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iTunes has been one of the most useful software to organize your music library on your computer and synchronize them with your iPod. It automatically classifies your songs into fifty different genres ranging from blues to techno. It seems that these genres can cover every categories of music, but for avid hip-hop listeners, hip-hop music cannot be categorized only under the name of ‘Hip-Hop/Rap.’
I, as one of those hip-hop listeners, divide ‘Hip-Hop/Rap’ music into four different categories.
1. Old-School Rap is the style of the very first rap artists who emerged from New York City in the late '70s and early '80s. Old-School Rap is easily identified by its simple raps and had the fun, playful flavor of the block parties and dances at which it was born. When compared with the more complex rhythms and rhyme schemes of modern-day rap, old-school rap can sound dated and a little unadventurous. However, the best old-school tracks retain their liveliness as great party music no matter what the era.
2. Party Rap. It is has only one thing on its mind -- to keep the groove going. The lyrics are all incoherent, with none of the cleverness of old school rap. Instead, it's all about the music, with the bass and drums taking precedence. Recent hip-hop songs hitting the charts can be categorized into this category since they are produced for the sake of club and partie-use.
3. Underground Rap has little regard for mainstream conventions, and they celebrate their independent status. Underground rap also tends to be produced for less than hip-hop on major labels, and it often sounds like it. Songs focus more on personal issues, politics, relationships, and philosophy, and tend to be more subjective and self-critical.
4. Turntablism. By the time rap hit the mainstream in the mid-'80s, the MC had begun taking over the stage. After all, to have any chance at radio airplay and commercial crossover, tracks obviously needed a vocal...