Hip-hop is a style of music and a broader cultural movement that began in New York City in the 1970s. The music features rhythmic beats and rapping, where artists speak or chant lyrics in time with the music. Unlike singing, rapping emphasizes rhythm and wordplay, with artists crafting clever rhymes and stories over instrumental tracks.

Hip-hop music grew out of block parties in the Bronx, where DJs would isolate and repeat the percussion breaks from funk and soul records, creating new sounds by mixing records together on turntables. MCs (masters of ceremonies) would rap over these beats, entertaining the crowd with their verbal skills. This style of music became hugely popular and influential, spreading across America and eventually the world.

Beyond just music, hip-hop encompasses breakdancing (an athletic style of street dancing), graffiti art, and a distinctive fashion style. Artists like Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Tupac Shakur, and Lauryn Hill helped shape hip-hop into one of the most popular and influential music genres in the world. Today, hip-hop artists perform in sold-out arenas, and their music regularly tops the charts.