Five Things Everyone Should Know about Rap

 

1. Rap ≠ Hip-Hop Rap and hip-hop are not interchangeable. Rap is one component of hip-hop culture, which also includes DJ-ing, b-boying (aka break-dancing) and graffiti.

2. The Genesis In the 1970s, Kool DJ Herc held parties in the Bronx that brought together graffiti artists, b-boys and aspiring DJs. These parties are considered hip-hop’s birthplace.

3. Rap Came Last Introduced in the mid-1970s, rap is hip-hop’s most recent component.

4. The Rapper’s Role In hip-hop’s formative years, the rapper’s role was to either salute the DJ whose set they were a part of, or to serve as the master of ceremonies for the event—hence the title, “MC.”

5. Tag Team Released in 1982, the seminal hip-hop film, “Wild Style,” follows a graffiti writer struggling to balance his personal life with his love for art. The film features actual graffiti writers, DJs, b-boys and rappers from New York.