" Webster Definition"
1 : a subculture especially of inner-city youths who are typically devotees of rap music
2 : the stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rap
also : rap together with this music
Different Hip Hop Categories:
Alternative Rap
Alternative Hip Hop (also known as alternative rap) is a sub genre of hip hop music that encompasses the wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. Alternative rap refers to hip hop groups that refuse to conform to any of the traditional stereotypes of rap such as: gangsta, bass, hardcore, pop, and pop rap.
Alternative hip hop developed in the late 1980s and experienced a degree of mainstream recognition during the early-to-mid 1990s. While some groups such as Arrested Development and The Fugees managed to achieve commercial success before breaking up, most alternative rap acts tended to be embraced largely by alternative rock listeners rather than hip-hop or pop audiences.
During the 2000s, alternative hip hop reattained its place within the mainstream, due to the declining commercial viability of gangsta rap as well as the crossover success of artists such as OutKast and Kanye West.
Latin Hip Hop
Latino hip hop is a form of hip hop music developed and performed by Latinos. Latino hip-hop got its start in the mid-1980s after the larger hip-hop scene emerged.As the Hispanic population, specifically the Puerto Rican-American population, grew drastically in places like California, Texas and Arizona, first- and second-generation kids began to look for a sound that was different from what their parents were listening to, said Khool-Aid, host of a nationally syndicated radio show for Latino hip-hop called “Poco Peros Locos.” The genre combines urban rap sounds with lyrics from the barrios, or neighborhoods. Some songs used Spanish slang words, or Spanglish.
Christian hip hop
Christian hip hop (originally gospel rap, also known as Christian rap, gospel hip hop or holy hip hop) is a subgenre of hip hop music characterized by a Christian worldview, with the general purposes of evangelization (Christian mission work), edifying some members of the church and/or simply entertaining. Christian hip hop music emerged from urban communities in the United States in the 1980s, when it existed almost exclusively in small underground scenes, with minimal formal industry promotion and little mainstream attention. It emphasizes the use of positive and uplifting messages to promote faith and belief.
Christian hip hop music, blending rhythmic music and faith-based lyrics, first emerged on record in 1982 with a track entitled “Jesus Christ (The Gospel Beat)” by Queens, New York artist McSweet. The first full-length, Christian hip hop album, Bible Break, by Oklahoma artist Stephen Wiley, was released in 1985 with the title track becoming a hit on Christian radio in 1986.
In conclusion, I wanted to highlight the musical genres that do not typically fall under the category of African American Hip Hop.
