision with "Prosecution." They sold over 25 million albums worldwide. However, it was just not enough to save the record label.(1)
In hip hop, both America and Britain have different genres and ethnic group influences. As British hip hop known as brithop, I discovered that the UK seem to be more diverse in ethnicity than in the US. Going back in time during the 1980s, Professor David Hesmondhalgh stated,
Unlike in the US, it should be noted that the British hip hop scene was cross-racial from the beginning. This is due to the fact that various ethnic groups in Britain tend to not live in segregated areas, even in areas with a high percentage of non-white individuals. These places allow youth to share a cultural interchange with one another including musical genres such as hip hop.8
Around 1980 when hip hop was discovered, Hip-hop and electro music reached Scotland. From the inception of Hip hop culture in Scotland, break dancing has been popular. Scotland has had a number of strong breaking crews over the years, such as Glasgow Boyz Breakers, Lazer City Crew(LCC), Ayrshire, Skywalkers, Floor Freaks, White City Breakers and The Clan.
Breakdancing was not only the major hip hop influence that stepped foot on the grounds of Scotland, but Djing was also a major unique hip hop feature as well. DJ Sonny from Edinburgh, Aberdeen's playing far and wide overseas solo and as part of the Big Dada roster, DJ Plus One (ex-world DMC champ), Richie Rufftone (Scratch), DJ Krash Slaughta (II Tone Committee, Monkey Mafia), DJ Bunty and others.(1)
Other than Derek B being the first successful UK rapper, a cross pollination through the migration of West Indians helped develop a community interested in UK's hip hop music.(1) British tunes starting to appear first ever when a London DJ by the name of Newtrament released the first ever Brithop tune called "London Bridge." Newtrament was a DJ coming from West Indie migrated in London around 1983 becoming credited with releasing the second ever British hip hop record in the UK.
Other than the West Indies sharing their rhythmic styles of mixing, scratching, and disc jocking skills in the UK hip hop emergence, the Asian population started to feel left out.
As Asians continued to feel left out of British Hip Hop Scene, Asian began to gain their identity in Britain by Bhangra music emerging as Asian music in the U.K. Bhangra music is formed for Punjab style of dancing. However,no matter if they are Gujuratis or Punjabis, Bhangra is Asian music for Asians.(9)
This is a video mix of Bhangra music at its best.
Usmaan and Sona Family was thought to be one of the best Asian rappers and Asian group in the UK. They are a British Pakistani hip hop group, who hails from the North-West of London, England. They have been said to sound "like the Black Eyed Peas infused with traditional Indian bhangra music. They combine urban music, hip hop, R&B and dancehall with their own upbringing as UK Desis. Headed by producer/writer Harry Sona, Sona Family consists of rapper/singer/producer Mr Riz, female singer/rapper Kazz & DJ/producer JC.(10) Referring back to the UK Desis upbringing, Sona family was known to be under the influences of the culture, products, and people of Indie.(11)
Influenced by American hip hop artist, J-KWON; they remade his hit "Tipsy" into their own bhangarian genre of music called "More Glassy." According to BBC reviewer, Louis Patterson stated,
The track here that’s surely set for bigger things, meanwhile, is "More Glassy". A sort of Desi-influenced take on J-Kwon’s Southern hip-hop hit "Tipsy", it’s an irrepressible club number that’ll have clubs draining their bottles just to throw their hands in the air. Altogether now: 'If you’re drunk and getting tipsy/Grab yourself another whisky.(12)
Caribbean migration began in 1948; when The Empire Windrush (a ship that is an important part of multiracialism in the United Kingdom)carried almost 500 passengers from Jamaica, including Lord Kitchener, a calypso singer from Trinidad.(13)
A local newsreel company filmed him singing "London Is The Place For Me" as he got off the ship. In 2002, the song was finally released in Britain. Here is the entire song "London is a Place for Me" by Lord Kitchener.
Over the years, Trinidad Calypso had an enormous role at Oxford and Cambridge debutante parties. People were overwhelmed by the influx of Trinidad Calypso style of music. Not knowing the possibilities of what lies ahead, Trinidad Calypso was a start of a major Reggae movement,which took its place inside the UK hip hop scene.
