One of hip hop's audio elements is the incorporation of many different musical styles, such as soul and jazz. Hip hop frequently includes samples from other music or found sounds in order to reference other work and ideas.
This aural element of rap music indicates the way the performer rhymes over the beat. Flow incorporates speed, intonation, articulation and melody. The ways rappers execute flow has changed along with the history of hip hop, featuring distinctly different styles during Old School and New School eras. Characterized by Grand Master Flash, Old School focuses on simple rhyme schemes. New School was pioneered by rappers like Notorious B.I.G., and incorporates technical interactions between rhyme and beat. In New School flow, the voice becomes another instrument in the mix.
A rapper's delivery indicates her ability to breathe between phrases, so she does not interrupt her flow. Good delivery is essential to the smooth, storytelling aspect of hip hop, as this art form generally features uninterrupted narratives.
The MC in rap music is basically the rapper. She creates art as she decides how to mix delivery and flow with samples and beats.
Often hip-hop performance involves a live mix of the music the MC raps over. An MC is onstage rapping while the DJ mixes, improvises, scratches, and adds samples, controlling beats and instrumentation. Live DJs provide unique and constantly changing pieces.
This is an artistic complement to rap music. Graffiti is usually performed on public property. Artists use graffiti to make aesthetic or political statements, or to mark gang territory. While graffiti is not inherently linked to rap music, in many circles it is an important part of hip hop culture.
Break dancing often accompanies rap performances. This dance is acrobatic and involves spinning and flipping, combining sharp and smooth movements to mirror the rapper's flow. This style appeared in the 1980s and continues to evolve as rap music changes.