Hip pop
Encyclopedia
Hip pop is a fusion
music genre combining the vocal style of pop
with hip hop
, which became popular in Japan
in the late 2000s. Because there were rap artists to mix rap with pop music in the United States
in the late 1980s and early 1990s such as LL Cool J
, also, recently rapper turned hip pop star, these rap artists' music is commonly called Pop rap in the US.
In Japan, however, the term "hip pop" became used as a fusion genre of J-pop
and hip hop. The "hip pop" music was sometimes confused with pop songs with rapping
, but Japanese music duo Mihimaru GT
described the true "hip pop" music for them as the music by the intermediate vocal style between rapping and singing
. They also pointed out that the "hip pop" music could cover various music genres such as reggae
and rock
. The term itself can be found in the Japanese group Hip Pop Girls, which released an album in 1991. Later, Japanese female pop singer Namie Amuro
released the album Queen of Hip-Pop
in 2005 and Japane singer Sho Sakurai
also recorded his solo song "Hip Pop Boogie" on the limited edition of his band Arashi
's 2008 album Dream "A" Live
.
Nonetheless, the term also went on to be used in the US such as Keith Caulfield of Billboard
, who referred to The Black Eyed Peas
as a "hip-pop" group when their album The E.N.D.
topped the Billboard 200
in June 2009.
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
music genre combining the vocal style of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
with hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, which became popular in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in the late 2000s. Because there were rap artists to mix rap with pop music in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s such as LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, also, recently rapper turned hip pop star, these rap artists' music is commonly called Pop rap in the US.
In Japan, however, the term "hip pop" became used as a fusion genre of J-pop
J-pop
, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
and hip hop. The "hip pop" music was sometimes confused with pop songs with rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, but Japanese music duo Mihimaru GT
Mihimaru GT
Mihimaru GT is an urban and pop group signed to Universal Music Japan and managed by Tearbridge Productions, a subsidiary of Stardust Promotion and Avex.- History :...
described the true "hip pop" music for them as the music by the intermediate vocal style between rapping and singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
. They also pointed out that the "hip pop" music could cover various music genres such as reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. The term itself can be found in the Japanese group Hip Pop Girls, which released an album in 1991. Later, Japanese female pop singer Namie Amuro
Namie Amuro
is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
released the album Queen of Hip-Pop
Queen of Hip-Pop
Queen of Hip-Pop is Namie Amuro's seventh original studio album. It was released on July 13, 2005 after four singles and was her most commercially successful effort in five years before Play was released.- Origin of the title :...
in 2005 and Japane singer Sho Sakurai
Sho Sakurai
is a Japanese idol, singer, songwriter, actor, newscaster, host and former radio host. He is a member of Japanese boy band Arashi....
also recorded his solo song "Hip Pop Boogie" on the limited edition of his band Arashi
Arashi
is a Japanese boy band formed under the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates, which announced the formation of the group on November 3, 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii...
's 2008 album Dream "A" Live
Dream "A" Live
-Chart performance:The album debuted at the number one on the Oricon singles daily chart upon its release with the sales index number of 57,795 . By the end of its first week, the album sold a total of 220,722 copies...
.
Nonetheless, the term also went on to be used in the US such as Keith Caulfield of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, who referred to The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
as a "hip-pop" group when their album The E.N.D.
The E.N.D.
According to review aggregator Metacritic, The E.N.D. received an average of 60 out of 100 indicating mixed to average reviews from music critics, based on fifteen critiques, higher than their 2005 album Monkey Business but lower than their 2003 breakout Elephunk, with critics agreeing that the...
topped the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
in June 2009.
External links
- The Top Page of the 2006 Interview to Mihimaru GT at Excite Music Japan