Now, up to this point, all this needs to be understood with regards to Hip Hop. Throughout history, music originating from America's Black communities has always had an accompanying subculture reflective of the political, social and economic conditions of the time. Rap is no different.
Hip Hop is the culture from which rap emerged. Initially it consisted of four main elements; graffiti art, break dancing, dj (cuttin' and scratching) and emceeing (rapping). Hip Hop is a lifestyle with its own language, style of dress, music and mind set that is continuously evolving. Nowadays because break dancing and graffiti aren't as prominent the words 'rap' and 'Hip Hop' have been used interchangeably. However it should be noted that all aspects of Hip Hop culture still exists. They've just evolved onto new levels.
