We all know hip-hop. We also, for the most part, know that this type of genre, like almost every genre, has many sub-divisions to more clearly classify the type of music we’re listening to. But down the genre of hip-hop, there has been a traditional and deep divide between the backpackers and the street rappers or gangster rappers…a divide often accentuated by underground v. commercially signed artists, thought provoking lyrics v. lyrics about money, guns and women, and melodic relaxed beats v. club bangers.
But recently, the Bay Area artist Planet Asia has decided that there’s not enough room in these two separate and narrow definitions for certain types of hip-hop, including his own brand, and he has therefore coined the term “Street Hop.” He introduces it on a track of the same name off his most recent album The Jewelry Box Sessions. The idea behind Street Hop is a genre that both the backpackers and the gangsters can enjoy…something that carries the lyrical intelligence and sound of underground over some of the heavier beats that will get the club going. Because there has traditionally not been much overlap between these two genres, the attempt to define and emulate it from Planet Asia should prove to be a launching point for others that don’t feel their songs quite fit one style over the other.
For those of you looking to add a little hip-hop to your life, I suggest searching for IndieFeed Hip-Hop on iTunes. You can download single serving hip-hop songs with brief descriptions of the artists and their albums. Of course, if you’re lazy, you can also just click here and go right to the site. If you’re looking specifically for the Planet Asia song Street Hop, you’re covered.
