The Difference Between "Hip-Hop" & "Rap"

[The Amerikkkan Idol]

All my "real" Hip-Hop heads already know what it is, but I've seen a lot of people who don't know the difference these days.

30 Ways to Distinguish Hip Hop from Rap

While the terms Hip Hop and Rap may have been synonymous back in the 70's, 80's and early 90's, the terms were separated at the hip at some point during the mid 90's.
Wildstyle. Buy it Here.

To Old School listeners of the genre, Hip Hop was not only a musical mix of beats and rhymes, but it also included graffiti writing, break dancing, and deejaying. New School rappers and Pop culture mistakenly use the term Hip Hop to describe the urban contemporary music that bares a slight resemblance to Hip Hop. Confused? Listed below are 30 examples that may help one distinguish between what is truly Hip Hop and what is indeed Rap:

1. Hip Hop is MCs and DJs. Rap is rappers and Pro Tools producers.

2. Hip Hop is B-boys, B-girls, Scoob & Scrap Lover, and Big Lez. Rap is booty dancers, strippers, and robotic routines taught in Fame-like dance studios.

3. Hip Hop is music. Rap is entertainment.

4. Hip Hop is the love of urban culture. Rap is the love of money.

5. Hip Hop is graffiti writers. Rap is graphic designers.

6. Hip Hop is speaking the unspoken. Rap is speaking the spoken over and over again.

7. Hip Hop music gracefully ages over the course of time. Rap goes platinum and no one remembers it.

8. Hip Hop is battling on the microphone. Rap is cowardly battling in the streets.

9. Hip Hop is Yo MTV Raps. Rap is Sucker Free Sundays.

10. Hip Hop is Andre of Outkast. Rap is Andre 3000 of Outkast.

11. Hip Hop is art conscious. Rap is image conscious.

12. Hip Hop is college radio and Saturday night mix shows. Rap is your city’s V103 and Hot 97.

13. Hip Hop is the Flavor Unit. Rap is the G-Unit.

14. Hip Hop is MTV refusing to play "street music" in the 80’s. Rap is MTV playing more “street music" than rock.

15. Hip Hop is variety. Rap is monotony.

16. Hip Hop is writing what you feel. Rap is chanting what sells.

17. Hip Hop is female MCs and DJs. Rap is female strippers.

18. Hip Hop is Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First.” Rap is Shawna’s “Getting’ Some Head.”

19. Hip Hop is sweating out your perm from dancing so much. Rap is sitting down the entire time because your Manolo Blahnik's are uncomfortable.

20. Hip Hop is sweating through your rayon or silk shirt while dancing. Rap is holding up the wall, mean-mugging in your button-up.

21. Hip Hop is a creative art. Rap is a formula.

22. Hip Hop is scratching on records. Rap is scratching on CDs.

23. Hip Hop is bragging about your skills on the Mic. Rap is bragging about record sales, cars, and jewelry.

24. Hip Hop tells the world about all that is wrong in the Hood. Rap glorifies all that is wrong in the Hood.

25. Hip Hop is Wild Style, Beat Street, Krush Groove, and Style Wars. Rap is Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

26. Hip Hop is the first Hip Hop Grammy winner boycotting the ceremony due to the Grammy's disrespect of the genre. Rap is throwing a temper tantrum because you didn't win "Album of the Year."

27. Hip Hop is establishing yourself by battle rapping and performing in front of anyone who will listen. Rap is establishing yourself by "Making the Band."

28. Hip Hop is Kurtis Blow. Rap is Curtis Jackson.

29. Hip Hop is an MC storytelling. Rap is a rapper telling a story.

30. Hip Hop is Puff Daddy of Uptown Records. Rap is Diddy of Bad Boy Records.

http://globalgrind.com/source/oldsc...instances-that-changed-the-course-of-hip-hop/

 

[FatboySimms]

Brought a tear to my eye

 

[Penancestare]

Could've just said rap is where all the ignorant shit goes.

 

[gonzo8402]

All my "real" Hip-Hop heads already know what it is, but I've seen a lot of people who don't know the difference these days.

30 Ways to Distinguish Hip Hop from Rap

While the terms Hip Hop and Rap may have been synonymous back in the 70's, 80's and early 90's, the terms were separated at the hip at some point during the mid 90's.
Wildstyle. Buy it Here.

