Boom bap

Boom bap
EtymologyOnomatopoeic; from the characteristic kick-snare pattern
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsLate 1980s – early 1990s, Northeastern United States
Subgenres

Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style that was prominent in East Coast hip hop during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.[1]

The term "boom bap" is an onomatopoeia that represents the sounds used for the bass (kick) drum and snare drum, respectively. The style is usually recognized by a main drum loop that uses a hard-hitting, acoustic bass drum sample on the downbeats, a snappy acoustic snare drum sample on the upbeats, and an "in your face" audio mix emphasizing the drum loop, and the kick-snare combination in particular.[2]

Prominent hip hop artists who incorporated "boom bap" in their music include Craig Mack, Run-DMC, Nas, LL Cool J, Gang Starr,[3] KRS-One, MF Doom, Mobb Deep, R.A. the Rugged Man, Big L, Boot Camp Clik, Griselda, Wu-Tang Clan, Jay-Z, Common, Yasiin Bey, A Tribe Called Quest[4] and The Notorious B.I.G.[5]

Key producers include DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Buckwild and Diamond D.[6][7]

  1. ^ "Boom Bap Music | Discogs". discogs.com. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  2. ^ Reynolds, Simon (June 16, 2009). "The cult of J Dilla". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 8, 2020. Sometimes rendered boom-boom-bap, it's a phonetic evocation of hip-hop's classic drum pattern. The booms are the kicks, the bap is the snare, and the combination is that loping midtempo groove that tugs at your neck and your head, not so much at your hips or your feet.
  3. ^ Petridis, Alexis (October 31, 2019). "Gang Starr: One of the Best Yet review – rap duo stand tall beyond the grave". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  4. ^ Watson, Richard (June 21, 2017). "A Tribe Called Quest – 10 of the best". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  5. ^ Hatchman, Jonathan (December 16, 2015). "The Notorious BIG – 10 of the best". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  6. ^ Hobbs, Thomas (May 12, 2019). "Gods of Rap review – Chuck D, De La Soul and Wu-Tang Clan nostalgia trip". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  7. ^ Watson, Richard (October 1, 2010). "Chiddy Bang, Kid Cudi and Kidz In The Hall prefer blog-rocking beats to old soul samples". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 8, 2020.