Document : The Creole Hip-Hop Movement
By Nerlens Exius
The Creole Hip-Hop movement is a grassroots movement where Haitians and Haitian-Americans & other Creole Country’s rap in their native tongue "Creole." It's social, political, can potentially help Haiti’s and other country like Haiti economic state. The Creole Hip-Hop movement has been struggling for many years to find its place and its niche amongst listeners within the Caribbean/International population, specifically within the Haitian community. However, within the last few years, Creole Hip-Hop has gained some momentum due to the hard work and dedication of many of its Artists, promoters, Fans and believers, Creole Hip-Hop is making its way to becoming a worldwide recon as a new genre. Just like Hip-Hop, Rap Creole, dances, graffiti, two turntables, mixer, Mic, and a DJ Are all elements of Creole Hip-Hop!
We all know RAP is an element of Hip-Hop music Culture and rapping is the rhythmic spoken delivery of rhymes and wordplay over music or sans music, And Hip-Hop, as everyone knows is a cultural movement that was born in the Bronx, New York in the late 1970’s. Now the two groups of people to have set that off would be the African Americans and Latinos. Now, if rapping which is one of the elements of Hip-Hop was born in New York, “RAP Creole’s” is an element of Creole Hip-Hop, birth place, Haiti 1980. Everyone that knows there Hip-Hop history knows Creole Hip-Hop is an extension of Hip-Hop that depicts the Hip-Hop lifestyle of Haitians and Haitian-Americans and other country world-wide.
Rap Creole Groups have tried real hard, to bring Creole Hip-Hop back to the mainstream by continuing what Master Dji started. But nevertheless, his legacy wasn't left forgotten, and Creole Hip-Hop was preserved by several artists from the underground. However, Creole Hip-Hop is not perceived by many Haitians as an art form, but as a fad which they expect to die soon. Although some Creole rappers gained some type of success, the music itself, never really had an impact on the mainstream due to a lack of understanding of Hip-Hop. Throughout the years, the music has undergone many changes which led it to become what is now known as The Creole Hip-Hop Movement. With Haitian artists the movement has taken major steps, and has rise back to the surface. Now without mentioning its roots would be like preaching to the choir. Because, In order for our people to better understand what the movement is about, we have to explain it to them step by step, bit by bit starting from its genesis. Hip-Hop is a culture of music, dance, creativity, and artistry which gives people an avenue to express themselves and deliver positive messages to their surroundings. But, we find in our community (Hood), a great number of people, who are constantly asking themselves these questions: What is Creole Hip-Hop? What is Hip-Hop? Where does it come from? And last but not least, Is Hip-Hop a Haitian culture also?
Well, throughout this article, their questions will finally be answered; and to better explain the "Creole Hip-Hop Movement", so lets break it down piece by piece.
First of all, what is Kreyol (Creole)?
Although a small minority of about 20% of the population speak French in Haiti but Kreyol is the true national language of the Republic of Haiti; it is used for the everyday communication, as the symbol of their national identity. Kreyol comes from a Portuguese word meaning "raised in the home". It was first referred to Europeans born and raised in the overseas colonies. Than, it was later used for languages that arose from the plantations that the Europeans established, using slaves imported from West Africa. Kreyol resulted from African slaves' efforts to speak the French that they heard when they arrived in Haiti. Slaves came to Haiti, from all over West Africa and spoke many different languages.
Now, you’re probably asking yourself: why are we taking this all the way back to slavery? ; Well, believe it or not, Hip-Hop is traced back all the way to slavery. Hip-Hop music comes from the griots of West Africa which were shipped to small islands such as Haiti, during the slave trade. A griot is a West African poet, praise singer, and wandering musician, considered a repository of oral tradition. Hip-Hop music is related to the griots of West Africa, traveling singers and poets, whose musical style is considered the ancient form Hip-Hop.
Now we all know that Haitian music was greatly influenced by French colonial ties and African migration through slavery. During the slave trade, the griots, kept their musical traditions, when they traveled to other countries, countries such as Haiti.
If you analyze music genres, such as Rara, or Racine, and even Konpa, you will find traces of the griots; and you will also find traces of Hip-Hop. The griots used to recite poems, or they would talk over a beat led by the drum. We encounter that allot, in the Konpa music, where allot of artists would talk throughout some parts of a song, or during what they call the Solo. Ansy Derose use to not only talk over his songs, but also recite poems at the end of his tracks; for example, we could see that in Lakay Mwen, where he recites a poem about Haiti. Going against most beliefs, Hip-Hop has exists in the Haitian community for quite a while; it was just overlooked. Hip-Hop music comes from a combination of Funk, Disco, Soul, Jazz and Blues. Funk is also incorporated in Mizik Rasin, along with Rock. The main instrument behind Hip-Hop is the drum which is the first instrument created in Africa. We also find the drum in music genres, such as Rara. Hip-Hop is also present in Zouk.
Zouk is another form of music which was followed by an influx of Haitian artists like System Band, Zin, Top Vice and Karess who included Rock and Roll, Hip-Hop and Jazz into Kompa, and experimented with new lyrical content, such as feminism.
Now what is Hip-Hop?
Rap music, is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s. Rap Music, is part of a culture which is known as Hip-Hop. According to Webster's dictionary, culture is defined as "the concepts, habits, skills, arts, instruments, institutions, etc. of a given people in a given period; civilization." One artist defined Hip-Hop as "a set of expressions in vocalization, instrumentation, dancing and the visual arts. The Hip-Hop culture consists of: Rapping (MCing) and DJing (production and scratching), along with Hip-Hop’s Dance (Break Dancing), Hip-Hop Language’s (Slang or Ebonics) and urban inspired art, or notably Graffiti. The culture took birth in South Bronx, amongst the Hispanics, and the African Americans. Now, most of the African Americans living up North migrated either from Africa, From the West Indies (Haiti) or from areas in the South such as New Orleans.
Now let’s go back in time for a minute:
"During a six-month period in 1809; about 10,000 or more refugees from Haiti arrived at New Orleans. They had a profound impact upon New Orleans' development. Refugees established the state's first newspaper and introduced opera into the Crescent City. They also appear to have played a role in the development of Creole cuisine and the perpetuation of voodoo practices in the New Orleans area. More importantly, they were responsible for preserving the city's French character for several generations."
New Orleans is the state, where Jazz and Blues were created in the late 1930’s. Around that time, allot of people from New Orleans moved up North, to cities such as New York, Chicago or Boston. The reason why they moved up North was to search for jobs, and opportunities. Through this migration, came about the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance, also known as The New Negro Movement, was a period of self-expression in the African American community, throughout art, literature, music and culture in the United States. It was led primarily by the black community based in Harlem, New York City, after World War I. They would value their heritage, and stand up for what they believed in. And from the Harlem Renaissance, from jazz, from Blues, came Rock and Roll, than Disco than Funk, than Pop, and finally Hip-Hop
As we can see, Hip-Hop’s history came from a long way, and has matured over the years. Hip-Hop music recreates itself non-stop and has blended with all types of other music. The music itself has traveled, from West Africa, to the West Indies, from the West Indies to the U.S, and from the U.S to all over the world; especially in places like Haiti, where The Creole hip-hop Movement originally started.
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