The history of rap music would not be complete without a look at the performers who make it all possible – the rap artists. Most rap music typically includes one or more rappers who often rap about their own personal life stories, important events in their lives, or social problems they wish to make a public statement about. Rap songs can also represent romanticized or fictional themes. The sky is the limit. Musically, rap songs usually have a strong rhythmic aspect with the spoken lyrics emulating the intense rhythm of the beat. Rap songs are known to make use of many poetic techniques including simple word rhymes and alliteration.

The history of rap music also shows that the instrumental track or beat performed by the DJ often includes the rhythms and beat “samplings” from popular and/or well-known funk, rock, or soul songs. These sampled sounds and rhythms are synthesized, integrated, and reinvented with original twists by the performers.

Two other highly popular aspects of rap music that saw their rapid growth into the American mainstream are break dancing and tagging (graffiti). Break dancers and taggers are now stars in their own right with loyal followers and fans throughout the world. Annual break dancing competitions are now very popular even in countries throughout Europe and Asia. The history of rap music can be considered relatively new, yet it is clearly a powerful influence in today’s music world. Indeed, the musical influence of New York City African American and Latino culture is now as pervasive worldwide as fast food hamburger chains.

The hip hop culture has become one of the hottest and most powerful things in the music and fashion business. Hip hopers are some of the most influential celebrities in the world today; they influence music, style and fashion. The truth is that hip hop celebrities always generate money. Russell Simmons, a hip hop mogul, instantly understood that the equation is simple when it comes to hip hop: clothes + hip hop = money. Therefore, he started manufacturing hip hop clothing lines like Phat Farm, Baby Phat or FUBU. But he didn’t stop at this. He hired celebrities like LL Cool J or Alicia Keys to be these clothing lines images.

The fashion for males has changed lately as P. Diddy came in the picture with new, revolutionary trends. He was the first hip hop icon to wear a flashy white suit with a cap and rich silver jewellery, items which have been previously regarded as being unacceptable for males to wear. But P. Diddy set a new fashion trend, making the white suits with white sneakers and caps become the newest hip hop clothes in town!

When it comes to female fashion, the style hasn’t become slicker; it has relaxed a little due to Missy Elliot’s influence. She was the first female hip hop singer to adopt a more relaxed, manly style. Thanks to her attitude polo shirts, funky trainers, trucker caps and man style singlets have been accepted as the new hip hop clothes for women.

In conclusion, how does one get the cool hip hop look? The key element is attitude. Don’t be afraid to wear flashy coloured suits, t-shirts with big logos, visors, funky trainers and huge, opulent pieces of diamond-embedded jewellery. The hip hop female look asks for low waist trendy jeans or skirts to bring attention to the hips and for tight tops to accentuate the chest. And remember: the female attitude is always sexy and powerful!

Rap is the culture of Afro-Americans, the continuation of their language and traditions. Rap is a mixture of speech and music, actually it is speech laid on music or beat it’s better to say. And when we claim that people are united through music, meaning every single human being on this planet, rap unites the ones close to blood by music and then everybody else, either welcoming or being hostile to a newcomer. What attracts people in rap? Is it catchy? Maybe. Those non-natives to rap often state the flow of speech is too quick and it is difficult to differentiate the words. Sometimes it seems rap music is only for those from the cradle. Foreigners are not invited. Rap is classified as urban poetry of lyrical resistance. Thus it is not the music for village like country music. It is the gathering power of those united by music in big cities. The aim is to resist the grieves because misfortunes are more dramatic and numerous in urban areas. Rap does not only speak to the mind and emotions, but speaks to the society all around people, for people. If the words or courage to say those words are not there, the subconscious takes over and the Rap lyrics kick in.

But once captured by the beat, most people – mainly younger ones – begin to hear the words, and the words may describe just how they are feeling that day. If the boss came to work with an agenda to screw everyone, some people will “feel” the words and the beat, especially when enclosed in a car doing 70 on the freeway. It’s something about riding with the music turned full-blast that has a way of absorbing the mind and supplying a means of temporal escape. Some songs have innocent words that impress upon the mind to be released later at the water cooler. Some choruses are catchy and when sung by certain artist will stay within the subconscious long after. Various rappers have unique voices that some people find attractive or along the same vocal tone as their own voice, which it makes it easier to sing along.

First goes the beat, and then goes the lyrics! It is not as smooth and tender as classical music, not as glossy as pop, but it has the scream of pain of real emotion of the world’s harshness. One may even state that rap is the most pain expressing music style. Those who sing it or it is better to say read it revive their feelings not only concerning love, as most of the other styles do. Their message is about life and the problems, especially the ones of the Afro-American people. The music of pain and oppression, rap is a remedy to the latter.