History GenreMotif / HipHop

* The delinquent hotrods in ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' are introduced blasting hip-hop from their speakers.

** And referenced in a crazy CrowningMomentOfFunny in JJ's [=S4=] episode when he and his equally nice mum are in a ludicrously cute [=2CV=] singing along to "Vicks", "My Hooker" and "White Ladies" (written for the show by Fat Segal and Creator/DanielKaluuya - the bloke who played Posh Kenneth - but you can probably guess what they sound like from the titles).

* ''TheFastAndTheFurious'' series ''runneth over'' with this kind of motif. Even the third movie which takes place in Japan (I WONDAA IF YOO KNO HOW THEY RIIBU IN TO-KY-O!!! IF YOO SIIN IT AND YOU FEERIIT DEN YOO KNO YOO HABU TOO GO! FAST AND FURIUUUUUS!!!)

** And referenced in a crazy CrowningMomentOfFunny in JJ's [=S4=] episode when he and his equally nice mum are in a ludicrously cute [=2CV=] singing along to "Vicks", "My Hooker" and "White Ladies" (written for the show by Fat Segal and Daniel Kaluuya - the bloke who played Posh Kenneth - but you can probably guess what they sound like from the titles).

* ''GurrenLagann'' uses rap as a general motif of [[LaResistance sticking it to the man]] in some of its songs, most notably the aptly titled "Rap is a Man's Soul", [[RefrainFromAssuming better known as "Raw Raw Fight The Power".]] It may also contain the only example of a song combining rap and ''[[MundaneMadeAwesome opera]]''.

* Pretty much completely averted in {{Skins}} when Cassie's kindly middle-aged driver starts blasting "Move, Bitch" by Ludacris.

* ''TheWire'' doesn't have any actual soundtrack, but gangster characters are often introduced by a steady hip-hop beat [[SourceMusic coming from their car stereo.]]
* ''SamuraiChamploo'':Hip Hop::''Anime/CowboyBebop'':GenreMotif/{{Jazz}}

"Conscious" hip hop artists such as Mos Def, A Tribe Called Quest, or even Common, may be used in a soundtrack to give an urban yet indie feel.

Back in the days of old school rap, HipHop was often used as part of someone who is TotallyRadical. With the rise of popularity of the ''far more aggressive'' gangsta rap, and hardcore Hip-hop rap is now used as a motif for anything related to the darker aspects of street life. If you hear hip hop in the soundtrack, you can be sure that everything is taking place on the wrong side of the law.

* ''SamuraiChamploo'':Hip Hop::''CowboyBebop'':GenreMotif/{{Jazz}}

* Unsurprisingly all over the ''DefJamSeries'' since it was licensed by the record company of the same name and featured many Hip Hop and Rap artists as fighters.
* The announcement that ''MadWorld'' would have an entirely hip-hop/rap soundtrack surprised the hell out of many people. Then [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome the game came out]].

Back in the days of old school rap, hip hop was often used as part of someone who is TotallyRadical. With the rise of popularity of the ''far more aggressive'' gangsta rap, and hardcore Hip-hop rap is now used as a motif for anything related to the darker aspects of street life. If you hear hip hop in the soundtrack, you can be sure that everything is taking place on the wrong side of the law.

->A certain administration which I won't call by name took the arts out of the schools, and that left the brothers out on the street with nothing, so they went to the turntables and started rhyming. Then they had a way to express themselves, and that's the birth of hip-hop.
->--'''Isaac Hayes'''

%% One quote is sufficient. Please place additional entries on the quotes tab.

Old school hip hop comprised four ingredients--[[GenericGraffiti graffiti]], DJ-ing, MC-ing, and beat boxing (Breakdancing is another staple, but not within the context of hip hop music, just hip hop culture). Nowadays, it is often viewed as 'another name for rap'.

Note that there are many different scenes, subgenres, and cultures within hip hop ''besides'' gangsta rap. Even gangsta rap has several sub-forms like Horrorcore, and Mafioso rap. Unfortunately, they rarely receive anywhere near the attention in other media (or anywhere near the record sales).

'Conscious' hip hop artists such as Mos Def, A Tribe Called Quest, or even Common, may be used in a soundtrack to give an urban yet indie feel.

