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Hip hop is a cultural movement that began amongst urban , African American & Puerto Rican youth in New York and has since spread around the world. The four main elements of hip-hop are MCing, DJing, graffiti art, and breakdancing. Some consider beatboxing the fifth element of hip hop; others might add political activism, hip hop fashion, hip hop slang or other elements as important facets of hip hop. The term has since come to be a synonym for hip hop music and rap to mainstream audiences. They are not, however, interchangeable - rapping (MCing) is the vocal expression of lyrics in sync to a rhythm beneath it; along with DJing, rapping is a part of hip hop music.
Hip hop music is related to the griots of West Africa, traveling singers and poets whose musical style is reminiscent of hip hop. Some griot traditions came with slaves to the New World. The most important direct influence on the creation of hip hop music is the Jamaican style called dub, which arose in the 1960s. Dub musicians such as King Tubby isolated percussion breaks because dancers at clubs (sound systems) preferred the energetic rhythms of the often-short breaks. Soon, performers began speaking in sync with these rhythms. In 1967, Jamaican immigrants such as DJ Kool Herc brought dub to New York City, where it evolved into hip hop. In Jamaica, dub music has diversified into genres like ragga and dancehall.
DJ Kool HercHerc was one of the most popular DJs in early 70s New York, playing
at neighborhood parties (his first gig was on Sedgewick Avenue, Bronx) (block
parties), and he quickly switched from using reggae records to funk, rock
and disco, since the New York audience did not particularly like reggae. Herc
and others DJs extended the percussive breaks using an audio mixer and two
records, and other mixing techniques soon developed. Performers spoke while
the music played; these were originally called MCs (Master of Ceremonies or
Mic Controller) and, later, rappers. These early rappers focused on introducing
themselves and others in the audience, with some improvisation and a simple
four-count beat, along with a simple chorus. Later MCs added more complex
lyrics, often humorous, and incorporated sexual themes. By the end of the
1970s, hip hop music was beginning to become a major commercial and artistic
force and had spread throughout the United States. During the 1980s and 1990s,
hip hop gradually became mainstream (a transition usually considered to have
been completed in 1992) in the US and, to a lesser degree, worldwide.
Beatboxing, considered by many to be the 'fifth element,' is the vocal percussion of hip hop culture. It is primarily concerned with the art of creating beats, rhythms, and melodies using the human mouth.
Beatboxing is hip hop's vocal percussion whose early pioneers include Doug E Fresh, Biz Markie, and Buffy from the Fat Boys. The term 'beatboxing' is derived from the mimicry of the first generation of drum machines, then known as beatboxes.
The art form enjoyed a strong presence in the 80s. In many ways, beatboxing fell off the radar along with breakdancing in the late 80s, and almost slipeed even deeper than the underground, then reemerged in the late 90s, early 2000s who interact on the UK's Humanbeatbox.com indicates that this resurgence is global.
The art form has radically evolved extending its reach to include physical theater routines, and has integrated itself into hip hop (and other forms) of theater.