LP records are almost 60 years old as a technology, and yet they persist as being the primary technology for DJing in all forms of dance music (although this is changing). In the late 70's, during the twin ascents of disco and hip hop (although hip hop would remain 'underground' at least until 1980), the concepts of the 'break' and 'remix' were discovered (not to mention 'the dub', the first kind of remix style). Stretching out the instrumental segment of certain records, usually just a drum beat (Africa Bambaataa in Scratch: "That stripped-down funk!"), was a crowd pleaser, to say the least. Whereas the hip hop DJs (even though they weren't called that yet) would engage in a kind of hands-on manipulation of the physical record to stretch out the break, disco producers like Tom Moulton and later Larry Levan remixed dance songs in the studio, stretching them in some cases to over 10 minutes in length. It is easy to see the link between the producer aesthetic of disco and its descendants house, techno and other electronic dance genres, who embraced a more electronic sound.
Hip Hop on the other hand, revelled in the kind of tactility of the record and physical beat manipulation, resulting in the advent of turntablism. In addition to this, the primary building blocks of hip hop have been old records, mainly from the '70s but including recordings dating back to the advent of the record itself. The crackle of vinyl and the imperfection of old recordings became a familiar aspect of hip hop music, and even today, some artists self-consciously augment their songs with these kinds of ambient flourishes. It is important within hip hop and black culture in general to assert one's roots, and this is a way of doing it aesthetically.
However, hip-hop is not a purely analogue aesthetic; there is a vestige of the digital/technological in all the elements. For example, within the graffiti scene, writers such Case, who contributed significantly to the wildstyle movement, consciously introduced a computer-aesthetic to their pieces, with straight lines and pixellated images (see Style Wars). Within breakdancing, familiar moves such as 'the robot' and 'pop-locking' were clear demonstrations of modern technological concepts. Early hip hop standards (a strange, but suitable term) like Herbie Hancock's Rockit (with Grand Mixer DXT) and Africa Bambaataa's Kraftwerk-sampling Planet Rock revelled in their futurism. Hip hop culture is undoubtedly more complex than many people think.
Hip Hop on the other hand, revelled in the kind of tactility of the record and physical beat manipulation, resulting in the advent of turntablism. In addition to this, the primary building blocks of hip hop have been old records, mainly from the '70s but including recordings dating back to the advent of the record itself. The crackle of vinyl and the imperfection of old recordings became a familiar aspect of hip hop music, and even today, some artists self-consciously augment their songs with these kinds of ambient flourishes. It is important within hip hop and black culture in general to assert one's roots, and this is a way of doing it aesthetically.
However, hip-hop is not a purely analogue aesthetic; there is a vestige of the digital/technological in all the elements. For example, within the graffiti scene, writers such Case, who contributed significantly to the wildstyle movement, consciously introduced a computer-aesthetic to their pieces, with straight lines and pixellated images (see Style Wars). Within breakdancing, familiar moves such as 'the robot' and 'pop-locking' were clear demonstrations of modern technological concepts. Early hip hop standards (a strange, but suitable term) like Herbie Hancock's Rockit (with Grand Mixer DXT) and Africa Bambaataa's Kraftwerk-sampling Planet Rock revelled in their futurism. Hip hop culture is undoubtedly more complex than many people think.
