Hip house
The year 1986 marked the pressing of a vinyl record titled Rok da House by a British group called Beatmasters. This track featured a rap duo named Cookie Crew and mixed house music beats with rapping vocals. A dispute erupted in 1988 when an American release called Turn Up the Bass claimed to be the first hip house record on vinyl. Tyree Cooper featuring Kool Rock Steady made this claim, but the Beatmasters argued their song had been written and pressed earlier. The Beatmasters responded with a new single called Who's in the House? that included lyrics mocking Tyree Cooper. Merlin, a British emcee on the track, stated clearly that hip house was their invention. Other artists like Fast Eddie and Rob Base also laid claims to the genre crown around this time.
Club scenes in London and Chicago embraced the sound after successful releases from producers like Deskee and Doug Lazy. Hip house tracks appeared frequently on popular dance compilations such as Telstar's Deep Heat series during the late 1980s. DJs like Chad Jackson championed these records within warehouse parties and nightclubs. The style complemented sample-based records produced by British acts including S-Express and Bomb the Bass. MARRS also contributed to the growing popularity of the genre through their own productions. By the end of the decade, U.S. acts began using the formula for major hits. C+C Music Factory achieved success with Gonna Make You Sweat while European groups like Technotronic found fame across the continent. German bands Snap! and Real McCoy further expanded the reach of the music globally.
Late 1980s releases by UK artists shaped the early 1990s rave scene in Britain. Double Trouble and Rebel MC created tracks that influenced the development of breakbeat hardcore. Blapps Posse and Shut Up and Dance added to the momentum before the turn of the decade. These sounds eventually evolved into jungle music and other related genres. The energy of hip house provided a foundation for the chaotic beats that defined the rave era. Producers took the vocal samples from earlier hits and sped them up or chopped them differently. This transformation allowed the music to fit new dancefloors where ravers demanded higher tempos. The transition from club play to underground movement happened quickly between 1989 and 1992.
A modern form of hip house emerged in the mid-2000s under the name electro hop. Artists like LMFAO and Pitbull enjoyed mainstream success toward the end of the decade. Pitbull released albums titled Rebelution in 2009 and Planet Pit in 2011 that featured this style. Flo Rida, Far East Movement, and Hyper Crush also contributed to the resurgence during the 2010s. Example described his own work as rave-rap or rave-hop while Azealia Banks explored similar territory. Electronic dance music DJs began incorporating vocals from rappers into their productions. Tiësto and Diplo collaborated with Busta Rhymes on C'mon Catch 'em by Surprise. Wolfgang Gartner worked with will.i.am on Forever to create another hit track.
French DJ David Guetta produced several hip house hits that reached global audiences. He recorded Memories featuring Kid Cudi and Where Them Girls At with Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj. Gettin' Over You appeared with LMFAO while Little Bad Girl included Taio Cruz and Ludacris. These tracks integrated rap vocals into electronic dance music formats for radio play. The genre became a staple for major festival performances throughout the 2010s. Hip house elements remained visible in club playlists long after its initial explosion. Producers continued to sample old records to create new versions of the sound. The legacy persists through modern artists who blend house beats with rhythmic spoken word delivery.
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Common questions
Who created the first hip house record in 1986?
The British group Beatmasters pressed the vinyl record Rok da House in 1986. This track featured a rap duo named Cookie Crew and mixed house music beats with rapping vocals.
When did the dispute over the first hip house record occur?
A dispute erupted in 1988 when an American release called Turn Up the Bass claimed to be the first hip house record on vinyl. Tyree Cooper featuring Kool Rock Steady made this claim, but the Beatmasters argued their song had been written and pressed earlier.
Where did club scenes embrace the sound of hip house during the late 1980s?
Club scenes in London and Chicago embraced the sound after successful releases from producers like Deskee and Doug Lazy. Hip house tracks appeared frequently on popular dance compilations such as Telstar's Deep Heat series during the late 1980s.
How did hip house evolve into jungle music between 1989 and 1992?
The transition from club play to underground movement happened quickly between 1989 and 1992. Producers took the vocal samples from earlier hits and sped them up or chopped them differently to fit new dancefloors where ravers demanded higher tempos.
Which artists released modern forms of hip house known as electro hop in the mid-2000s?
Artists like LMFAO and Pitbull enjoyed mainstream success toward the end of the decade under the name electro hop. Pitbull released albums titled Rebelution in 2009 and Planet Pit in 2011 that featured this style.