Tag Archives: Rapping

13Apr/26

Simmi Samma Record Label

April 13, 2026MusicAfrican-American music, Def Jam Recordings artists, Hip hop production, Jazz, Latifah, Music production, Nas, Rapping, Sampling, Simmi Samma, The Blueprintadmin

April 9, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Simmi Samma, a jazz artist and lifelong hip-hop enthusiast, has outlined a specific creative vision for his upcoming musical project. This production blueprint draws heavy inspiration from classic nineties boom-bap and the intricate sampling techniques of artists like A Tribe Called Quest. The desired track must blend soulful vocal manipulation, specifically alternating between high-pitched female samples and natural choruses. To accommodate potential collaborators, the composition requires extended instrumental loops of at least eight bars. Ultimately, the artist aims to synthesize his jazz background with the rhythmic sensibilities of his favorite golden-era and contemporary rap influences.

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14Aug/23

Hip-hop at 50: how the sights, sounds and moves of the music spread across the world

August 14, 2023MusicAdam de Paor-Evans, African-American culture, Afrika Bambaataa, Break, Chuck D, Cindy, Creative Commons, Disc jockey, Disco, DJ Kool Herc, DJ Mean Gene, Electronic dance music, Grandmaster Flash, GrandWizzard Theodore, HERC, Hip hop, Hip hop production, Kendrick Lamar, Kool Herc, Kurtis Blow, Louis Farrakhan, M.C. G.L.O.B.E., Malcolm McLaren, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Melle Mel, New York, New York City, Rapping, Sedgwick Avenue, Street dance, Sugarhill Gang, Tim III, Travis Scott, United States, Worms Aliadmin

Adam de Paor-Evans, University of Plymouth

On August 11 1973, DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy threw the now legendary Back To School jam in the recreation room of 1520 Sedgewick Avenue in The Bronx, New York.

Herc’s party represented a coming together of music and the start of something new. The Bronx crowd did not want the dancehall sounds Herc had begun to play. They wanted soul and the tough percussion of funk. So, Herc changed up the sound and used the main switch for the lights like a strobe-light to add atmosphere. Little did they know, that his event would be commonly accepted by the hip-hop fraternity worldwide as the starting point of what was to become one of the most important creative movements of the last century.

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01Aug/23

Hip Hop movies that made impact

August 1, 2023FilmsAfrican-American culture, African-American music, Beat Street, Breakdancing, Detroit, Eminem, Hip hop, Krush Groove, N.W.A, Rapping, Run-DMC, Spike Lee, Street danceadmin

Here are some of the hip hop movies that have had the most impact: Continue reading →

03Mar/23

De La Soul is coming to streaming services – a brief guide to their best work

March 3, 2023Music3 Feet High and Rising, Adam de Paor-Evans, Chaka Khan, Childish Gambino, Creative Commons, David Jude Jolicoeur, De La Soul, De La Soul discography, Entertainers, Eric Burdon, Faith Evans, Frank Ocean, Fred Wesley, Hip hop, Hip hop music, Kelvin Mercer, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Maseo, Music, Musicians, Rapping, Redman, Thang, Trugoy, Vincent Masonadmin

Adam de Paor-Evans, University of Plymouth

De La Soul is one of the most significant and iconic groups in the history of hip hop. Comprising three members, Trugoy The Dove, Posdnous and Maseo, De La Soul worked together for 35 years releasing innovative music, touring and collaborating with artists from a range of genres until Trugoy’s death in February 2023.

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