Boom bap
Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style that was prominent in East Coast hip hop during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.
| Boom bap | |
|---|---|
An instrumental boom bap track | |
| Etymology | Onomotopaeic; from the characteristic kick-snare pattern |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1980s – early 1990s, Northeastern United States |
| Typical instruments |
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The term "boom bap" is an onomatopoeia that represents the sounds used for the bass (kick) drum and snare drum, respectively. The style is usually recognized by a main drum loop that uses a hard-hitting, acoustic bass drum sample on the downbeats, a snappy acoustic snare drum sample on the upbeats, and an "in your face" audio mix emphasizing the drum loop, and the kick-snare combination in particular.
Prominent hip hop artists who incorporated "boom bap" in their music include Craig Mack, Run-DMC, Nas, LL Cool J, Gang Starr, KRS-One, Mobb Deep, R.A. the Rugged Man, Boot Camp Clik, Griselda, Wu-Tang Clan, Jay-Z, Common, Yasiin Bey, A Tribe Called Quest and The Notorious B.I.G.
Key producers include DJ Premier, Easy Mo Bee, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Marley Marl, J Dilla, Statik Selektah, RZA, Q-Tip, The Alchemist, Daringer, Black Milk, Apollo Brown, 9th Wonder, Havoc, Da Beatminerz, Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Diamond D, and Showbiz.