Codes and conventions of Rap and Electronic dance music

Lizzie Garrard

The history of Rap Music Rap – The breakthrough for rap music started in the

1960’s, especially among African American teenagers, and was known to cross a lot of boundaries that other music genre’s already set.

More than a century before rap exploded o nto the American music scene, West African musicians were telling stories rhythmically, with just the beat of a drum for accompaniment.

By the 1990s, rap matured from an old-school-style – which was based o n relatively simple lyrics – to a new-school-style, which was louder and included more complex lyrics.

Rap has stood the test of time and its popularity rages on with today’s artists such as 50 Cent, Eminem and Jay-Z churning out hit after hit.

The history of Electronic dance music

EDM started to make an impact in the late 1980’s and developed from disco, tech and house music in the 1970’s. So is a relatively new genre.

The term electronic dance music was used in America as early as 1985, but didn’t catch on as a genre name until the second half of the 1990s, when it was embraced by the American music industry. The term’s surged in the US in the late 2000s with mainstream appeal of hybrid styles, but remained largely unknown in the UK, where genres of electronic music for dancing were collectively referred to as “dance music”.

EDM is now increasingly more popular with the younger generation and is used a lot in nightclubs for teenagers/young adults to rave and dance too.

Setting Rap- The setting’s in rap videos can vary depending on

what type of rap video it is. For example someone like Eminem usually has housing estates, prisions, darkened rooms and city’s that relate to the narrative and lyrics of his song showing his emotions. Then you have people like Tinie Tempah who doesn’t tend to use such a strong narrative and uses holiday locations and ‘cool’ settings to set a certain mood to the music video that applies to the demographic of people watching.

Electronic dance music (EDM) – The setting in EDM video’s tends to be in lively places such as clubs or in places like Miami where people go on holiday. Places like this also appeal to the demographic of people that would listen to this type of music (e.g teenagers/young adults).

Mise en scene Rap – People in rap videos usually dress quite casually, for

instance wearing a leather jacket, top and jeans. However some people in rap videos wear snapback’s and baggy basketball top’s with cold chains and knuckledusters. Dependant on what the song is like is most likely dependant on what the star of the video is wearing. In terms of lighting, if the song has a lot of meaning behind the lyrics, the artist will most likely use low-key lighting as it creates more of a dark atmosphere. Alternatively, the lighting in other rap videos can also be natural/high key lighting as other videos will be creating a much happier and fun vibe for the video.

EDM – EDM videos often show lots of people and sometimes a DJ, so the costumes worn can be varied depending on the narrative or style of the video. For example if it was set in a holiday destination people would be wearing beach clothing and if it was set in a club they would be dressed up in party outfits. EDM music videos are more likely to use props than a solely rap video as EDM music videos don’t have such a strong narrative and therefore can play around with the props.

Cinematography Rap – a lot of low angled shots are used in rap

videos, this shows the main star of the video having more power over the people watching him/her. This could also connote to people looking up to the person. Fish-eye lenses are also used to give the music video a different effect and make the audience more interested to watch it. They also use a lot of horizontal and vertical pan’s and mid-shots to show locations or what is happening in the narrative.

EDM – montages of shots are used quite often in electronic dance music which matches the beat of the song, long shots and fish eye lense shot’s are also used to match the vibe of the music video.

Narrative Rap – In a lot of rap songs, they lyrics are used to tell a

story of how the rapper has been hurt or at a time in their life they have regretted. For example Eminem’s song ‘Mockingbird’ is about his daughter and how bad he has felt for not always being there and how him and his girlfriend at the time were always in fights. However rap songs don’t have to have a strong narrative, for example Iggy Azalea’s song ‘Fancy’, is more about having a good time and being sassy, and is also a bit about fame as well.

EDM – The narrative’s in EDM music videos/songs don’t tend to be very strong and more all about raves, dancing and night clubs. Mostly EDM music videos are set in location’s like Zante or Ibiza where groups of young people go away for girls or lads holidays.

Editing Rap – Editing in rap videos can be used in two

different ways depending on the tone of the song. Rapid editing is used in a lot of upbeat rap songs, cross cutting between different shots, usually including lots of different people. In rap songs where the lyrics tell more of a story, not much editing is used just cuts and pans between different shots, including the star in a lot of these.

EDM – Editing in EDM music videos is vital to give the audience a feel of the party/rave scene where this genre of music is usually played, lots or rapid editing is used that matches to the beat to really capture the feeling of the genre.