!! Sub-genres include:

[[index]]
* AlternativeHipHop
* ConsciousHipHop
* {{Crunkcore}}
* CountryRap
* DirtyRap
* GangstaRap
** {{Trap Music}}
* GlamRap
* TheGoldenAgeOfHipHop
* Gospel Rap (also called Holy Hip Hop, is considered a subset of GospelMusic)
* HardcoreHipHop
* {{Horrorcore}}
* Jazz Rap (a form of rap mixing Jazz music, made famous by a ATribeCalledQuest)
* MiamiBass
* {{Nerdcore}}
* PoliticalRap
* RapRock
** PunkRap
** RapMetal
* SwagRap
* InstrumentalHipHop
[[/index]]

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!!Tropes covered ''within'' Hip Hop & the industry itself:

* AbusiveParents
* {{Anvilicious}}[=/=]SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped
* AngryBlackMan
* BigAppleSauce
* BlackSheepHit
* BoastfulRap
* BrokenBase: And how! Read the entry for details.
* ComicsRuleEverythingAroundMe
* ConfirmationBias / DontShootTheMessage: ''A lot'' of people, casual listeners and purists alike, tend to love or hate hip hop (and its subgenres) based on its messages, imagery, and other factors more so than the actual music itself.
* ControversyProofImage: Exceptions being '''[[Music/{{IceT}} Ice-T]]''''s cop killer controversy, which for all intents and purposes ruined his mainstream career as a rapper[[note]]Even though the Music/BodyCount album was '''Music/HeavyMetal''', not rap[[/note]] and ''Nelly'', due to the tip drill controversy. Possibly Music/PublicEnemy as well thanks to Professor Grif's comments about Jews.
* CoolCar: Exotic cars , low-riders and modded car culture in general has always been a huge part of hip-hop culture.
* CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority: A good chunk of hip-hop's music image is this.
* ConspiracyTheorist: A lot of Political Rappers veer into this.
* CrapsackWorld
* DarkerAndEdgier: Arguably the ''GoldenAge'' era, even the alternative movement.
** The genre as a whole has gone through this: compare the clean-cut Fresh Prince with Lil Wayne.
*** Of course there's no agreement on whether or not this generation is darker, as some have the exact ''OPPOSITE'' opinion.
* DeaderThanDisco[=/=]GenreKiller: Censorship, ExecutiveMeddling, LighterAndSofter, and MisaimedMarketing of HipHop is what arguably killed the GangstaRap, HardcoreHipHop, ConsciousHipHop, AlternativeRap, and PoliticalRap sub-genres in the mainstream. Specific reasons are;
** Stronger radio and video censorship towards HardcoreHipHop, GangstaRap, and PoliticalRap. {{MTV}} even refused to play a certain Music/PublicEnemy video because of a political statement. This become an extreme wall banger when you realized how the sexually explicit videos were rarely if ever banned, but violence and political statements were apparently where they drew the line.
*** Some even say West Coast hip-hop specifically was blacklisted because of the East Coast/West Coast rivalries, and because of this it never recovered. Then there was the death of 2pac and the collapse of DeathRow Records and its [[TheRival rival]] ''Ruthless Records'' thanks to ExecutiveMeddling (according to BoneThugsNHarmony). After that West Coast rap in general, gangsta or otherwise, was persona non grata.
*** There was a BET memo that said they wouldn't play PoliticalRap because it's ''[[ViewersAreMorons too intelligent for its audiences]]''.
** ConsciousHipHop, likely due to the Afrocentric overtones not being [[ButNotTooBlack broadly]] [[MultipleDemographicAppeal appealing]]. The beginning of the end was probably when the mainstream ignored Digable Planets's more Afrocentric album ''Blowout Comb'', and Arrested Development's follow up album ''Zingalamaduni''.
** AlternativeRap was killed due to the same reasons as ConsciousHipHop, exceptions being that it has a mainstream-friendly package like BlackEyedPeas and KanyeWest.
** [[TakeAThirdOption Alternatively]] the above genres just weren't popular ''enough'' [[PopCultureIsolation outside of hip-hop's core audience]]. So basically MoneyDearBoy...
* DeepSouth: Quite a few rappers are from Atlanta and other Southern areas.
* DomesticAbuse: There's a lot of songs covering the issue.
* EnemiesEqualsGreatness: A lot of rap songs are all over this trope, especially songs from the {{Glam Rap}} and {{Swag Rap}} sub-genres. Just about every rapper loves to talk about their "haters" in their lyrics.
* ExecutiveMeddling: Especially after it became profitable.
* FandomRivalry: Whoo boy!...
