HIP HOP
Well we suppose the most prominent area of Hip Hop that most heads will encounter is music, it's everywhere, on the radio whilst we're driving or working but also in the background of movies and adverts but did the chicken come first or the egg? That's what we're asking and we aint sure we can answer or even want to for that matter but what is for sure there's a lot happening within hip hop right now but first a little history.
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ELEVEN |
FIVE FOUR |
KING |
METHODS NYC |
HIP HOP MUSIC
Kool Herc seems to have kicked off the Hip Hop music side of things playing sold, funk and R&B. He would play the "break" the part where percussion or break beat kicked in, but due to these breaks being short Herc expanded them by using two turntables and mixing the beats. Herc went on to influence Grandmaster Flash and no mention of Hip Hop would be complete or even start without the main man Africa Bambaataa called by many the godfather of hip hop culture, father of electro funk, definitely founder of the Zulu Nation.
The Caribbean DJ practice of "toasting" rhyming over records started to be used by US Hip Hop DJ's. Toasting had it's first on many name changes and start being know has "Emceeing" with DJ's like Herc shouting" Cool Herc is in the house and he'll turn it out without a doubt".
During the late 70's the phrase "rapping" started to be used by the music industry and a number of labels started releasing tracks including "Sugarhill Gang" "Fatback Band", "Kurtis Blow", Grandmaster Flash" and "Spoonie Gee". The early 80's sees the many major releases and the first coming of hip hop and it's mixing with other influences such as a track being released between graffiti artist Futura 2000 and punk band The Clash, Blondie releases a rap track and the Beastie Boys are formed.
Originally known as the Disco 3, Brooklynites Mark "Prince Markie Dee" Morales, Damon "Kool Rockski" Wimbley, and Darren "Buff the Human Beat Box" Robinson won a talent contest at Radio City Music Hall in 1983, thanks in part to Robinson's talent for using his mouth to improvise hip-hop rhythms and a variety of sound effects aka "Beatboxin".
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NOMIS |
METHODS NYC |
AMBIGUOUS |
OBEY |
HIP HOP ART - GRAFFITI
Graffiti bombing (practise of painting on walls) began in the mid to late 60's by writers like Cornbread and Cool Earl in Philadelphia but was made famous in the early 70's by Taki183 from Washington. Tagging has been traced back to one man Vic, a mail courier who rode the local subways and buses to deliver his packages. He set a goal for himself to visit every subway and ride every bus in NY. (aka "All City") He began to write his name (Vic) and his courier ID number (156) on every subway and bus he rode on. Around the same time Bubble Styles started to appear along with various other graffiti styles from writers like Case2, Lee163d, Joe136 etc. During the mid to late 70's bubble letter throw-ups appeared all over the New York transit system.
Way back in 69 Don Campbella well known street dancer from LA invented a dance known as "Campbellock" but it not until the Rock Steady Crew in the late 70'2 that b-boy and breaking start to appear mainstream. The Rock Steady Crew was formed by Bronx b-boys Jimmy D and JoJo. B-boy dance styles came up with "Uprock", "Locking", "Popping was introduced by Shabba-Doo and is thought by many to be the first true hip hop dance.
Whilst there had been an attempt at a film "Wild Style" was the first to show real members that represented the various elements of Hip Hop. "Wild Style", co-created by Fab 5 Freddy and directed by Charlie Ahearn, is released featuring the first full-length account of all four elements in hip hop culture: Graffiti, DJ-ing, MCing, and B-boying. The actors are played by the real members of New York's hip hop scene including graffiti legends Lee, Zephyr, Fab 5 Freddy, Lady Pink, Crash, Daze, Dondi and showcases performances from Grandmaster Flash, Grandwizard Theodore, DJ AJ, Grandmixer D.S.T and Rock Steady Crew members: Crazy Legs and Frosty Freeze.
Another all time classic followed a documentary of subway graffiti in New York "Style Wars", filmed by photographer Henry Chalfant and directed by Tony Silver, is aired on PBS featuring several interviews with popular graffiti writers of the time including Crash, Daze, Dondi, Zephyr, Revolt, Kase2, Skeme, Haze and Seen as well as interviews with the Metropolitan Transit Authority and NYC Mayor Ed Koch. More raw footage of hip hop's other elements in Rock Steady Crew, Busy Bee and Grandmaster Flash.
Well that's a very brief 70-80 history, and as you can see it's a very mixed bunch, today we would say hip hop is more of a culture thing, music influences culture and culture influences music.
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MADA |
NOMIS |
THE ORIGINATORS |
KING
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HIP HOP CLOTHING
To walk the walk you have to look the part, so as the culture grew a Hip Hop clothing style was a natural progression. Today people take their fashion inspiration from many sources then mix it and whilst some feel a need to pigeon-hole things, we don't, we are happy to sit on the fence and say yeah we like it, that's why we listen and wear the clothes we do. Many of the clothing brands we deal with feel the same and although they can be inspired by hip hop or have a background in the area, they develop their own clothing designs.
A friend once asked me "what's the most popular hip hop clothing brand on Sturban Clothing?"
I would reply Fabulous Ballerr, Nylon, graffiti artist Flying Fortress and the Teddy Army, MethodsNYC and Street Level Nine are all run or have very strong connections with Graffiti whilst Dope, King Apparel and Addict sponsor many hip hop artists including Aerosolic Records, Carpetface, Rodney P and Skitz, DJ First Rate, and Taskforce. Then we have Five Four, and how could we miss out King Apparel which includes the LDN limited edition range or the DC who have strong connections with the US Hip Hop scene, or The Originators who's whole t-shirt range honours the founding fathers of hip hop.
Like we've said before, it's more about inspiration than individual brands. Graffiti inspired artwork is part of hip hop so clothing like Headstrong T shirts from Regular Product or Frame could fit the bill. Some skateboarders wear phat jeans but not all, it's the same with hip hop, I've seen Hip Hop DJs wearing Nomis and DC jeans but that's individual choice not forced by a fashion trend.
Maybe the answer is in there somewhere, like Hip Hop music is mixed by the individual then Hip Hop clothing is too. Sure, artwork is a part but so is style and individualism.
Is Hip Hop clothing a statement, a fashion or trend?
We like to think it's a development, made up by the individual, that's why we offer so many brands, styles and products at Sturban Clothing, you're the individual, you make the choice!
Other hip hop links you may be interesed in,
UKRunnings 4 UK Hip Hop
UKRunnings 5 UK Hip Hop
Wolftown Mix
Both Sides of the Pond - Mixed by Dj4SHO and Tricksta - Hosted by Rated R USA and Jai Boo UK
Euros & Pounds - Mixed by Dj Makasi and Tricksta - Hosted by Dino West and Late
The Urban Shop / UK Runnings mixtape - Mixed by Tricksta
The Urban Shop / UK Runnings Music For the Myspace Generation Mixtape
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