To Old School listeners of the genre, Hip Hop was not only a musical mix of beats and rhymes, but it also included graffiti writing, break dancing, and deejaying. New School rappers and Pop culture mistakenly use the term Hip Hop to describe the urban contemporary music that bares a slight resemblance to Hip Hop. Confused? Listed below are 30 examples that may help one distinguish between what is truly Hip Hop and what is indeed Rap:

1. Hip Hop is MCs and DJs. Rap is rappers and Pro Tools producers.

2. Hip Hop is B-boys, B-girls, Scoob & Scrap Lover, and Big Lez. Rap is booty dancers, strippers, and robotic routines taught in Fame-like dance studios.

3. Hip Hop is music. Rap is entertainment.

4. Hip Hop is the love of urban culture. Rap is the love of money.

5. Hip Hop is graffiti writers. Rap is graphic designers.

6. Hip Hop is speaking the unspoken. Rap is speaking the spoken over and over again.

7. Hip Hop music gracefully ages over the course of time. Rap goes platinum and no one remembers it.

8. Hip Hop is battling on the microphone. Rap is cowardly battling in the streets.

9. Hip Hop is Yo MTV Raps. Rap is Sucker Free Sundays.

10. Hip Hop is Andre of Outkast. Rap is Andre 3000 of Outkast.

11. Hip Hop is art conscious. Rap is image conscious.

12. Hip Hop is college radio and Saturday night mix shows. Rap is your city’s V103 and Hot 97.

13. Hip Hop is the Flavor Unit. Rap is the G-Unit.

14. Hip Hop is MTV refusing to play "street music" in the 80’s. Rap is MTV playing more “street music" than rock.

15. Hip Hop is variety. Rap is monotony.

16. Hip Hop is writing what you feel. Rap is chanting what sells.

17. Hip Hop is female MCs and DJs. Rap is female strippers.

18. Hip Hop is Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First.” Rap is Shawna’s “Getting’ Some Head.”

19. Hip Hop is sweating out your perm from dancing so much. Rap is sitting down the entire time because your Manolo Blahnik's are uncomfortable.

20. Hip Hop is sweating through your rayon or silk shirt while dancing. Rap is holding up the wall, mean-mugging in your button-up.

21. Hip Hop is a creative art. Rap is a formula.

22. Hip Hop is scratching on records. Rap is scratching on CDs.

23. Hip Hop is bragging about your skills on the Mic. Rap is bragging about record sales, cars, and jewelry.

24. Hip Hop tells the world about all that is wrong in the Hood. Rap glorifies all that is wrong in the Hood.

25. Hip Hop is Wild Style, Beat Street, Krush Groove, and Style Wars. Rap is Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

26. Hip Hop is the first Hip Hop Grammy winner boycotting the ceremony due to the Grammy's disrespect of the genre. Rap is throwing a temper tantrum because you didn't win "Album of the Year."

27. Hip Hop is establishing yourself by battle rapping and performing in front of anyone who will listen. Rap is establishing yourself by "Making the Band."

28. Hip Hop is Kurtis Blow. Rap is Curtis Jackson.

29. Hip Hop is an MC storytelling. Rap is a rapper telling a story.

30. Hip Hop is Puff Daddy of Uptown Records. Rap is Diddy of Bad Boy Records.

http://globalgrind.com/source/oldsc...instances-that-changed-the-course-of-hip-hop/

 

[JJWALKER]

"Rap is something you do. Hip-Hip is something you live."

-KRS-One​

 

[Deuterion]

This is stupid....Hip Hop is not music...it's a lifestyle. Within that lifestyle is a genre of music called Rap which is the only surviving element of the Hip Hop Lifestyle today. Run DMC were Rappers but they rapped in an era where the Hip Hop Culture was prevalent which is why they speak about those subjects in their tracks. Rappers nowadays talk about bullshit cuz...bullshit and stupidity is the shit to most youths.

 

[smax51]

i dont agree w/ the obvious technological change and references, and no one wants to go to jail anymore for something as simple as drawing on a wall.

 

[RoadRage]

I will always support hip-hop, (cause real hip-hop is an attitude that comes from the soul) but I'm at the point of my life where just plain rap, just bores me and is nothing to me but 90%, recycled, cookie cutter, garbage that is good for one thing and one thing only, that robing the brain of precious grey matter!

 

[DatNiggaT]

Thats not correct. Hip hop = rap

Hiphop has 4 basic elements = b boy, graffiti, djing, and mcing or rap or spittin etc.

Why do people always try to put hip hop and rap into different categories?? Just because you may think Mos Def and Gucci Mane are completely different artists, they do the same thing...RAP

 

[ak_rep]

A true curve ball.

If you agree with the above stated text.

What would you label this particular album?