* FollowTheLeader: Oh yes, also a huge cause of Hip-Hop beef and FandomRivalry
* ForTheEvulz: The lyrics to Horrorcore Rap, and some forms of hardcore hip-hop and gangsta rap.
* FreestyleVersion: Extremely frequent in the culture.
* GenreTurningPoint: Circa 1988, where hip hop broke into the mainstream, and the beginning of the ''Golden Age''.
* GunPorn: A feature of the GangstaRap subgenre - discussing guns, and on rare occasions showing them off in music videos.
* HotterAndSexier: Specifically the music videos around the turn of the century. Which ironically makes the old 2 Live Crew videos ''tame'' by today's standards..
* IAmSong
* InherentInTheSystem: Some rap songs cover this.
* IntercourseWithYou
* ItsPopularNowItSucks: Hip hop is often overlooked by music fans because of its immense popularity. The low quality of its mainstream artists doesn't help at all.
** This largely depends on who you ask. Often if you ask somebody if they like rap music, whether they say yes or no, it's hard to tell whether they know if you are referring to mainstream "glam rap" or underground hip hop, the latter of which is generally what most music enthusiasts consider when they think of "rap".
* JustifiedCriminal
* LighterAndSofter: Current form of hop-hop is accused of this. Not just for specific artists but the genre as a whole, according to some.
* ListSong
* MalcolmXerox: A none Strawman version.
* MagazineDecay: Some feel this way about hip-hop magazines, And not just ''[[AcceptableTargets The Source either]]''.
* MeanCharacterNiceActor: A lot of rappers/hip-hop artists have incredibly mean, hateful, rude, arrogant/narcissistic lyrics, but are actually quite kind people in real life.
* MobWar
* MurderBallad
* MurderSimulators: Rap music has been a popular scapegoat for almost 20 years. The media frenzy died down around the mid 90's, then in '99, Eminem made his debut and the controversy went right back into full swing. People often blame it (and video games) for teens' insensitivity to violence and for promoting stereotypes about women.
* MusicIsPolitics: Discussed and invoked.
* PopCultureIsolation: The genre at it's core is mostly known by urban audiences
* ProtestSong: The genre produced a wide variety of these during the 90's. The biggest one arguably is " Fight The Power" by Public Enemy.
* PublicMediumIgnorance: Sometimes almost to a racist degree.
* RapeAsDrama: There have been rap songs talking about rape.
* SassyBlackWoman: Some female emcees, and songs discussing said sassy women.
* ScrewedByTheNetwork: See DeaderThanDisco above.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Rappers some time talks about bypassing rules due to having lots of money.
* ShakingTheRump: Commonly done by women in a lot of rap videos, most especially if the song is [[StuffyOldSongsAboutTheButtocks about that particular body part]].
* SingerNamedrop: Almost every rap song has one.
* SoapboxSadie: Conscious hip-hop, and political rap.
* TokenMinority: Female and/or non-black rappers, at least in North America. In countries where Africans are non-existent or a tiny minority, the majority of rappers will be whatever is most prevalent.
** Interestingly enough for most of TheNineties female emcees was quite common. So much so that arguably they wouldn't count as a TokenMinority. But after the turn of the millennium all that changed. This has been brought up in a lot of HipHop mags and blogs.
*** Female rap does seem to be entering something of a renaissance as of the early 2010s, though.
** In Australia, talents like Music/{{Diafrix}}, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu16zcw82dk&feature=relmfu 1/6]] and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_55ZdsfNqlI N'fa]] (who worked with HeathLedger, believe it or not) head the very small number of African-Australian emcees. [[UsefulNotes/FirstAustralians Indigenous]] hip-hop is another significant minority subculture.
* VillainProtagonist: The viewpoint adopted in several songs.
* VoiceOfTheResistance: Some see the genre as this, or is capable of being this.
* AWildRapperAppears: Crossovers with other genres have been around from the start, but have been growing in popularity since the 2000's.
* WolverinePublicity: Rappers tend to promote themselves by guest-starring in other artists' songs.

* GunPorn: alot of rappers love discussing guns, and on rare occasions show them off in music videos.