What it is?

As most things in my life have been synthesized in some fashion through Hip-Hop culture I thought I would open with a question about Hip-Hop music that has been pulling at me for a minute now. That being what is Hip-Hop music? Below is not so much a definitive thesis but more of an opening thought in this expansive question. I hope over the next year to build on this thought in the hopes of possibly providing a tangible definition of what is Hip-Hop music.

I recently read Stanly Crouch’s “Considering Genius, Writing on Jazz.” Despite my differing opinions with Mr. Crouch on everything Hip-Hop I find that I have a tremendous respect for his insight into the realm of Jazz.
What stood out most in the book to me was his insistence that for a composition to be considered “Jazz” it must consist of certain aesthetics. In Mr. Crouch’s estimation for a song to be truly a jazz song it must incorporate some form the following elements; 4/4 swing, blues, the meditative ballad, and Afro-Latin grove. Although the nuisance of this can be argued the importance is in trying to define what makes something Jazz. Just because a piece of music may not have a vocalist and incorporate horns does not make it a Jazz record ya dig?
I think it is imperative that with so much of what is on the radio, MTV, BET, and the numerous other mediums being defined as “Hip-Hop” music, we should begin some dialogue on what definitively constitutes “Hip-Hop” music. Because far too much of what is being classified as “Hip-Hop” today would be better defined as pop music. Much like the culture has five foundational elements; Writing, DJing, B-Boying, Emceeing, and doing the Knowledge, I think it important to layout elements for defining the music. To be clear here I’m not referring to the music DJ’s played in the parks and clubs. I am referring to music composed and arranged by artist(s) creating their own song.
The foundation of any Hip-Hop song should contain innovative usage of existing music, often referred to as sampling. From Emcees rocking in the parks to the Sugar Hill Gang blasting out to the world with their first single, all rap/Hip-Hop records borrowed from existing songs. It is the how and why the DJ in Hip-Hop has in many ways become a musician. Two records come immediately to mind that I think illustrate this point the best; Public Enemy’s “It takes a Nation Of Millions” and the Beastie Boys “Paul’s Boutique.” Both albums borrow from numerous genres of music while still dialoguing with the sounds from the parks that came before them. Further building on Mr. Crouch formula, it is important for the music to dialogue with its past even as it innovates and moves into the future. Most compositions now that are labeled Hip-Hop have no dialogue with its roots in the parks. In fact Mr. Crouch argues that everything Miles Davis did from Bitches Brew on should not be considered Jazz because it did not dialogue with the essential necessary elements of Jazz as he defined them. I say this to highlight that although quantifying something in many ways seems to limit the scope it is equally necessary to provide some parameters else any piece of Music with a person rhyming over a beat could be considered Hip-Hop.
…to be continued