Hip-hop is a popular cultural movement that began in the United States in the 1970’s. Hip-hop includes such elements as disc jockeying, rapping , dancing, fashion, art, and language. Hip-hop has had a notable impact on contemporary society. Today, hip-hop culture is popular in many parts of the world.
Hip-hop developed in New York City, primarily among young African Americans and Hispanic Americans. It was based on a kind of music created by performers known as disc jockeys (DJ’s). DJ’s worked with records on two phonograph turntables at the same time. They looped breaks (repeated percussion patterns) from songs to generate rhythmic beats. Scratching also became popular. Scratching involved moving the record back and forth on the turntable to produce a rhythmic scratching sound. Pioneering hip-hop DJ’s include Clive “Kool Herc” Campbell and Afrika Bambaataa << ah FREEK ah bahm BAHT ah >> . Today, many hip-hop DJ’s program or mix music electronically.
Performers known as emcees (MC’s) or rappers soon began to accompany the music created by the DJ’s. Rappers spoke or chanted words and rhymes to the beat. They began to compete in “battles” in which they would show their skill at improvised rhyming. This skill involves creating rhymes on the spur of the moment. Another hip-hop vocal technique called beatboxing also developed. Beatboxing involves using the voice to imitate various sounds, particularly the sound of drumbeats and other musical instruments. Early rap and hip-hop performers included Doug E. Fresh, the Fat Boys, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kurtis Blow, Run-D.M.C. , and the Sugar Hill Gang.
Elements of hip-hop music appeared in many forms of popular music. Later popular rap and hip-hop performers have included Chance the Rapper , Drake , Jay-Z , Missy Elliott, Nicki Minaj , and Kanye West .
Followers of hip-hop developed a style of dancing called break dancing or breaking. Break dancers wriggle, spin on their backs, and perform gymnastic moves to the breaks in hip-hop or other music. Like rapping, break dancing is often competitive. 
Particular styles of fashion also arose among followers of hip-hop. Hip-hop clothing, jewelry, and hairstyles changed rapidly and often reflected a specific region or group’s current tastes. Some popular hip-hop fashions included baggy clothing for men, traditional African patterns, and heavy gold or platinum jewelry for both men and women. Some hip-hop fashion was associated with gang membership. Certain fashion designers became popular with followers of hip-hop. A number of hip-hop performers created their own clothing lines.
Some people consider graffiti to be a form of hip-hop art. Graffiti artists paint or scratch words or drawings on the walls of public places. They often identify themselves with signatures or symbols called tags. Notable graffiti artists or artists who have used elements of graffiti in their work include Jean-Michel Basquiat , Fab 5 Freddy, Keith Haring , and Shepard Fairey. 
Hip-hop has attracted controversy. Some critics associate elements of hip-hop with gang activity. The lyrics and videos of some rap artists have been criticized for their profanity, strong sexual content, and expressions of violence. Many people regard graffiti as vandalism .