Reggae has evolved into several subgenres and fusions. Since the early 1990s, several Italian reggae bands have emerged, includingSud Sound System, Pitura Freska, Almamegretta and B.R. Stylers. In Sweden, Uppsala Reggae Festival attracts attendees from across Northern Europe, and features Swedish reggae bands such as Rootvälta and Svenska Akademien. Although, in Germany, The first homegrown Polish reggae bands started in the 1980s. German reggae artist Gentleman rose to popularity with his album Confidence in 2004. Summerjam, Europe's biggest reggae festival, takes place in Cologne, Germany.(1)
Sud Sound System is a dancehall reggae sound system from Salento, Italy. The group combines Jamaican rhythms and their local culture. One of Sud Sound System successful albums was Acqua Pe Sta Terra which stands for Water is Land. This album spent a total of 8 weeks on the charts. With that said, the album had 42% of listenership in the UK.
Rootvälta is a reggae band from Borlänge in Sweden. The band was founded in 1988. So far the bands has released three albums named Songs from the fallen tree (1994) In Session (2000) New Chapter (2006)
Rootsaga gained the most votes in the most popular song off of their album Songs from the fallen tree.
Tilmann Otto born in Osnabrück, Germany, he was better known by his stage name Gentleman. He is a German Reggae musician. He resides now in Cologne, but sometimes names Jamaica as his home away from home. The reason why he considered Jamaica his home is due to the fact he was so influenced by traveling around Jamaican and listening to his brother reggae music in his early years. His latest album just released this year in 2010 called, Diversity. His latest single from the album is called It No Pretty, drew in a large mass of listeners and continued to inspire many German reggae artists to grind in the UK hip hop industry.
As you already may know, Jamaican Reggae artists, Lord Kitchener, Bob Marley, Angélique Kidjo, and Ziggey Marley played a significant role in migrating the Reggae musical genre to the UK. However, they were not the only artists that represented for the Jamaican culture. During the 1970s, Reggae had a strong influence on the UK. Dancehall or Drum n' Bass outside of Triphop and UKG(UK Garage) are considered to be one of the three main genres to take place in the UK's Hip Hop industry. These two Jamaican genres has shaped the vocal and dance styles within the UK reggae and hip hop scene.(14)
DANCEHALL For instance, Jamaican and dancehall singer, Gyptian has managed to lead the charts in the dancehall genre. According to BBC 1Xtra, the end of May 2010, Gyptian single "Hold Yuh" had peaked at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 33 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, number 6 on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs Chart and had been at the top of the Reggae Digital Songs chart for nine consecutive weeks.(15)(16)
Dancehall and toasting is considered to be conjoined in definition. Dancehall music is, in its most basic form, a deejay toasting (or rapping) over a riddim also known as a reggae rhythm. Dancehall is also known as bashment, a term which can refer to either the music itself or a large party where dancehall music is played.
DRUM N' BASS
Drum and bass is a type of rave music which emerged in the mid 1990s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats, heavy bass, sub-bass lines, and occasional infra-bass lines. Drum and bass began as an offshoot of the United Kingdom rave scene of the very early 1990s. Over the first decade of its existence, the incorporation of elements from various musical genres led to many permutations in its overall style. The Drum and Bass genre tend to be very popular with Nigerian and Jamaican decent rappers. The international Jamaican Grammy winning artists Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder has known to be prime examples of using Drum and Bass with their music.Although, Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder may not be the only one, who has had a grand influence on the UK nation in using Drum n Bass. UK's artist, S.P.Y has firmly established himself as one of the most exciting producers and DJs in drum & bass.(17) He managed to climb the charts with his new hit "Favel," which BBC 1Xtra has placed the hit in the top 10 list for this month.
As for Sean Paul, one of his most famous world wide hit, "Get Busy" climbed the Billboard charts in the UK and the US. Not only influenced by Drum n' Bass, but Dancehall was also integrated within his music. Here is a video peek from his music video "Get Busy."
In this video, you will be able to see the dances that are incorporated within this genre of music. It provides a taste of both Jamaican and African ritual dancing; however, it is mixed with today's contemporary American and British style of hip hop dancing.
Wayne Wonder is also a leading Reggae and dancehall artist from Jamaican decent. He has also used both dancehall and drum n' bass to gain attention in the UK. Here is one of his most famous hits, "No letting Go."
