Instrumental rap: beats that travel through the ages

Why don’t we start with a booster shot ? As connoisseurs know, the first rap tracks (an acronym for rhythm and poetry) began to appear in the early 1970s in the American ghettos. This movement was rather marginal until it took off in the 1980s, to the rhythms of the MCs (for Masters of Ceremony), these show hosts called in to set the mood and announce the arrival of the artists. Some big names even incorporated it into their pseudonyms, like MC Hammer or Young MC.

The ingredients of a good rap instrument

Purists will say that a good old-fashioned rap instrumental is rather cadenced with an alternation between bass drum and snare drum. This rhythmic structure is derived directly from popular Afro-American music such as blues, gospel, jazz, funk, etc. In the 1970s, it was funk that was the source of inspiration, but the genre has been able to reinvent itself over the years by using the codes of disco, R&B and even electronic music.
With the advent of the beatbox, rap musicians were able to add a new dimension to their sound, until the introduction of the sampler. You know, it's that little device that can record and digitally store any sound passage from another device with an electronic output, like a turntable for example - and then it all makes sense doesn't it?
The truth is that a good rap instrument is a kind of melting pot, stemming from the idea that all sounds, whether purely instrumental, human or electronic, can work together to create THE perfect beat. The one that will best enhance the flow. And as far as flow is concerned, we won't get into the debate, everyone has their own preference!
These unforgettable beats, rap instruments that do our ears good

"The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

"The Message" is undoubtedly one of the most important songs in rap culture. Released in 1982, it hasn't taken a single micro-wave and everyone still remembers the incredible chorus: "Don't push me 'cuz I'm close to the edge [...]".
A song about exhaustion and stressful life in the ghetto, which has continued to inspire subsequent generations of artists, who have happily sampled it in their own songs. The result was always on point, as if Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five had invented the perfect rap instrumental. Ice Cube with "Check Yo Self (feat. Das EFX)" in 1993 and Puff Daddy with "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" in 1997 come to mind.
As for the lyrics, they too have been quoted in several songs, including the excellent "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted" by the late 2pac in feat. with Snoop Dogg.

"California Love" by 2pac feat. Dr. Dre

Since we're talking about Tupac Shakur, otherwise known as 2pac, we still remember "California Love", his most famous song. A track that rocked the charts in 1995, just after the rapper was released from prison. The song still makes many heads nod and is one of the best instrumentals in rap music.
After his murder on September 13, 1996, 2pac won a posthumous Grammy Award for this track with his friend Dr. Dre, and in 2004 Rolling Stone magazine ranked it among the 500 greatest songs of all time, at number 355.

"F**k Tha Police" by N.W.A

Back in the late 80s, in 1988 to be exact, N.W.A(for Niggaz Witt Attitudes) popularised what is still known today as 'gangsta rap' with the famous track "Fuck Tha Police".
No interpretation is needed to understand the meaning of the lyrics, but it will allow N.W.A to claim to be the "most dangerous band in the world". At the time, the FBI took the initiative of sending a letter to the label, condemning the incitement to violence and the explicit lyrics.
From 1986 to 1991, during the golden age of the group, several big names were among the members, including the two composers of "Fuck Tha Police", Ice Cube and MC Ren, but also Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella and Arabian Prince.

"Boyz n' the Hood" by Easy-E

Easy-E, whose real name is Eric Lynn Wright, is a former big-time drug dealer. At the age of 23, he decided to turn to rap after the murder of his cousin and became successful with his first solo single in 1987, entitled "Boyz n' the Hood", was a hit. This title gave birth to an eponymous movie released in 1991, which tells the story of three friends in the South Central ghetto in Los Angeles.
A character as dark as he is iconic, his fiery temperament led to a huge falling out with Dr. Dre, precipitating the end of the legendary gangsta rap group N.W.A, of which he had become the leader. In 1995, at the age of 30, Easy-E, who had already fathered nine children by seven different women, was diagnosed with HIV and died within a month.

"Hypnotize" by The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Pam Long

Another genius rapper with a tragic fate is The Notorious B.I.G., whose real name is Christopher George Latore Wallace, who treated us to many nuggets, including "Hypnotize", one of his last tracks, released in 1997.
And this indelible rap instrumental comes from Puff Daddy (or P. Diddy, or Sean Combs, or Puffy - we don't know anymore...), who had fun sampling "Rise" by Herb Alpert (to whom we owe "This Guy's in Love with You").

"C.R.E.A.M" by Wu-Tang Clan

Now heavily criticised for its sexism and slightly archetypal codes, rap's exuberance and opulence has always stuck to its skin, as a nod to its origins in the poor suburbs of big American cities.
"C.R.E.A.M", for Cash Rules Everything Around Me, is a track released in 1994 by the Wu-Tang Clan. It perfectly illustrates this relationship with money and success, as shown in the video clip, which features the group from the ghetto of Saten Island to the glitz of the daily life of East Coast star rappers.
Its chorus, sung by Method Man, has been used as a rap instrumental for many songs and "cream" has become a slang term in the US for money.

Julkaistu: 7. kesäkuuta 2021