Similarities Between Hip-Hop And Other Cultures

Although the hip-hop genre was created and generally performed nearly entirely by African-Americans, there are arguable and distinct similar characteristics between the hip-hop music genre and other genres of music as well. Hip-hop music is also referred to as rap or r&b in some cases, and focused on a style of music which is based off a distinct rhythm. Usually, rhythmic speech is accompanied, often referred to as rapping. Hip hop also often includes beat boxing or disk-jockeying as well.

While the characteristics of hip hop music sound very distinct, there are actually quite a few genres which share similarities with it. Rock music may very well be likened to having similarities with hip hop. Both genres evolved from existing types of music; rock from the blues, and hip hop from Jamaican music. Both rock and hip hop were often viewed as revolutionary music styles when they first sprouted into existence and both genres often focus on the same basic themes, which is heartbreak, love, difficult times and situations, sex and often drugs as well. Initially, it seems as though there wouldn’t be any other type of music to compare hip hop to, but there are many similarities in the genres of music.

Much like rock, jazz and also blues genres can be compared to hip hop as well. While rock maintained a more upbeat rhythm which can be synchronized more fittingly to hip hop, both jazz and blues can be compared to it as well. Jazz, often is instrumental, playing a variation of instruments which convey tone, and deep feelings. Jazz is a lively genre in its nature and can also be soothing as well, depending on the type of jazz and the artist, much like hip hop. While jazz can convey the same type of emotions through its conveyance as hip hop so often does; that of hardship, struggle, sadness, grief, loss, liveliness, etc., the blues genre is more blatant about its tones.

Blues music has been around for an extremely long time and still lives to this day, albeit, a bit more subtlety. The blues genre has the same themes as many hip hop songs do; drugs, addiction, death, loss, grief, poverty, the list goes on. While the language may be different and the music tweaked, sped up, and given a more blatant way of expression, hip hop music is not so different than other genres of music at all.