 |
| Scottish hip hop | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Hip hop, urban |
| Cultural origins | Early to mid-1980s, Scotland |
| Typical instruments | Turntable, synthesizer, rapping, drum machine, sampler, guitar, computer |
| Derivative forms | Trip hop |
| Other topics | |
| Drum and bass, dubstep, grime, UK garage | |
Scottish hip hop is the regional manifestation of the British hip hop culture in Scotland, comprising the five elements of MCing, DJing, beatboxing, graffiti and b-boying. [1]
In the 1980s, elements of hip hop culture had spread to Scotland. Scottish actor and stand-up comedian Johnny Beattie claimed to be "Scotland's first rap star". His song "The Glasgow Rap" was released in 1983 and received some chart success at the time. [2] [3]
In the late 1980s artists such as II Tone Committee, Bill Drummond, Krack Free Media, Dope Inc and into the early 1990s with Blacka'nized, NorthernXposure, Zulu Syndicate, Eastborn, Major Threat, All Time High and UTI (Under The Influence) laid the groundwork for a Scottish Hip Hop subculture, rapping consciously about their own lives and problems in their own voices rather than emulating American rappers of the time. [4] [5] The first Scottish hip-hop on vinyl was The Frontal Attack, released by Dope Inc in 1991. [6] In Glasgow, Steg G & the Freestyle Master were producing work that added a west coast twist to Scottish rap. [4] [5]
In the early 2010s, a defined scene became more visible in the mainstream for various reasons.
Firstly, the emergence of "written" battle rap as a defined artform led to greater exposure of the scene as whole, [7] thanks to the creation of battle events in both Edinburgh & Glasgow by Nity Gritz, co-hosted by Werd (S.O.S) [8] This even culminated in a Scotsman becoming the de facto UK battle rap champion when Soul became the Don't Flop champion in 2015. [9]
Several artists within the hip hop community also became galvanised by the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. The likes of Loki [10] and Stanley Odd championed the Yes vote. The former emerged as an activist and cultural voice on behalf of the hip hop community, while the latter went viral with their single "Son, I Voted Yes". [11]
Elsewhere, several acts within the scene broke into the mainstream. The likes of Hector Bizerk and The LaFontaines earned prestigious slots at the T in the Park festival, as well as widespread critical recognition. Meanwhile, Young Fathers, a hip hop group from Edinburgh, achieved UK-wide success with their album "Dead", for which they won the Mercury prize. While Edinburgh's Madhat McGore pushed the music further down south, working with English acts and appearing on Charlie Sloth's BBC Fire in the Booth. [12] Eastborn toured Australia, the US and China, as well as guest slot presenter of BBC 1xtra.
Edinburgh Born Rob Mitchell leads Abstract Orchestra, a British hip hop orchestra that are known for reworking classic American hip hop and working with both UK and US artists.
In July 2015, the Audio Soup festival in Dunbar became the first to dedicate an entire stage to Scottish hip hop artists. [13]
From the inception of Hip hop culture in Scotland, break dancing became a popular dance form. Castle Rocks was Scotland's biggest ever bboy competition and attracted competitors from Korea, Brazil, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway etc. and across the UK. It was established in 2005 and ended in 2012. Some prominent Scottish crews (past and present): Flyin' Jalapeños Crew, [14] Laser city crew, [15] 141 Crew, White City Breakers, Random Askpektz.
Pinoy hip hop or Filipino hip-hop is a style of hip hop music performed by musicians of Filipino descent, especially Filipino-Americans.
UK rap, also known as British hip hop or UK hip hop, is a music genre and culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of R&B/hip-hop. British hip hop can also be referred to as Brit-hop, a term coined and popularised mainly by British Vogue magazine and the BBC. British hip hop was originally influenced by the dub/toasting introduced to the United Kingdom by Jamaican migrants in the 1950s–70s, who eventually developed uniquely influenced rapping in order to match the rhythm of the ever-increasing pace and aggression of Jamaican-influenced dub in the UK. Toasting and soundsystem cultures were also influential in genres outside of hip hop that still included rapping – such as grime, jungle, and UK garage.
John Ross Beattie is a Scottish broadcaster and former rugby union player.
