The Transition of Blues and Jazz Music Into the Modern Hip-Hop Genre, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The focus of this paper is on exploring the evolution of the modern hip hop genre from blues and jazz music. The hip hop is a subculture originally associated with African Americans in the US. It is widely believed that this culture emerged from the funk culture, a music genre that arose in the 1960s through the fusion of jazz and blues (R&B). The popularity of block parties in the US during the 1960s and 1970s made the funk culture very popular throughout the country leading to the emergence of the hip-hop genre (Rabaka 154). Although hip-hop was originally perceived as an inconsequential subgenre, it grew dramatically throughout the 1980s and 1990s to become the most influential music genre in the world.

Critical Analysis of the Transition of Hip Hop

Jazz and blues music had the greatest impact on the evolution of the hip-hop genre (Kalafatis). Jazz is a type of music genre that was dominant in the US during much of the first half of the 20th century. The genre was born of the economic, political and social experience of the minority blacks in the US. However, some aspects of jazz can be found in the music traditions of the whites. Some of the musical instruments associated with jazz include drums, pianos, saxophone, trumpet and double class. Blues emerged in the late 1940s as a popular music genre combining jazz and some elements of black gospel music.

As the predecessors of hip-hop, both jazz and blues had a great impact on the cultural dimension of the black communities of the US during their respective periods. Faced with widespread racial segregation and discrimination, members of the black community often resorted to music to gain a sense of peace and as a source of consolation. Jazz and blues helped in creating a strong sense of identity, social cohesion, and originality among the black musicians. Due to their origin among the blacks, jazz and blues music became the primary means by which frustrations and desire for inclusion transformed into greater positive energy for the Africans (Kalafatis). Given that a greater majority of the jazz musicians, composers and originators were African Americans, they use jazz and blues music as a cultural tool for addressing the circumstances facing the entire black community. But because of their cross-cultural appeal, jazz and blues were widely used as a tool for promoting cultural integration between the whites and the blacks in the US.

Although the influence of jazz and blues began to wane during the second half of the 20th century, much of their cultural appeal was absorbed into the emerging music genres, particularly the hip hop. According to Rabaka, the hip hop emerged as an offshoot combining features of both the jazz and blues (46). Initially, the hip hop genre used the same chord progression and rhythmic approach as those used in the blues and the jazz music. Gradually, hip hop became a distinct genre with prominent lyrics and drumming designed to the young people regardless of their racial identity. The nimble rhythms of blues and the complex harmonies of jazz fused easily to form the defining aspects of hip hop music.

Rap music is an important aspect of the fusion between jazz and blues that is widely associated with the hip hop culture. It is characterized by rapping of music lines in synch with rhythms taken from the records. The contents of rap are generally about things that are of interest to the society especially the ideas of culture and its roots (Kalafatis). Apparently, rap was associated with the daily struggles of the blacks and lower class communities of the US. The music got them more noticed in the society and enabled them to forge a strong sense of cultural identity in the fast-paced society. Due to this association with the blacks, rap became a defining feature of the hip hop culture, leading to its rapid growth as a fully-fledged music genre.

Breakdancing is another important element of contemporary hip hop that has its roots in the jazz and blues. It is characterized by a combination of pantomimic, competitive and acrobatic dancing (Rabaka 76). Originally, breakdancing began as a simple sport for ghetto teenagers but was later incorporated into the jazz and the blues as they revolved. As the black and Hispanic communities of New York adopted blues, breakdancing became a principal aspect of the genre and was maintained into the hip hop culture. Today, it is almost impossible to imagine of any hip hop song that does not involve breakdancing. Closely related to breakdancing is the artistic style of beatboxing, which is characterized by the creation of melodies, beat, and rhythms by the use of mouth. Although turntable scratching may be used in beatboxing, the style mostly involves singing and vocal scratching in a manner that replicates the sound effects of musical instruments. Beatboxing evolved into the acoustic style, which is widely associated with the hip hop culture.

At their peak, both jazz and blues had a great cultural influence in the American society. One of these effects was advocacy for cultural integration. In their songs, jazz musicians called for increased racial tolerance between the blacks and the whites (whites 2). During the early decades of the 20th century, racial discrimination was still rampant. Nonetheless, the jazz musicians were considered equal regardless of their racial origins. Whites were frequently invited to perform in black concerts which were always full of people from all races. In effect, jazz not only integrated the various racial communities of the US but also helped in bringing them together internationally.

The ability of jazz to unite whites and blacks has also been associated with the hip hop genre. The contemporary hip hop cuts across various racial groups such that it is impossible to associate it with any particular culture. This is the case despite the fact that hip hop was originally associated with the blacks. Apparently, the cultural influence of the hip hop has been felt not only in the US but virtually all parts of the world including Africa, the Middle East and Asia (Flores 2). Modern jazz musicians have integrated global ideas into their music and frequently address various overriding issues. This is an indication that hip hop has become one of the most prominent music genres in the modern world.

The positive social mobility of musicians the jazz and blues music was a significant factor in the growing influence of these music genres and their subsequent transition into hip hop. Immense opportunities were accorded to the African American musicians by the recording industry and radios. These helped in promoting popular black bands as long as there was growing demand for the jazz and blues. However, the social mobility of the blacks was contained on the political front. That notwithstanding, the economic gains that the black musicians made were significant enough to propel them to higher levels of artistic innovation, leading to the birth of hip hop.

The growing influence of the hip hop had a negative impact on the cultural experiences of the blacks. The recording industry led to the swift commercialization of the hip hop culture, leading to its uniformity across the world (Rabaka, 33). Without the recording industry, it could have been extremely difficult for hip hop music to be distributed to the general public. As the hip hop became marketable, black musicians lost the opportunity to showcase their authenticity and were forced to create music that resonated well with the white audiences. This is an important aspect in which the contemporary hip hop music differs from the jazz despite the latter having influenced the former. In effect, the black musicians who had contributed to the transition of hip hop from jazz and the blues were not given enough credit for their efforts.

Conclusion

The hip hop culture remains a very popular and important genre of contemporary music. The genre originated from the jazz and blues and is deeply rooted in the black communities of the US in the 1970s. Over the years, the genre grew steadily to appeal to all people regardless of their racial or social backgrounds.  In these the early years of the 21st century, the hip hop culture has solidified its influence as the most important driving force behind the revolutionizing youth culture especially in urban centers around the world.

Work Cited

Flores, Lucien J. “Hip-Hop is for Everybody: Examining the Roots and Growth of Hip-Hop.” Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse, 4.5(2012): 1-2 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/a?id=1686

Kalafatis, Joanna. “The evolution of hip-hop (decade-by-decade).” Provenance Magazine, Lifestyle,   http://www.provenancemag.com/lifestyle/the-evolution-of-hip-hop-decade-by-decade/

Rabaka, Reiland. Hip Hop’s Amnesia: From Blues and the Black Women’s Club Movement to Rap and the Hip Hop Movement. New York: Lexington Books, 2012. https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=f-wTlhC77z0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=from+jazz+to+hip+hop&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwin5ILR0PXXAhVBkBQKHVw9Ab4Q6AEIMzAD#v=snippet&q=recording&f=false