Definitions by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫

Salsa 

A popular form of Latin-American dance music, characterized by Afro-Caribbean rhythms, Cuban big-band dance melodies, and elements of jazz and rock. It represents the ongoing evolution and assimilation of a variety of styles which have traveled from Cuba and Puerto Rico to New York, Miami, and elsewhere. The big bands which blazed forth in city dance halls and on New York's famous Fania label in the mid-1960s used rhythm sections and a compositional structure based in the son music style. But they ultimately added fiery horn sections and jazz harmonies, landing squarely in the samba tradition. South and Central America developed their own appetites for Salsa, contributing to its growth through the trailblazing work of artists like Panama's Ruben Blades and Cuba's Celia Cruz.

Salsa: Jaun Luis Guerra, Pedro Conga, Tito Rojas, Maelo Ruiz, Rey Ruiz, Frankie Ruiz, Johnny Rivera, Ismael Rivera, Puerto Rican Power, Dark Latin Groove Aka DLG, Legacia De La Salsa, Yuri Buenaventura, La India, Pedro Jesus, El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico, Tito Nieves, Roberto Roena, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Cheo Feliciano, Willie Colón, Willie Rosario, Jerry Rivera, Sonora Carruseles, Joe Arroyo, Conjunto Chaney, Luis Enrique, Oscar D'Leon, Danny Rojo, Ruben Blades, Guayacan Orquesta, Tony Vega, Victor Manuelle, Edgar Joel, David Cedeño, Eddie Santiago, Edwin Bonilla, Adolescent's Orquesta, Fania All-Stars, Celia Cruz, Willie Gonzalez, Hector Lavoe, and César Pedroso.

Salsa by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ March 6, 2010

Merengue 

Merengue is a type of fast syncopated music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar. It is unclear as to why this became the name of the music. Perhaps, it can trace its meaning from the movement on the dance floor that could remind one of an egg beater in action. It features vocals in Spanish, accordion (which hails from Germany and Italy), the guiro (a scraper dating back to the Arawak Indians, who first populated the island of Hispaniola), and African percussion, especially tambora and conga. More recently, Merengue artists have added saxophone and electric instruments to the mix. The style continues to mutate and spread through places like Haiti, Venezuela, and New York City.

Merengue: Jaun Luis Guerra, Fernando Villalona, Grupo Mania, Grupo Fuego, Elvis Crespo, Bonny Cepeda, Limi-T 21 Aka Limi-T XXI, Olga Tañon, La Banda Gorda, Jose Peña Suazo, Cuco Valoy, Los Hijos De Puerto Rico, Oro Solido, Sergio Vargas, Ashley Aka La Chica Bomba, Milly Quezada, Melina León, Gisselle, Ilegales, Angel Viloria, Eddy Herrera, Johnny Ventura, Toño Rosario, Los Hermanos Rosario, Tatico Henriquez, Wilfrido Vargas, Parada Joven, Proyecto Uno, El Prodigio, Omega y Su Mambo Violento, El Jeffrey, Ramon Orlando, Manny Manuel, Hector Acosta, Mamajuana, Fulanito, and Fefita La Grande.

Merengue by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ March 3, 2010

Hip-Hop 

"Hip means to know
It's a form of intelligence
To be hip is to be up-date and relevant
Hop is a form of movement
You can't just observe a hop
You got to hop up and do it
Hip and Hop is more than music
Hip is the knowledge
Hop is the movement
Hip and Hop is intelligent movement
Or relevant movement
We selling the music."

KRS-One

Hip-Hop: Eazy-E, Big L, Big Pun, Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G, Nas, Eric B. & Rakim, N.W.A., Public Enemy, EPMD, Gang Starr, Guru, Grand Puba, Brand Nubian, Group Home, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Naughty By Nature, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Mic Geronimo, MC Ren, Ice Cube, Ice T, The Roots, Run-D.M.C., Wu-Tang Clan, Gravediggaz, Mobb Deep, Cypress Hill, A Lighter Shade Of Brown, Delinquent Habits, Warren G, Zion I, MF Doom, MF Grimm, Souls Of Mischief, The Pharcyde, AZ, Big Daddy Kane, Grand Daddy I.U., Canibus, Immortal Technique, R.A. The Rugged Man, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, DMX, Dr. Dre, Slaughterhouse, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9, Organized Konfusion, Kurious, Onyx, Black Star, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Common, Camp Lo, Brotha Lynch Hung, Boogiemonsters, Masta Ace Inc., People Under The Stairs, Above The Law, Compton's Most Wanted, Redman, Nice & Smooth, Lords Of The Underground, Digital Underground, Dead Prez, One Be Lo, Murs, Kam, The D.O.C., Kool G Rap, Kool Moe Dee, Too Short, The Sound Providers, Digable Planets, Crooklyn Dodgers, Slick Rick, Jedi Mind Tricks, Goodie Mob, Field Mob, Sway & King Tech, Mad Skillz, UGK, The Fugees, Pastor Troy, Scarface, Freddie Foxxx, Andre Nickatina, and Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs.