As several migrating groups settled in the UK, more different genres and tempos of music started to appear. TripHop and UK Garage (formerly known as UKG) were two main genres (outside of Dancehall and Drum n' Bass reggae rhythm) to take place in UK's hip hop industry. Trip hop is the music genre that refers to a musical trend that began in the mid-1990s of downtempo electronic music. The grew out of England's hip hop and house scenes, including the Bristol underground scene. The downtempo electronic beats were breakbeats, turntables, brass, and string instruments incorporated to make one sound.(18) One group from Bristol, UK formerly known as Massive Attack used TripHop genre in their song called Any Love. This song gained mass attention with fans across American and the UK. UK Garage is a genre of electronic dance music originating from the United Kingdom in the mid-1990s. UK garage is a descendant of house music which originated in Chicago and New York US by African Americans. This style is now frequently combined with other forms of music like hip hop, rap and R&B, all broadly filed under the description urban music. UK garage usually features a distinctive syncopate percussive rhythm with shuffling, hi-hats, and beat-skipping kick drums. Garage tracks also commonly feature 'chopped up' and time-shifted or pitch-shifted vocal samples complementing the underlying rhythmic structure. One UK group, who was influenced by the beats of UK garage was So Solid Crew. So Solid crew is an electronic and urban musical group from South London, England. There hits include "Oh No (Sentimental Things)" and "21 Seconds", reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in August 2001. Another hit, "They Don't Know", reached number three in November 2001 and "Haters" got to number eight in January 2002.
Not only has UK Garage influence many artists in the hip hop industry, but it was responsible for the newest genre called Grime. Grime hip hop is the start of a new generation in UK's hip hop scene.(19)
The Future of British Hip Hop According to researchers, new generation artists emerged following the turn of the century, including Foreign Beggars and Jehst. These British hip hop artists are headed in new directions. Being influenced by hip hop and a mix of UK Garage, a new genre of music has emerged called Grime Music. Notable artists that used grimed music were Dizzee Rascal, J-Dawg, Wiley, Lady Sovereign and Kano.(2) Grime is a genre of urban music that first emerged in Bow,East London, England in the early 2000s primarily a development of UK garage, dancehall, and hip hop. As of November 2005, the music industry as defined grime music to be the next genre of hip hop for the U.K. Leading in 2010, North America is curious to what makes U.K. Grime hip hop different from America hip hop?
"Grime is an underground curiosity in North America, but remains a foreign language to this continent’s mainstream. And that might never change: grime is faster than hip hop, darker than pop and nowhere close to rock."
Matthew McKinnon CBC Reviewer According ton CBC (Canadian Broadcast Centre) reports, Dizzee Rascal also known as Dylan Mills, is from East London’s Bow estates. He has managed a ripple of retail attention with Grime fans around the Atlantic. The release of Dizzee’s debut album, "Boy In Da Corner", a brilliant, brutal battle cry that went on to win Britain’s 2003 Mercury Prize (for album of the year.)(20) Dizzy Rascal is said to be a leader in the Grime Hip Hop genre, which would pave the way for new Grime music producing artists. Here is one well-known Grime artists name Lady Sovereign with "Love Me Or Hate Me." " "Love Me or Hate Me" is the sixth single from UK hip-hop artist Lady Sovereign and the fourth from her debut album Public Warning. The song became the first song by a British rap artist to ever reach #1 on MTV's TRL, as well as being heard in a TV spot for Verizon Wireless.(21)
With Grime music being UK's next hip hop genre, it does not seem hard to know a new sound and look as emerged. Grime is taking over the hip hop industry in the UK. However, through many migrations and influences of other cultures; such as, the West Indies movement, Scotland breakdancing and djing movement, and last, but not least, its mass movement of genres, Reggae, UK Garage, and Triphop has all emerged overtime by diversifying the culture, style, dance, entertainment, video, radio, and Internet of UK's hip hop. Over the years, UK hip hop has gained so much attention, the BBC has assembled a radio, video and Internet network program. With BBC 1Xtra network, hip hop fans across the world are allowed to view the latest amount of news, information and speech content found within UK's Grime, Garage, Drum and Bass, Dancehall, reggae, gospel music, bhangra and R&B music. Lastly, as UK hip hop continue to rise in listenership and gain mass appeal across the world, it goes to show that hip hop is making a change not only in the UK, but the US as well.
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