Kanye West

The College Dropout

 

[RoadRage]

A true curve ball.

If you agree with the above stated text.

What would you label this particular album?

Kanye West

The College Dropout

To me its hip-hop, not hard core but Kanye is about going against the grain and being original. Remember one thing you don't always have to like hip-hop or care for it, but never the less it is a true hip-hop album!

 

[BUMBAY DA DOGG]

This "rap" shit is the worst nowdays!

Mark my words the era of the MC will return...You can still find 'em yoi just gotta look helluva hard to find "REAL MC'S"!

 

[harlem1nyc]

"Rap is something you do. Hip-Hip is something you live."

-KRS-One​

enough said........

 

[RoadRage]

I think the super producers are killing today's music. Cause back in the day everyone had a DJ and at least the DJ was close to the music that the rapper was rapping about. In other words the rappers style dictated what the DJ played. Now today everything is backwards, the producers who don't know two shits about the artist, are the ones pulling all the strings and calling the shots. Plus now they have ghost writers, people brought in to sing the hooks, and at the end of the day, the original rappers has very little input towards the final product! That's why so much of today's music sounds like it was created in a laboratory filled with a bunch of nerdy scientist and technicians!

 

[J Storm]

"Rap is something you do. Hip-Hip is something you live."

-KRS-One​

BASICALLY.

That list is BULLSHIT because the author fell for the False perception that HIP HOP is a form of Entertainment or an Art as oppose to a WHOLE ENTIRE CULTURE in which RAP (The Spoken Word) is one form.

4 Elements.

Rappers/Emcees (Shit means the same thing, Don't get it twisted)
DJ's
B-Boy's
Graf Writers.

 

[roots69]

shit, i am a hip hop-er...always have/always will.....:ya'll

 

[LennyNero1972]

Bullshit. Hip-hop is the culture, Rap is the expression of the culture. Simple as that, this cat who wrote this doesn't have a clue.

 

[shaddyvillethug]

THAT kanye album was rap.

 

[kefta]

Maybe this can help set the record straight. PRECISE SCIENCE - Free Hip-Hop:


pEACE!!!

 

[VegasGuy]

-VG

 

[Lesane Crooks]

It took me a minute to digest it too but its true. Andre is one of the few artists -like Nas- that can toe the line between rap and hip-hop.

Im more @ #30. When the fuck was Sean Combs ever about hip-hop? Id need to see proof on that one.

The rest is ranging from 95-100% true. My favorite tho-

24. Hip Hop tells the world about all that is wrong in the Hood. Rap glorifies all that is wrong in the Hood.

 

[fwillia]

The dudes with this elitist mentality on hip-hop really kill me.

 

[fwillia]

24. Hip Hop tells the world about all that is wrong in the Hood. Rap glorifies all that is wrong in the Hood.


And this is when you elitists start to sound dumb; because y'all will say this but then y'all will go and consider the N.W.A/Dr.Dre west coast gangsta rap movement a great time in hip-hop (which it was)

 

[The Amerikkkan Idol]

Yeah, that was the one I disagreed with

Thats not correct. Hip hop = rap

Hiphop has 4 basic elements = b boy, graffiti, djing, and mcing or rap or spittin etc.

Why do people always try to put hip hop and rap into different categories?? Just because you may think Mos Def and Gucci Mane are completely different artists, they do the same thing...RAP

Did you read the list, nigga?

A true curve ball.

If you agree with the above stated text.

What would you label this particular album?

Kanye West

The College Dropout

What about it? Kanye West is a rapper with SOME Hip-Hop spirit in him. I don't think of him as a real MC though, because he can't freestyle to save his life, he hasn't battled anybody, and has provided plenty of tracks to the mainstream clowns who have helped ruin Hip-HOp.

24. Hip Hop tells the world about all that is wrong in the Hood. Rap glorifies all that is wrong in the Hood.


And this is when you elitists start to sound dumb; because y'all will say this but then y'all will go and consider the N.W.A/Dr.Dre west coast gangsta rap movement a great time in hip-hop (which it was)

If you listen to the early gangsta rappers, they were rapping about how hard it was to live in the hood. What do you think "Fuck Tha Police" was about? What do you think Ice-T's "Colors" was about? Too Short's "The Ghetto"?

Plus, you cannot deny Dr. Dre and Ice Cube's talent above all else. They were at least GOOD at what they did, as opposed to the guys who copied them and weren't that talented and didn't have a story to tell. Rap was is no longer the "CNN of Hip-Hop", it's the "E! Channel of Hip-Hop". That's the difference.