Liz Lochhead Hon FRSE is a Scottish poet, playwright, translator and broadcaster. Between 2011 and 2016 she was the Makar, or National Poet of Scotland, and served as Poet Laureate for Glasgow between 2005 and 2011.
Paul Birchard is an American actor who lives in Finland. He has appeared in film, television, stage and radio productions, most notably as Bud in Sweet Bird of Youth with the Royal National Theatre, Ross in The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, and Chuck in the premiere of Frank Grimes's first performed play, The Fishing Trip. Birchard is also known for his one-man stage adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald stories, a documentary film about Tennessee Williams and Konrad Hopkins which he produced and directed, and a song promoting the Glasgow Diamonds American football team.
John Gerard Beattie, MBE was a Scottish actor and stand-up comedian whose career spanned over six decades. He appeared on shows including the sketch show Scotch & Wry and the sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt, and later appeared in more dramatic roles including Malcolm Hamilton in the soap opera River City.
Asian hip hop is a heterogeneous musical genre that covers all hip hop music as recorded and produced by artists of Asian origin.
Steven Gilfoyle is a Scottish hip hop music producer, radio presenter and recording artist. His involvement with Scottish hip-hop culture began with a pioneering role in the early to mid '90s, and he is still involved twenty years later. He is the founder and current CEO of Powercut Productions, a hip hop label based in Glasgow, Scotland.
Kid Canaveral was a Scottish alternative pop band that formed in St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, but are now based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Since 2007 the band have released a number of well received singles, an E.P. and an album on their own label, Straight to Video Records, and in 2011 they signed with Scottish independent label Fence Records. The band left Fence Records to join Johnny Lynch on his new label Lost Map Records in August 2013. The band have received praise for their pop hooks and melodies, and their energetic and engaging live performances. Their second record Now That You Are a Dancer was nominated for the 2014 Scottish Album of the Year Award. The group released their third record Faulty Inner Dialogue, via Lost Map Records, on 29 July 2016.
Battle rap is a type of rapping performed between two or more performers that incorporates boasts, insults, wordplay and disses originating in the African-American community. Battle rap is often performed spontaneously, or freestyled, in live battles known as rap battles, where participants will compete on the same stage to see who has the better verses.
Stanley Odd is an alternative hip-hop group based in Scotland combining live instrumentation with samples and loops. Formed in 2009, the band have supported acts such as Arrested Development, Sage Francis and The View, and played at major Scottish festivals T in the Park and Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party. Their first album was released in May 2010 on Circular Records. Their self-released follow-up, Reject, was shortlisted for Scottish Album of the Year Award 2013, with their third A Thing Brand New coming in 2014.
Events from the year 2013 in Scotland.
Hector Bizerk were an experimental hip-hop group from Glasgow, Scotland, featuring drummer Audrey Tait and rapper Louie. Formed in 2011, they were initially a duo. However later recordings saw them add Jennifer Muir and Fraser Sneddon (Bass). They have released five EPs and three albums, and their 2014 EP The Bird That Never Flew features guest vocals from Scotland's Makar Liz Lochhead.
The 2013–14 season was the 117th season of competitive football in Scotland. The season began on 13 July 2013, with the start of the Challenge Cup.
Silibil N' Brains were a Scottish hip-hop duo consisting of Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd. They are best known for masquerading as American rappers from California to secure a record deal, a story which formed the basis of Bain's 2010 memoir California Schemin' and was adapted into the documentary film The Great Hip Hop Hoax.
Nasty P is a hip hop Producer/DJ from Edinburgh, Scotland. As an artist and producer he has worked with Akil from Jurassic 5, Skinnyman and Ed O.G.
Darren McGarvey FRSL, who goes by the stage name Loki, is a Scottish rapper and social commentator. He was an activist during the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. He is from a political and performance family: his aunt is the former Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Rosie McGarvey Kane.
Events from the year 2020 in Scotland
Back Off Scotland is a campaign group advocating against the intimidation and harassment of women attending sexual health clinics in Scotland. Their main goal is to have 150-metre buffer zones established around clinics nationwide that provide abortion services in order to deter anti-abortion protestors and demonstrators.
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