Hip-Hop as a culture has its origin in the African communities of the American Ghettos approximately around the 1970’s. Making its way back to when the African-American communities used music amongst other tools to communicate to her immediate society. To send messages to those in the hood that faced all sort of oppressions including police issues and racism as at then. Unlike what it is in these present days, an image of girls, alcohol and drug life.
Hip-Hop as many see it, is not only a genre of music that has a lot of 808 kicks but surprisingly includes other acts like DJing/scratching with turntables, break dancing, and graffiti writing. Which are the 4 basic elements of hip-hop including MCing/rapping.
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| A Vintage Record Play in front of a Graffiti Background |
HIPHOP AS A GENRE OF MUSIC (Rap music or Hip-hop music)
Hiphop has its stylistic origin from other music genres and activities like
1, Funk
2, Disco
3, Electronic Music
4, Rhythm and Blues
5, Reggae
6, Dancehall
7, Rock
8, Jazz
9, Spoken Word
10, Performance Poetry
11, Griot
12, Talking Blues etc…
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| A Rapper Holding A Microphone |
Hiphop music in its early stages used instruments like turntables, dj mixers, drum machines, music sequencers, keyboards and the rest, to bring out the melody that we all hear as rap music. We can’t talk about hiphop music without mentioning some significant figures that pioneered this great movement such as DJ Kool Herc, DJ Disco Wiz, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa and the rest. Rapping as a popular part of the music is the art and act of using metaphors and rhymes to describe objects, situations or in the times of CAPPING(rap battles), someone. When a rapper or Mc is performing, he or she moves back and forth between the predominance of enticing songs mixed with boasting and a more topical, political or socially conscious style.
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| Dj Kool Herc Scratching A Turntable |
CHRISTIAN HIPHOP AS A SUB GENRE OF HIPHOP (Gospel rap, Christian rap, Gospel hip-hop, Holy hip-hop)
Christian Hip-hop is a sub-genre of hip-hop music characterized to Christians worldwide, with the aims of evangelism, edifying members of the church or simply entertainment from the purest of sources. Christian rap music germinated from urban communities in the United States in the 1980’s, just a year after the emergence of its parent genre. It existed almost exclusively in small underground scenes, with little to no formal industry promoting and minimal mainstream recognition. The first recorded outburst of CHH (Christian Hiphop) was a track titled JESUS CHRIST (The Gospel Beat) by New York artist McSweet and an album titled Bible Break by Oklahoma artist Stephen Wiley in 1982 and 1985 respectively. Since then, Gospel rap has had various successes in the mainstream with rappers like TobyMac and grammy award winning rapper Lecrae.
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| Toby Mac |
Some of our favourite rappers in the CHH scene are Andy Mineo, Dee-1, Derek Minor, Bizzle, DaTruth, Datin, Knine, Thisl, Kb, Triplee, Shai Linne to mention but a few. With other New generation rap artist like 1k phew, Joey Vantes, Aaron cole, Cass, Wande, Parris chariz and others.
CHRISTIAN HIPHOP CONCERTS (2018)
Christian Hiphop 2018, has become a full house that is capable and also willing to accommodate more artist who are eager to spread the gospel of Christ through Faith Purposed lyrics. Many shows and concerts are been held from time to time in the Christian Hiphop Scene worldwide, but I can only think of one that happens in my city Makurdi in Benue state, Nigeria once in a year but mhen, you have to trust me when I say its woth the wait.
The last edition of the concert was held around the last quarter of 2017 and wow! Was I amazed at the beauty of hiphop. Trust me I never knew the culture had made so much impact on this part of Nigeria until I witnessed “HIP HOP CULTURE 2017”, yo! yo! yo! the hall was like a disco club but felt different not because it was a church building but because it felt like rap music was home!. With loud Bass gospel rap music banging through the speakers and dudes dressed like they were going for rap battles, Yeah! I HAD IT COMING!!. The youth pastor of the church actually dressed like an 80’s hiphop dj?! lol… The rest of the concert was clean and slick. It didn’t feel too “churchy” but I knew in my spirit that I sure left with something that took me through some hard times in life.
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| An Emcee Carrying A Vintage Record Player |
Enough of the teasing I know you guys want to know if there is an edition coming up this year?. YES!!!!!!! There is, and its just around the corner, don’t bother yourself too much, I’ll put up the fliers for you so that you can pack your bags and get your groove ready so that we can be at the Great city of Makurdi for this wonderful event, and if you already reside in Makurdi or its environs, please don’t even try to miss THIS cos you gon be missing a lot SON (me speaking hiphop. Lol)….See you there.
