An Unlikely Duo: The Emergence of Rap-Rock
Rap-rock amidst the backdrop of the 1980s
While on the surface, it may seem as though hip hop and heavy metal are two contrasting subcultures with virtually nothing in common, the emergence of the rap-rock genre in the mid-1980s proved otherwise. The 1980s were a time of technological advancement and great change, darkened by the economic and social tragedy which resulted from Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Reagan’s policies produced economic depression and his failure to aid the LGBT community during the AIDS epidemic led to countless preventable deaths, as well as widespread social protest.
The origins of hip-hop and heavy metal
As always, musicians and artists demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit by criticizing oppressive systems and celebrating creative expression. Hip-hop was no different. By the late 1970s, hip-hop had already begun to emerge underground with its roots drawn from Black and Latino urban communities. Hip-hop was not just music. It was a way of life, centered around street fashion, breakdancing, and graffiti art. Hip-hop DJs such as Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa skillfully employed methods of break spinning and scratching to produce new sounds, which complemented the rhythmic and poetic spoken word element of rap.
Heavy metal music, on the other hand, grew out of the remains of the late 1970s punk rock scene. Heavy metal “headbangers” dressed in flamboyant and often outrageous clothing. They pushed the boundaries of conventional gender expression, styling themselves with heavy makeup, long hair, and lots of leather. Heavy metal bands, including Def Leppard, Black Sabbath, and Aerosmith, rose to prominence throughout the 1980s and were known for their dark and intense guitar-driven sounds.
Run-DMC’s cover of “Walk This Way”
In 1986, hip-hop group Run-DMC collaborated with Aerosmith to release a cover version of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way”. The music video, which was released on MTV, depicted members of each group engaging in a musical battle. This performance marked the acceptance of rap-rock into the mainstream. Like their psychedelic and punk-rock predecessors, heavy metal and hip-hop began as localized underground movements that embraced creative expression and rebelled against the establishment. In the case of hip-hop, Black artists commonly wrote lyrics about urban life, racial disparities, and police brutality. Heavy metal, on the other hand, brought back the driving rhythms and fast-paced feel of the punk rock movement, which was all about shedding pretentiousness and embracing nihilistic rebellion. Heavy metal and rap each broke into the mainstream in the late 1980s, and a wave of rap-rock bands began to emerge. Most notable was Rage Against the Machine, who blended elements of funk and hip-hop with heavy metal guitar riffs.
The circle of time
Considering that the earliest forms of rock and roll were derived from rhythm and blues, in retrospect it is actually not that surprising that hip-hop and heavy metal share so much in common. The merging of rap and rock throughout the 1980s can most accurately be viewed as a circle coming to a close. Rhythm and blues branched out as rock and roll in the 1950s, while hip-hop took much of its inspiration from 1970s soul and R&B. Finally, with the release of Run-DMC’s Aerosmith cover song, these two divergences came together to unite once again.
In many ways, the genre of rap-rock helped to bridge some of the racial divide in 1980s American society. Though it had been several years since the civil rights movement took place, the music industry was still largely segregated and many genres were seen as being either “black” or “white”. The coming together of rap and rock marked a new era of racial unity, both within the creation of music as well as among its listeners.
