9781422274378

A European drew this picture of Afro-Caribbean slaves dancing in 1833. The slaves are accompanied by various percussion instruments, including drums and gourd rattles. The songs of slavery influenced later forms of black American music like blues, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. popularized the term. During the early days of hip-hop, people referred to the music as “disco rap.” Hip-hop was originally created as fun party music that people could dance to. However, hip-hop artists have also used their songs to convey powerful messages about racial inequalities as well as their political views. Born Out of Oppression Hip-hop is America’s very own music, a unique art form produced by the mixture of cultures within the United States. Hip-hop’s earliest and deepest roots, however, stretch across the Atlantic Ocean and dig into the soil of Africa.

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Hip-Hop