 

[PsyenceRawk]

THE DIFFERENCE...

HIP HOP IS THE CULTURE... RAP IS THE MUSIC OF THE CULTURE...

BBOYING IS THE DANCE

DEEJAYING IS THE INSTRUMENTAL/MUSIC

GRAFFITI ART THE VISUAL COLOR ASPECT...

HIP HOP IS NOT MUSIC!​

some how the industry pretty much rid themselves of the name Rap as the music and dubbed it Hip Hop because it has more of a nicer tone i guess... i remember when going to the music stores and they had a RAP section... there was not hip hop/rap section.
but it seems to me after "gangster rap" emerged they wanted to link black/latino crime and violence on this particular style of rap and damn all rap together. hence hip hop, cuz them mutha fuckas know damn well that black music = $$$$ and to get the music into white america you have to change the name up a bit.

 

[TaylrMayd]

10. Hip Hop is Andre of Outkast. Rap is Andre 3000 of Outkast.

THE DIFFERENCE...

HIP HOP IS THE CULTURE... RAP IS THE MUSIC OF THE CULTURE...

BBOYING IS THE DANCE

DEEJAYING IS THE INSTRUMENTAL/MUSIC

GRAFFITI ART THE VISUAL COLOR ASPECT...

HIP HOP IS NOT MUSIC!​

AGREED

 

[godofwine]

Could've just said rap is where all the ignorant shit goes.

Pretty much.

 

[ak_rep]

What about it? Kanye West is a rapper with SOME Hip-Hop spirit in him. I don't think of him as a real MC though, because he can't freestyle to save his life, he hasn't battled anybody, and has provided plenty of tracks to the mainstream clowns who have helped ruin Hip-HOp.

You're straddling the fence a bit.

I was referring to the actual product as being a curveball, not Kanye himself.

And I'm not defending Kanye, I just threw it out there as a point of reference. I could argue both sides of this being or not being a hip hop album, as can many others.

According to the stated list, that you've provided, this is how Kanye West's The College Dropout (not Kanye of today) measures:

Hip Hop - 2 3 4 6 7 9 12 13 15 16 21 24 25

Rap - 1 5 8 10 14 18 23 26 27 29 30

Split - 11 17 19 22 28



And in reference to your Kanye "provided plenty of tracks to the mainstream clowns who have helped ruin Hip-HOp." Your statement.

To Whom?

That is a myth. A very popular, yet false statement that you have presented. It's believable on face value but . . . This-Is-A-Myth.

And let's not forget his contributions to Be and Finding Forever.

 

[BKF]

Most rap artist can't freestyle or haven't battled anyone. In fact the original meaning for freestyle was to recite what you wrote. Most of the pioneers couldn't rap off the top of their heads.

 

[BMG]

first it was hiphop, thats the culture, bboying, mcing, djing and graffiti
rap didn't come along until it was put on wax in the late 70s early 80s, before it was all about the DJ

mtv fucked it up, you don't even have to rap to be considered a hiphop artist
they put people like chris brown, akon, missy elliot, sisco and t-pain as hiphop but they are really singers

 

[cuznpete]

Shit that stood out to me

All my "real" Hip-Hop heads already know what it is, but I've seen a lot of people who don't know the difference these days.

30 Ways to Distinguish Hip Hop from Rap

While the terms Hip Hop and Rap may have been synonymous back in the 70's, 80's and early 90's, the terms were separated at the hip at some point during the mid 90's.
Wildstyle. Buy it Here.

To Old School listeners of the genre, Hip Hop was not only a musical mix of beats and rhymes, but it also included graffiti writing, break dancing, and deejaying. New School rappers and Pop culture mistakenly use the term Hip Hop to describe the urban contemporary music that bares a slight resemblance to Hip Hop. Confused? Listed below are 30 examples that may help one distinguish between what is truly Hip Hop and what is indeed Rap:

1. Hip Hop is MCs and DJs. Rap is rappers and Pro Tools producers.

2. Hip Hop is B-boys, B-girls, Scoob & Scrap Lover, and Big Lez. Rap is booty dancers, strippers, and robotic routines taught in Fame-like dance studios.

