Presenter Information

Grant KnoxFollow

Academic Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

Major

Music Education

Minor

Undeclared

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Dr. Ashley Cumming

Presentation Format

Oral Presentation

Abstract/Description

This paper explores the musical evolution of hip-hop and the techniques that have influenced such growth. Hip-hop music’s pioneers established a genre that would not only prove to be self-sustaining, but allow for a diverse array of influences to contribute to its growth. An art form that was once preserved for minorities and often considered a lower form of intellectual art is growing closer to mainstream music. Topics such as the orchestration and production of music, influence of other genres, harmonic analysis, and the diversity within the genre itself are discussed with an emphasis on hip-hop artists of the previous two decades. While the concept of musical analysis in hip-hop is relatively young, current progress reflected in this analysis shows the increased popularity of hip-hop music and that there is room for scholarly study in the near future.

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Closing the Gap: An Analysis of the Musical Elements Contributing to Hip-Hop’s Emergence into Popular Culture

This paper explores the musical evolution of hip-hop and the techniques that have influenced such growth. Hip-hop music’s pioneers established a genre that would not only prove to be self-sustaining, but allow for a diverse array of influences to contribute to its growth. An art form that was once preserved for minorities and often considered a lower form of intellectual art is growing closer to mainstream music. Topics such as the orchestration and production of music, influence of other genres, harmonic analysis, and the diversity within the genre itself are discussed with an emphasis on hip-hop artists of the previous two decades. While the concept of musical analysis in hip-hop is relatively young, current progress reflected in this analysis shows the increased popularity of hip-hop music and that there is room for scholarly study in the near future.