Hip Hop is a social-political movement created in the late 70's. Hip Hop is a culture to give people who grew up in the ghetto a voice, songs in hip hop are spoken from personal experience. Songs are usually mixed with other genres of music like rock and classical (piano), or with record players and scratchers. Break Dancing and Graffiti is also apart of hip hop as a way to express the people apart of the cultures selves, Freestyling is also a major part of hip hop along with rap battles.
"Some people argue that hip hop is dead, I believe that hip hop lives underground, the unfortunate thing is that the culture is getting smaller and smaller."

"Don't confuse hip hop for rap music, rap is just words, hip hop is the context, the beat, the dance movements, hip hop is a culture, and if you grew up in the ghetto and found a voice in hip and use personal experience in the context of your rap, and use record scratchers and mix genres of music then you are most likely apart of the culture."
by Madison P May 13, 2015
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A name for the 4 elements of the late 70's New York City renaissance which includes break dancing, emceeing, (rapping) graffiti, and turntablism.
Rap is something you do Hip Hop is something you live- KRS One
by Nate Hamer January 15, 2003
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culture in which there are 4 elements that compose it. Breakdancing, graffiti, Mcing, and DJing. Culture which has their own dance (breaking), art (graffiti), music, language, and its race is international. Every race can participate in this culture. Hip hop originally didn't start talking about hoes or drugs or gangbanging, it started as a way to show off how good you are at the element you are good for and talk about other subjeccts like love, party, protest against goverment, music to enjoy other elements with, and stuff like that. The real hip hop stays underground and never sells out to be mainstream. Once its mainstream, it should be called just rapping, not hip hop! Hip hop was born underground and should stay underground. Hip hop should also not be asociated with gangs and drugs.
Hip Hop Wont Stop
Rap is something you do, hip hop is something you live
by Snoop1 November 12, 2005
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Hip Hop is real music that came directly from jazz and soul and incorporates elements of rap. It gets a bad rap (pun not indended) today because most mainstream music is considered hip hop, although it is in actuality pop, techno garbage. Hip Hop and rap should be a better respected art that is often overlooked because of mainstream. Most underground rap is real legitimate hip hop and takes tremendous skill to write. Check it out.
****Before you read this please know that I like both hip hop and rock****

Rock fan: Ahhh, hip hop is absolute crap and today's music is awful.

Me: Man, I love rock, but hip is real music too. Mainstream isn't real music. It's cool, just kick back, chill, and listen to some nice rap.
by Stecster April 30, 2011
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hip hop's not dead because millions & millions of people all around tha world still live it! hip hops not just all about tha bling bling, tha imaginary hoes, and tha computerized shiny cars in musicvideos. its not JUST a type or genre of music, it's a culture/life that people live every day. hip hop isn't just underground either.. sometimes underground artists take away the real from hip hop. sure, hip hop includes the four elements (grafitti art, djing, mcing, and breakin) but its way more then that.. hip hop is only what you yourself can define.. hip hop is real & undying so dont tell ME that hip hop is dead cause i can tell myself and everyone around there that "HIP HOP LIVES FOR ME.. I DONT LIVE FOR HIP HOP"

"ITS ALL CITY LIKE PHASE 2, HIP HOP WILL SIMPLY AMAZE YOU, CRAZE YOU, PAY YOU, DO WHATEVER YOU SAY DO, BUT BLACK, IT CAN'T SAVE YOU" --MOS DEF
people who live the life of hip hop are a few people like kanye west, talib kweli, common, mos def, the roots, hieroglyphics, de la soul, a tribe called quest
by im unnamed, beaches January 4, 2006
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A highly controversial form of music. This is divided into two main categories: "old-school hip-hop," and "new-school hip-hop."

“Old-school hip-hop” refers to the time when this particular genre of music came into widespread popularity. This was the time in which the artist had to strive to make excellent songs in order to expand the number of people that chose to listen to the music. This is often referred to as “the good old days of hip-hop.”

“New-school hip-hop” is entirely different from “Old-school hip-hop.” The main difference is the lack of talent and time required to make a ‘hit.’ The art of making a hip-hop song in this new age is simple:

1) Create a catchy melody of short duration (minimum of 1 second, maximum of 8). Repeat this melody throughout the entire song, without a break. It is permitted to change the octave of the melody, and any instrument (including a voice) is acceptable. The only rules this melody must adhere to is that it is a) short, and b) repetitive.

2) Write the lyrics. The lyrics must pertain to one or more of the following subjects:

a) partying
b) how much money the artist has
c) how famous the artist is
d) how attractive the subject female (or more rarely, male) is, and the features which cause that attraction
e) what position and method of sex the artist did with, or wants to do to, the subject female (or male)

3) The song MUST be repetitive to the point of annoyance and it must take no longer than 30 minutes to completely write the music and lyrics.

Those not making the clear distinction between when hip-hop was widely-considered good and its current state (extremely poor), are just as closed-minded and pathetic as those who listen to hip-hop in its current state and actually draw enjoyment from it.
Here's a list of monotonous new-age hip hop:
Cassie - Me and U
Akon - Smack That
Nelly Furtado - Say it Right
and many, MANY more
by Defender0fConsciousThinking February 14, 2007
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A culture that thrives on creativity and nostalgia. an artistic response to oppression. a way of expression in word/song. a culture that thrives on creativity and nostalgia. a music art form in words-stories of inner city life often with a message, spoken over beats of music. the culture includes rap and other venture spawned from the hip hop style and culture

by Alonzo Westbrook
by Alonzo Westbrook July 31, 2009
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