Hip-hop

Motivations

To understand copyright issues around sampling and hip-hop production techniques.
Lobby for change in copyright law to reduce the friction in the creative process when using samples, by making them more affordable to use and clearer guidelines.
Educate myself about hip-hop in order to have more to share with students. Help university music programs be more diverse and inclusive.
Develop a paper about the effect of changes in sampling law on the evolution of hip-hop music.

Production techniques

Antecedents
- Musique concrète - early form of electronic music using turntables
- The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Gil Scott-Heron's poem
Influence of technology on evolution of style
- turntables (early 1970s)
- drum machines (early 1980s) - Roland TR808, Oberheim DMX, E-Mu
- samplers (mid 1980s) - Ensoniq Mirage and EPS, E-Mu Emulator, Akai S900
- sequencers (late 1980s) - Akai MPC60
- computer software (late 1990s) - Fruity Loops, Reason, Logic, Ableton Live
- digital turntable controllers - Numark + Serato
The Composition and Production of Layered Loops in Hip-Hop: A Historical Perspective [ CMS presentation ]
Teaching Hip-Hop production skills in songwriting classes [ MEIEA presentation ]
- I - Digging in the crates
- II - Drum machines [ Impact Machine maxpatch ] [ ImpactMachineApplication (OSX) ] [ Max runtime ]
- III - Sampling
- IV - Sequencing [ video tutorial ] [ instructions ] [ short cuts ]

Links

Universal Zulu Nation
Village Green Records producer beat project

Diversity Associates ProgramThis work began under the auspices of BSU's Diversity Associates Program under the leadership of Charlene Alexander. David W. Concepción (Professor and Chair, Dept. of Philosophy & Religious Studies) was my mentor and faculty developer. He is passionate about the music dating back to wearing out his vinyl copy of Rapper's Delight in 1979, and was a big help throughout the year, and helped develop discussion topics for class such as:

Hyper-masculinity in rap music and videos
Lyrics and imagery
Context of language
Images of women
Evolution of sub-bass

Indiana ArtistsUnder construction

Bibliography

Joseph G. Schloss. Making Beats: The Art of Sample-Based Hip-Hop
Kembrew McLeod and Peter DiCola. Creative License: The Law and Culture of Digital Sampling.

Discography

Run-D.M.C.: Run-D.M.C. (1984), Raising Hell (1986)
De La Soul: 3 Feet and Rising (1989), De La Soul Is Dead (1991)
A Tribe Called Quest: People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990), The Low End Theory (1991)
Public Enemy: Yo! Bum Rush The Show (1987), It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988), Fear Of A Black Planet (1991)
LL Cool J: Bigger and Deffer (1987), Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
EPMD: Unfinished Business (1989), Business Never Personal (1992)
Big Daddy Kane: Long Live The Kane (1988), Taste Of Chocolate (1990)
Eric B. & Rakim: Paid In Full (1987), Follow The Leader (1988)
MC Hammer: Let’s Get It Started (1988), Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em (1990), Too Legit TO Quit (1991)
N.W.A.:Straight Outta Compton (1988), Boogie Down Productions,Criminal Minded (1987),By All Means Necessary (1988)
Biz Markie: The Biz Never Sleeps (1989)
Beastie Boys: Licensed To Ill (1986), Paul’s Boutique (1989), Ill Communication (1994)
Vanilla Ice: To The Extreme –(1990),The Predator (1992)
Arrested Development: 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of… (1992)
Dr. Dre:The Chronic (1992)
The Notorius B.I.G.Ready To Die (1994)

Videography

Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap, 2012.
Doug Pray. Scratch. Palm Pictures, 2001.
Brett Gaylor. RIP: A Remix Manifesto. EyeSteelFilm, 2009.
Mark McNeil and Bryan Younce. Secondhand Sureshots. Stones Throw Records, 2010.
VH1: And You Don't Stop 30 Years of Hip-Hop, 2004.
History of hip-hop -
Sanchir Enkhbayar. Secondhand Sureshots. Documentary about four DJs making songs using five found records, spending a maximum of $5.
Thibaut de Longeville and Lisa Leone. Just For Kicks. Documentary on tennis shoes.