Jazz Rap Song
Understanding Jazz Rap
Jazz rap is a fusion of hip hop and jazz that developed as early as the 1960s with people like Gil Scott Heron and as late as the 1980s and 1990s. This beautiful genre incorporated former negro music with that of present-day sounds. The sound was based on hip hop and jazz instruments. Bands from the east coast made this genre popular such as Gang Starr, Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and others.
Jazz Rap Origins
These groups were able to learn and be inspired by such people as the Last Poets and Gil-Scott-Heron. Gil's music is still being played on a massive level today. Jazz didn't need such innovation to survive but it was an innovation of Jazz that produced what we know as Jazz Rap. Jazz musicians like Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and Donald Byrd inspired an entire generation of hip hop artists to use and recreate original jazz songs into hip hop hits. The guru who was one of my favorite hip hop artists of all time released music that featured classical jazz artist Freddie Hubbard, Lonnie Smith, and Byrd.
This was an incredible time for hip hop and jazz as jazz artists were being appreciated for there years of genius and musicianship on a wider stage. Jazz Rap was a palatable genre that includes complex lyrical content, style, and flow. It showcased the best that hip hop had to offer in terms of sound and content. You were being educated, inspired and entertained.
Hip Hop and Jazz
I believe the fusion of jazz and hip hop or more specifically jazz-rap is one of the foundational components of the hip hop culture. KRS one is also one of the fundamental players in this space. While he used deep beats with strong contextual vocals, his music provided a platform for others to stand on. KRS-one brought such a relevant and socially conscious work to audiences that it allowed others with intellectual content to easily find a place in the hip hop community.