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Way Back Wednesday: The Hip-Pop Revolution
Written by Trent | Filed under Aaliyah,Da Brat,Janet Jackson,Mariah Carey,Missy Elliott,Nicki Minaj,Timbaland,TLC,Way Back Wednesday
Long before Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Drake rose to popularity, there was a group of artists who reformatted the music scene and laid the foundation for the success of almost every Urban act in the industry today. By mixing Pop, R&B and Hip-Hop in new ways, these performers helped to create a special subgenre that changed the landscape of popular culture – Hip-Pop.
From the incredibly random yet exciting ‘Fantasy (Remix)’ collaboration between Mariah Carey and Ol’ Dirty Bastard to the innovative production styles of Missy Elliott and Timbaland, these were artists who opened the door for Hip-Hop to become a permanent fixture on mainstream radio. Indeed, the once despised Hip-Pop sound has become the dominant force in music today.
Check out some of the songs that defined the Hip-Pop Revolution in this special Way Back Wednesday below:
Aaliyah – ‘Are You That Somebody? (Ft. Timbaland)’
Janet Jackson – ‘Someone to Call My Lover (Remix) (Ft. Jermaine Dupri)’
Mariah Carey – ‘Fantasy (Remix) (Ft. Ol Dirty Bastard)’
Mariah Carey – ‘Heartbreaker (Remix) (Ft. Da Brat & Missy Elliott)’
Missy Elliott – ‘Sock It 2 Me (Ft. Da Brat)’
TLC – ‘No Scrubs’
Although rappers and singers have been collaborating since the 1980s, the true development of the Hip-Pop genre occurred in the mid-1990s. The commercialisation of Hip-Hop rapidly increased thanks to the efforts of Diddy – then called Puff Daddy – and many of the other music moguls who foresaw the potential of the music to go far beyond the club scene.
Of course, the track that many critics regarded as the record that gave the Hip-Pop movement its definitive sound was Carey’s ‘Fantasy (Remix)’, which included an unlikely contribution from ODB. Yes, artists such as Mary J. Blige had been working with rappers for years but none of Carey’s predecessors had the Pop appeal, writing skills or musical sensibility that she possessed to have the young girls of middle America singing along to the jarring vocals of ODB.
Carey had experimented with Hip-Hop and New Jack Swing since her debut album – she even rapped two verses on ‘Prisoner’ – but she perfected a previously undeveloped brand of music with ‘Fantasy’. Indeed, TLC’s Left-Eye, Toni Braxton and several other artists have credited Carey has the mastermind behind the sound that Beyonce and Christina Aguilera have used throughout their careers.
Still, it is important to stress the difference between Hip-Pop and Hip-Hop/Soul. Though the lines between the two genres are quite vague, it has always been helpful to put faces to the sounds.
Carey and Elliott represent Hip-Pop – readily played on Top 40/Pop radio because of their use of colourful melodies and radio-friendly productions. Conversely, Blige and Faith Evans are Hip-Hop/Soul – grittier and more niche to the Urban formats. In other words, Hip-Pop is Hip-Hop/Soul’s cuter little sister; the Destiny’s Child to Xscape.
Before we go, enjoy one of the most successful Hip-Pop songs of the last year, Nicki Minaj’s ‘Super Bass’:
Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Bass’
Thoughts?
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Loving this Way Back Wed!!! My only wish is that the video of Janet’s Alright with Heavy D (R.I.P.). I may be the only one but the music videos of the 90′s appears much better even more visual and unique then the music videos of today. I like how Trent pull out the The Trinity of Hip Hop (Missy, Brat and Mariah) because they pretty much dominate Hip Pop/ Hip hop/soul in the 90′s. You are correct about the differences of Hip Pop and Hip Hop/Soul because even today’s music reflects how successful Hip Pop is now.
What was the Toni comment?
isn’t the only difference that its pop acts doing what Mary J pretty much already made popular?
‘Super Bass’ is more pop than Hip-Hop to me.
@TheMan4u – Did you read the article?
@DRB Toni said Mariah doesn’t get credit for mixing pop and hip hop. She was talking about Fantasy and Heartbreaker on BET during a Mariah special. It’s on youtube
Who cares? These are allllllll has beens! Beyonce came and snatched their wigs! LOL!
Nice post!
Im just waiting for Trents biographical novel on Mariah Careys :/ im just sayin
I guess any group or artist that came out after Mariah was influenced the the writer acts you would think there were no other acts or singers before Mariah that artist were influenced by seems like music as a whole began with mariah
i remembered when the Mariah carey joint came with ole dirty. Omg that was the shit. it was so different. i instantly loved it
Yesss! I love this post, Educate dem Trent! Mariah is not credited enough for bringing rnb & rap to the mainstream attention. That remix fantasy is a classic and it set the pace for RnB&Hip-Hop collabos which are still popular today!!
Mariah deserves all of the praise that she gets. She did take this genre to a whole different level. As far as Beyonce snatching anything, lol. We’ll leave that alone. Holla back when she has a diamond album, ain’t gonna happen. Holla back when she does something groundbreaking. Ain’t gonna happen.
yes i read the article thats why i asked the question, how can you credit mariah with something that was being done 4 years prior? didn’t tlc fuse pop/hip hop in 92 or janet jackson with Alright w/ heavy D in 91? salt n pepa/envogue 93?
Trent, you were so off missing on Janet Jackson’s “Alright” with Heavy D.
Heavy D. also did a feature on Michael Jackson’s song Jam!
Alright>>>>>
@theman you clearly didn’t READ the article because Trent never said Mariah did it first. He said that HOW she did was innovative and she made it POPULAR.
so were the other songs not hits or popular?
Mariah didn’t do shit. There were pop acts incorporating Hip Hop into their sound LONG before she did it. Hell, while this FAKE BITCH was singing about how she didn’t wanna cry, New Kids on the Block had guest rappers on songs like “Games.”
Go away from me with that bullshit.