Definition

1. Noun:
   • A genre of music: A style of popular music that originated among African American and Latino communities in the Bronx, New York City, in the late 1970s. It is characterized by rhythmic and rhyming speech called rapping, a strong beat, and often includes sampling and DJing.
   • An associated culture: A broader urban youth culture encompassing not just the music but also elements like breakdancing, graffiti art, DJing, and specific styles of dress, language, and attitude.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Music Genre):

  • The radio station plays a mix of hip-hop and R&B.
  • Her favorite hip-hop artist released a new album.

• Noun (Culture):

  • He is deeply immersed in hip-hop culture, from the music to the fashion.
  • The documentary explores the global influence of hip-hop.

Advanced Usage

• "Old-school hip-hop": Refers to the earliest era of hip-hop music and culture, typically from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.

  • They were listening to old-school hip-hop at the party.

• "Hip-hop head": (Informal) A dedicated fan or enthusiast of hip-hop music and culture.

  • As a true hip-hop head, he knows the history of every major MC.

Variants and Related Words

• Hip-hop is typically used as a compound noun. The related adjective is hip-hop (e.g., , ).
• Rap (n/v): A primary musical component of hip-hop involving rhythmic spoken delivery. While closely related, "rap" often refers specifically to the vocal style, whereas "hip-hop" can refer to the entire culture.

Synonyms

• Rap music: Often used interchangeably, though "rap" is more specific to the vocal style.
• Urban culture: A broader, less specific term that can encompass hip-hop.

Related Phrases

• Hip-hop generation: Refers to the cohort of people who grew up with hip-hop as a defining cultural force.
  • Members of the hip-hop generation are now leaders in various fields.

Related Idioms

Note: As a cultural term, "hip-hop" itself is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions. However, idioms often originate from hip-hop lyrics and culture. - "Dropping knowledge": To share insightful or enlightening information, a phrase popularized in hip-hop. - The professor was really dropping knowledge in today's lecture.

Noun

1. genre of African-American music of the 1980s and 1990s in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment; several forms of rap have emerged
2. an urban youth culture associated with rap music and the fashions of African-American residents of the inner city