Here are the main elements that make up hip hop music:
1. Rapping: Rapping is a vocal delivery style that involves speaking rhythmic lyrics and rhymes over a beat. Rappers use various techniques, such as alliteration, assonance, and wordplay, to create poetic and engaging lyrics.
2. Singing: Singing is another common element in hip hop music. Singers often provide hooks, choruses, and bridges in hip hop songs, adding melodic elements to the music.
3. Beats: The beats in hip hop music provide the rhythmic foundation for rapping and singing. They are typically created using drum machines, samplers, and synthesizers, and can range from simple, repetitive patterns to complex, multi-layered compositions.
4. Turntablism: Turntablism, also known as DJing, is an important aspect of hip hop music. DJs use turntables to manipulate records by scratching, mixing, and blending them to create new and unique sounds.
5. Sampling: Sampling is the process of using portions of recorded music in the creation of a new song. Hip hop artists often sample beats, melodies, and sounds from other records to create their own unique tracks.
6. Breaks: Breaks are sections of music that consist of short, repetitive drum patterns. Hip hop artists often use breaks as the foundation for their songs, building upon them and adding other musical elements.
7. Ad-libs: Ad-libs are unscripted vocalizations that are added to a song during recording. They can include vocal shouts, exclamations, and phrases that add energy and personality to the music.
8. Instrumentation: Hip hop music can incorporate various instruments, such as pianos, guitars, bass, drums, and horns. Instrumentation can be used to add melodic and harmonic elements to the music, or to create a specific mood or atmosphere.
These elements are often combined in different ways to create unique and diverse hip hop music styles, such as East Coast hip hop, West Coast hip hop, Southern hip hop, and others.