Although Hip hop music as we know it began in the Bronx in 1970s New York, Hip hop's origins can be traced to African American and West African music. The reasons for the rise of the genre in the U.S. in the '70s has to do with the changes that were happening in urban culture at the time.
"Rap" and "hip hop" are often used interchangeably and both refer to a musical genre of rhythmic speaking traditionally and predominantly employed by African American musicians.
The type of clothing that hip hop artists have expressed themselves with has varied over the last few decades, to reflect changes in societal attitudes. Styles that endure in hip hop fashion to this day include heavy jewelery and loose sports brands. Hip hop clothing in the 1990s was influenced more by black nationalism and this was evident in the clothing choices of dance-oriented rappers like MC Hammer, whose blousy pants were reminiscent of early African clothing.
Hip hop dance moves are primarily made up of street dance styles that have evolved over a period of time, along with hip hop culture. As can be seen in many hip hop music videos, images regularly portrayed are often of a sexual or violent nature, but do deviate from this at times, as with what appears to be a recent re-politicization of rap and hip hop music.
