Hip Hop Music Genres Family Tree
click the bars on the chart above for more info and interactive Hip-Hop timeline from to 1960's to 2024
Hip-Hop Sub-Genres
Enjoy the complete Hip Hop Music family tree interactive infographic. Discover all sub-genres of Hip Hop including Old School Rap, Golden Age Hip-Hop, East Coast, West Coast, and Gangsta rap.
Old School Hip Hop
The early period of hip hop, characterized by its raw and simple beats, and playful, party-oriented lyrics.
Bands: DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, Sugarhill Gang.
Hip Hop
Hip hop music, also known as rap music, is a genre of popular music developed in the United States by inner-city African Americans and Latino Americans in the Bronx borough of New York City in the 1970s. It consists of stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted.
Bands: Run DMC, Wu tang Clan, Tupac Shakur, Ice-T
see also Wu-Tang Clan albums discography
Old School Rap
Old School Rap refers to the first hip-hop styles that originated from the East Coast of the USA in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is characterized by relatively simple raps and beats compared to later developments in the genre.
Bands: Public Enemy, Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Afrika Bambaata
Golden Age Hip Hop
A period marked by diversity, innovation, and the emergence of complex lyrics addressing social issues.
East Coast Hip Hop
Known for its complex lyrics and intricate wordplay, often with a gritty, street-oriented sound.
Bands: Nas, Jay-Z, Wu-Tang Clan.
West Coast Hip Hop
Features funk-influenced beats and laid-back flows, often associated with the G-funk sound.
Bands: Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube. Lauryn Hill
Alternative Hip Hop
Emphasizes innovative sounds and lyrical content, often diverging from mainstream themes.
Bands: De La Soul, The Roots, Kid Cudi.
Gangsta Rap
Focused on the violent lifestyle and harsh realities of inner-city life, often controversial for its explicit content.
Bands: NWA., Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie Smalls)
Southern Hip Hop
Includes sub-genres like crunk, trap, and bounce, known for its energetic beats and catchy hooks.
Bands: OutKast, Lil Wayne, T.I.
Hip Hop 2000
Hip Hop 2000 represents the era of hip hop that came into prominence in the early 2000s, featuring more polished productions and incorporating elements from pop and electronic music. Artists like Kanye West and Jay-Z are prominent figures from this era.
Bands: Eminem, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg