- published: 23 Apr 2013
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Greek Hip Hop (Greek: Ελληνικό χιπ χοπ, pronounced [eliniˈko çip xop]), is the chief genre of rap music in Greece. The earliest indications of the localized genre date back to 1987 with the group FF.C, though native language albums did not appear until the mid-1990s. The first hip hop album was Diamartiria (protest) in 1993 of Active Member along with "Σκληροί καιροί" by FF.C. Then FF.C followed with Σημεία τον καιρών, and TXC (now Artemis/Efthimis) with their single Terror X Crew in 1995.
Gangsta rap came to Greece in 1997 with the group Ζωντανοί Νεκροί (Living Dead).In 1999 the group Παρεμβολές released the first hardcore CD named Εν όψει (in consideration of).In 2000 the group Άλφα Γάμα (Α.Γ.) continued with the CD named αγνωστοφοβεία (fear of the unknown). Ημισκούμπρια and Going Through made Greek hip-hop famous in the mainstream Greek audience. Goin' Through changed their way of music from hip hop to a kind of R&B or Pop music. The political issues and the society also invaded to this type of music. Terror X Crew introduced a new style of rapping with their CD's "Η Πόλις Εάλω" (1997) and "Έσσεται Ιμάρ" (2001). These albums are ethnocentric and for the first time Greek nationalism is involved to the hip-hop music. For this, the then president of the Hellenic Front, Makis Voridis awards them as "they try to wake up the Greek nation".
Hip hop or hip-hop is a sub-cultural movement that formed during the early 1970s by African-American and Puerto Rican youths residing in the South Bronx in New York City. It became popular outside of the African-American community in the late 1980s and by the 2000s became the most listened-to musical genre in the world. It is characterized by four distinct elements, all of which represent the different manifestations of the culture: rap music (oral), turntablism or DJing (aural), b-boying (physical) and graffiti art (visual). Even while it continues to develop globally in myriad styles, these four foundational elements provide coherence to hip hop culture. The term is often used in a restrictive fashion as synonymous only with the oral practice of rap music.
The origin of the hip hop culture stems from the block parties of the Ghetto Brothers, when they plugged in the amplifiers for their instruments and speakers into the lampposts on 163rd Street and Prospect Avenue and used music to break down racial barriers, and from DJ Kool Herc at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, where Herc mixed samples of existing records with his own shouts to the crowd and dancers. Kool Herc is credited as the "father" of hip hop. DJ Afrika Bambaataa of the hip hop collective Zulu Nation outlined the pillars of hip hop culture, to which he coined the terms: MCing or "Emceein", DJing or "Deejayin", B-boying and graffiti writing or "Aerosol Writin".
Hip hop, a way of life
Chosen by the ghetto youth out of necessity
It involves graffiti, deejaying, breakdancing and emceeing
Which all rely on raw, artistic skill
You know, they used to tell me that this music would never last
Now look at it now, it influences all music here today
So either you respect it we gon' take it back
Hip hop, the voice of the street, the voice of the youth
The voice that you hear, the voice that only we produce
The way that we salute that makes the wildest niggas start to shoot
The voice that recoupes only 12% of the loot
The voice of the groups, like OutKast, LOX and The Roots
The voice of the truth, that no society can ever mute
The voice of the men and women who gave their lives defendin
The God-given rights, they had no choice but to fight
The voice of the black, latino and the white
The voice of the club that makes the freaks come out at night
The voice of the thugs who pop champagne and rock ice
The voice of the shorties who wear tight shirts and talk sheist
The voice of the shook who look one time but not twice
The voice of the crooks at gambling spot with hot dice
The voice of the church, mosque, synagogue and temple
The voice of your soul, your body and your mental
The voice that says "rap!" when I hear a instrumental
The voice that don't stop and it's just that simple
The voice that don't stop and it's just that simple
The voice that don't, d-d-don't, d-don't...
Yo, we live that life that you call hip hop
From the bottom straight to the tip top
Hey Rawls, we got em while them others did not
So if you with the LC, nigga, lick shot
If you live that life they call hip hop
Worldwide everyday tic-toc
This life is like nothin to play with, ock
That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot"
That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot"
That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot"
That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot"
That's why when I say "shit" -
(*excerpt from the movie _Wildstyle_*)
[ Double Trouble ]
Cause here's a little story that must be told
About two cool brothers that were put on hold
Tried to hold us back from fortune and fame
They destroyed the crew and they killed our name
They tried to step on the ego and walk on the pride
But true blue brothers stand side by side
Through thick and thin, from beginning to end