Hip-Hop by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ February 26, 2010

Algebra 

Another word for torture. It’s basically a pointless class where the teacher expects you to know everything prior to taking the class and takes much pleasure in making the students miserable. You learn stupid shit like graphing an equation on a Y and X axis which does not really make too much sense. Some problems require you to find up to eight different answers and it’s one of those time consuming classes where you get homework every day. You pretty much will never need Algebra unless you just love Math and plan on becoming a Mathematician or a Math teacher.

Mr. Smith, an algebra teacher, arrived at the last stack of tests. He looks over the students’ answers and chuckles to himself and as he says “This guy is a fucking idiot. Guess who’s getting an F? You are! Haha this is so much fun. Have fun in summer school.”

Algebra by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ February 9, 2010

Ska 

Jamaican R&B artists developed their nation's first indigenous music genre when they began to incorporate jazz, African and Calypso rhythms into their songs in the late 1950s. The result was Ska, a fusion of the unique Jamaican mento rhythms with R&B. In Ska, the drum comes in on the 2nd and 4th beats, while the guitar emphasizes the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th beats. Ska bands usually consist of a strong rhythm section, guitars, keyboards and brass. The early Ska music of in the '60s and '70s spawned later revivals. The first was in the U.K. in the '80s, giving rise to bands like Madness and the Specials. The next, known as Third Wave Ska, struck the U.S. in the '90s.

Ska: Laurel Aitken, Don Drummond, Lord Tanamo, No Doubt, Mustard Plug, Hopalong Knut, Reel Big Fish, Skadaddyz, The Toasters, The Skatalites, Less Kro, The Busters, One Cool Guy, The Selecter, RX Bandits, The Planet Smashers, Desmond Dekker, The Specials, The English Beat, Madness, Operation Ivy, Big D And The Kids Table, Bim Skala Bim, Catch 22, Buck-O-Nine, Streetlight Manifesto, The Suicide Machines, Troy's Bucket, Bad Manners, The Forces Of Evil, Go Jimmy Go, Upstanding Youth, Skarface, The Pietasters, Mad Caddies, Save Ferris, Suburban Legends, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The O.C. Supertones, The Scofflaws, and Hepcat.

Ska by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ February 4, 2010

Drum and Bass 

Drum and Bass (commonly abbreviated to D&B or DnB) is a type of electronic dance music which emerged in the mid 1990s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats (typically between 160–190 bpm, occasional variation is noted in older compositions), with heavy bass, sub-bass lines, and occasional infra-bass lines. Drum and bass began as an offshoot of the United Kingdom rave scene of the very early 1990s. Over the first decade of its existence, the incorporation of elements from various musical genres lent to many permutations in its overall style.

Drum and Bass: Adam F, Goldie, London Elektricity, High Contrast, LTJ Bukem, D.Kay, DJ Fresh, DJ Dara, DJ Zinc, Shy FX, Drumsound & Bassline Smith, DJ Hazard, DJ Hype, Photek, Loxy, Sub Focus, Future Prophecies, Roni Size, Chase & Status, Ed Rush & Optical, DJ Ink, Andy C, Congo Natty, E-Z Rollers, J Majik, Source Direct, Erb N Dub, Dillinja, Danny Byrd, Concord Dawn, Brookes Brothers, Logistics, Matrix & Futurebound, Nu Tone, Sun King, Cyantific, Plug, TC, and Dirtyphonics.

Drum and Bass by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ February 4, 2010

Mariachi

Bands from Jalisco, in western Mexico, have been providing a unique form of relaxed, romantic accompaniment to weddings since before the Mexican Revolution. Some say the French word for "marriage" may have given their ensembles and their music its name: Mariachi. Now popular at restaurants, bars, and receptions on both sides of the border, Mariachi bands include guitars, the low, thrumming guitarron, violins, a trumpet, and a high-pitched singer. They also come equipped with a repertoire of ballads, polkas, waltzes, and cumbias. Mariachi bands are known for their stylized, sombrero-and-bolero-coat uniforms, and for wandering from bar to street corner to bar, playing their traditional music.

Mariachi: Miguel Aceves Mejía, Pepe Aguilar, Mariachi Silvestre Vargas, Mariachi Mexico De Pepe Villa, Mariachi Casino, Mariachi Los Caporales, Lupillo Rivera, Amalia Mendoza, Raul Sandoval, Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlan, Cuco Sanchez, Jorge Negrete, Alejandro Fernandez, Mariachi Cobre, Mariachi Alas De Mexico, Mariachi Los Toritos, and Mariachi El Bronx.

Mariachi by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ February 4, 2010