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Southern Hip Hop

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Southern Hip Hop

AKA: Southern Rap • 22,706 releases

Hip Hop from artists based in the Southern region of the United States.
Read more Southern hip hop refers to Hip Hop from artists based in the Southern region of the United States and is considered the third major American hip hop scene alongside East Coast Hip Hop and West Coast Hip Hop. While a variety of diverse styles exist that developed from the sub-regions of the area, a few characteristics considered more common within the scene compared to its counterparts include the emphasis on low-end within the production; the use of synthesizers and drum machines (especially the TR-808) over samples; more prevalence of party-oriented music; slower rapping and simpler lyricism with heavy regional slang; and the distribution of music through mixtapes.

One of the earliest distinctly Southern styles to emerge during the mid-1980s was the Electro-influenced Miami Bass from Miami, Florida, characterized by the use of the TR-808, heavy bass, fast dance-tempos and sexually explicit lyrics as exemplified by 2 Live Crew. This genre went on to be a significant influence in shaping numerous Southern hip hop styles, as well as forms of Electronic Dance Music, and led to the emphasis of the low-end in Southern hip hop beyond most productions from other regions. The Geto Boys from Houston, Texas also helped put the South on the map and paved the way for numerous Gangsta Rap and Horrorcore acts across the country with their dark subject matter and controversial lyrics. During the early 1990s, more distinct styles emerged from local underground scenes through the distribution of mixtapes and establishment of independent record labels, including the dance-oriented Bounce from New Orleans, Louisiana brought to prominence by Mannie Fresh's early production for Cash Money Records; the dark, gritty Memphis Rap from Memphis, Tennessee as popularized by Three 6 Mafia; the Chopped and Screwed slowing down and remixing technique pioneered by Houston, Texas producer DJ Screw; and most prominently Dirty South from New Orleans and Texas pioneered by UGK, Mannie Fresh and 8Ball & MJG characterized by bouncy rhythms, rattling hi-hats and snares.

By the mid-1990s, Atlanta, Georgia had become a center in southern hip hop music with the award-winning OutKast and production crew Organized Noize playing a major part in propelling the South to the mainstream. During the 2000s, many Southern artists like Lil Jon, T.I., Jeezy, Ludacris and Lil Wayne attained international success with chart-topping crossover hits that frequently combined with Pop Rap and Southern hip hop styles were frequently blended with Contemporary R&B. Meanwhile, underground acts such as CunninLynguists and Little Brother provided an alternative to the mainstream with their Conscious Hip Hop lyrics and production that was not traditionally Southern. Many varieties of Southern hip hop became among the most popular and influential of the entire hip hop genre, particularly with the radio dominance of styles such as Crunk, Snap and Trap, all of which were heavily influenced by earlier Southern styles of the 1990s and characterized by heavy 808 drum machines. Since the 2010s, trap in particular would go on to be one of the most dominant forms of American music and evolved into different regional styles nationally and around the globe.

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Years active

Southern Hip Hop

Discography

22,706 Releases

1 2 ... 250 Next

Release Date

Avg Ratings Reviews

Space Rap
Danny Renee & The Charisma Crew

1980 Single

25 Ratings 2 Reviews 2.79 Average

2.79 25 25 2 2
Work Your Body
The Flame and The Dynamite Three

1981 Single

3 Ratings 2.00 Average

2.00 3 3
Porno Freak
Blowfly

1981 Album

30 Ratings 2.61 Average

2.61 30 30
Battmann: Let Mo-Jo Handle It
Mo-Jo

1982 Single

2 Ratings 2.77 Average

2.77 2 2
Ages Rap
All Ages

1983 Single

1 Ratings 2.50 Average

2.50 1 1
Fall Out
Der Mer

1983 Single

6 Ratings 2.67 Average

2.67 6 6
Young Ladies
Fast Lane

1984 Single

8 Ratings 3.25 Average

3.25 8 8
Beef Box
MC Chief

1984 Single

4 Ratings 3.48 Average

3.48 4 4
Only in America
Mojo

1984 Single

Ratings Average
Electronic Banana
Blowfly

1984 Album

25 Ratings 2.69 Average

2.69 25 25
M.S.U.
Starting Five

1984 Single

Ratings Average
Street Wars
Palmerforce Two

1984 Single

17 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.01 Average

3.01 17 17 1 1
Country Western Rock
The Rock Rangers

1984 Single

9 Ratings 2.57 Average

2.57 9 9
You Gotta Be All Right
Double Duce

1984 Single

3 Ratings 2.66 Average

2.66 3 3
Rockyn (The Ultimate Act)
Renard With No Regard

1985 Single

1 Ratings 3.50 Average

3.50 1 1

1 2 ... 250 Next

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Hierarchy

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Hip Hop
Emerged primarily on the United States east coast in African American communities in the late 1970s; emphasizes rhythmic beat patterns and a type of spoken vocal delivery known as rapping.
- Southern Hip Hop

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