THE CROSS POLLINATION OF JAZZ AND HIPHOP

INFLUENCE OF JAZZ ON HIP HOP

When the two words Jazz and Hip-Hop are combined, they form a relationship rather than a genre. A long-standing relationship between two of America’s most influential genres. Let’s dive a little deeper to learn more about how these two beautiful genres are still cross-pollinating today.

RHYME & RHYTHM

Before we step back in time to understand the influence of jazz in hip hop let’s understand the jazz term “scatting”, a jazz vocal style that uses emotive syllables instead of words in solo improvisation on a melody.

Here’s an example, listen to this record by Louis Armstrong the person heebie-jeebies, this specific song is credited with pioneering modern scatting.

Here are a few examples of records with a scatting-influenced rap flow.

• 1979 – Rapper’s Delight – The Sugarhill Gang
  
• 1982 – Planet Rock – Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force
  
• 2014 – Lifestyle – Rich Gang ft. Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan
  
• 2021 – INDUSTRY BABY – Lil Nas X

Let’s take a look at another, more common flow, even in newer jazz records, with an irregular rhythm throughout, bouncy, and not at all glued to the type of flow.

• 1993 – Freestyle Fellowship ft. Daddy-O – Inner City Boundaries

IMPROVISATION

One of the most magical abilities\moments in the world of music improvisations… stepping out of the box, creating at the moment and both jazz and hip hop wouldn’t be we they are at this point without jazz having improv solos and hip hop without freestyle.

SAMPLING

Sampling is THE REASON of where the combination of hip hop and jazz currently stand, and in fact, there could be a whole separate blog on just sampling, but for this let’s just stick to the records that truly changed the game. Let’s step back to 1975, Bob James – Take Me To The Mardi Gras

This record is considered to be one of the most influential breaks in the cross-pollination of jazz & Hip-Hop.

This specific sample is used by the big names like “Run-DMC to Missy Elliot.

Now let’s move further to the ’90s, people like J DILLA, PETE ROCK, Q-TIPS, DJ PREMIER as well as groups like A TRIBE CALLED QUEST & DIGABLE PLANETS also used samples of jazz drum grooves, saxophones & upright bass samples, and at this point, the Mc’s were the soloists.

A Few The Jazz Game Changers

Now let’s talk about how hip hop influenced jazz.

In the ’80s & 90’s some of the jazz artists were experiencing the jazz and hip hop crossover, for example, let’s take a look at the records 1983 ROCKIT – HERBIE HANCOCK

This track is important because the use of scratching this record also proved a point and made DJing a tool of improvisation.

Moving on to a slightly newer generation, a generation where jazz and hip-hop have already made their mark and are now, starting to evolve as a genre, and this brings us to one of the most influential names who’s left a massive impact on the world of jazz and hip hop, J DILLA!

J DILLA did not just make an impact infusing jazz with hip hop but J DILLA also influenced modern jazz, it all began with J DILLA’s approach to beat making, his approach to beat making was not to quantize his drums but in fact, he was all about the feel, like his ancestors.

J DILLA relied on his trusty MPC3000 with a swing that added the natural sauce to his records and this inspired other beatmakers which bring us to Robert Glasper, Glasper has also made a fair share of hip hop and jazz interpretations both on recording and live performances, but one of his most influential movements with his “BLACK RADIO SERIES” in which he paired jazz producers like Chris Dave, Casey Benjamin, etc with hip-hop artists like Lupe Fiasco, Snoop Dogg.

JAZZ & HIP-HOP TODAY

At this point, the line that once separated the genres has now almost vanished making the two genres one. With the fact of new music producers exploring and creating new genres and subgenres, no one wants to be put in the box. And personally, at this generation, my absolute favorite record that has the absolute perfect jazz and hip-hop’s combination is “ Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly” thanks to the 4 absolute game-changers Gobert Gasper, Terrace Martin, Thundercat, Kamasi Washington, and Kendrick Lamar to use the combination of jazz and hip hop to the absolute next level.

Let’s even talk about one of the current generations most popular music genres “Lo-Fi” or “Lo-Fidelity”

This genre of music is highly recognized for its swing drum progressions (inbred by J DILLA) on jazz chord & melody progressions.

Let’s even talk about one of the current generations most popular music genres “Lo-Fi” or “Lo-Fidelity”

This genre of music is highly recognized for its swing drum progressions (inbred by J DILLA) on jazz chord & melody progressions.