3. Hip Hop is music. Rap is entertainment.

4. Hip Hop is the love of urban culture. Rap is the love of money.

5. Hip Hop is graffiti writers. Rap is graphic designers.

6. Hip Hop is speaking the unspoken. Rap is speaking the spoken over and over again.

7. Hip Hop music gracefully ages over the course of time. Rap goes platinum and no one remembers it.

8. Hip Hop is battling on the microphone. Rap is cowardly battling in the streets.

9. Hip Hop is Yo MTV Raps. Rap is Sucker Free Sundays.

10. Hip Hop is Andre of Outkast. Rap is Andre 3000 of Outkast.

11. Hip Hop is art conscious. Rap is image conscious.

12. Hip Hop is college radio and Saturday night mix shows. Rap is your city’s V103 and Hot 97.

13. Hip Hop is the Flavor Unit. Rap is the G-Unit.

14. Hip Hop is MTV refusing to play "street music" in the 80’s. Rap is MTV playing more “street music" than rock.

15. Hip Hop is variety. Rap is monotony.

16. Hip Hop is writing what you feel. Rap is chanting what sells.

17. Hip Hop is female MCs and DJs. Rap is female strippers.

18. Hip Hop is Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First.” Rap is Shawna’s “Getting’ Some Head.”

19. Hip Hop is sweating out your perm from dancing so much. Rap is sitting down the entire time because your Manolo Blahnik's are uncomfortable.

20. Hip Hop is sweating through your rayon or silk shirt while dancing. Rap is holding up the wall, mean-mugging in your button-up.

21. Hip Hop is a creative art. Rap is a formula.

22. Hip Hop is scratching on records. Rap is scratching on CDs.

23. Hip Hop is bragging about your skills on the Mic. Rap is bragging about record sales, cars, and jewelry.

24. Hip Hop tells the world about all that is wrong in the Hood. Rap glorifies all that is wrong in the Hood.

25. Hip Hop is Wild Style, Beat Street, Krush Groove, and Style Wars. Rap is Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

26. Hip Hop is the first Hip Hop Grammy winner boycotting the ceremony due to the Grammy's disrespect of the genre. Rap is throwing a temper tantrum because you didn't win "Album of the Year."

27. Hip Hop is establishing yourself by battle rapping and performing in front of anyone who will listen. Rap is establishing yourself by "Making the Band."

28. Hip Hop is Kurtis Blow. Rap is Curtis Jackson.

29. Hip Hop is an MC storytelling. Rap is a rapper telling a story.

30. Hip Hop is Puff Daddy of Uptown Records. Rap is Diddy of Bad Boy Records.

http://globalgrind.com/source/oldsc...instances-that-changed-the-course-of-hip-hop/

 

[BKF]

first it was hiphop, thats the culture, bboying, mcing, djing and graffiti
rap didn't come along until it was put on wax in the late 70s early 80s, before it was all about the DJ

mtv fucked it up, you don't even have to rap to be considered a hiphop artist
they put people like chris brown, akon, missy elliot, sisco and t-pain as hiphop but they are really singers

Actually the raping part was happening before it was on wax. Hip-Hop also includes singers. Example was TJ Swan, Force MD's, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, and Full Force.

 

[JCharades]

what is the obession with 50 cent in this list. Since when is he epitomy of Rap or is this just another white boy's biased opinion between Hip-Hop and Rap. For the record there are alot of broke rappers that brag about money, cars, clothes, women they do not have and generally 50 is for the most part of his music doing the opposite (rapping like he's still broke in the hood when he's not.)Not to say that is a good thing.

 

[ScottyPiffen745]

That Andre 3000 one didn't make sense. Andre 3000 made The Love Below because he was trying something different as an artist, he never did anything just to make a quick buck. That comment right made me stop reading.

Hip Hop is a lifestyle, Rap goes under Hip-Hop, that's why people say Hip-Hop is dead because Rap is the only thing about Hip Hop that is still relevant.

24. Hip Hop tells the world about all that is wrong in the Hood. Rap glorifies all that is wrong in the Hood.


And this is when you elitists start to sound dumb; because y'all will say this but then y'all will go and consider the N.W.A/Dr.Dre west coast gangsta rap movement a great time in hip-hop (which it was)

I was almost with you but:

N.W.A./Early Gangsta Rap = talked about real life struggle, being harassed by the police

Today's Gangsta Rap = glorify selling drugs, snatching chains and shooting niggas

 

[BMG]

Actually the raping part was happening before it was on wax. Hip-Hop also includes singers. Example was TJ Swan, Force MD's, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, and Full Force.

thats true to an extent, but they wasn't real mc's tho

u have be an mc to be hiphop

teena marie was rapping on square biz but that doesnt make her a rapper or in the hiphop genre

tender love from the force md's is a slow jam produced by jimmy jam and terry lewis

lisa lisa and the cult jam was r&b, full force too they went on to produce the backstreet boys and nsync