Yes indeed, It is time for the next installment of The Melding Pot, a look at the history of sub-genres within Hip Hop, covering the good, the bad and the ugly. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Let's back into it, shall we?

Acid Rap

One of the less talked about sub-genres of Hip Hop would have to be the enigma known as Acid Rap. The majority of listeners may only know it as something name-dropped by Eminem, but it is indeed a movement unto itself. The Motor City of Detroit is the birthplace of the Acid Rap style, pioneered by Esham, an ambitious and rebellious 13-year-old who self-produced and financed his own albums and created a whole new sub-genre, pairing his love of Heavy Metal and Rock with his other passion of Hip Hop.

Acid Rap is basically described as Hip Hop’s underbelly, the subjects that aren’t manifested through traditional Hip Hop; it is the bile and the venom of society. After his solo success Esham launched his group on the world, by the name of Natas. They insist that their group name was not intentioned to spell Satan backwards, they explain this via a ridiculous acronym, which is hard to believe. With highly controversial lyrics and views on religion, sex and death, it truly was an untapped well of subject matter, usually left to their Heavy Metal heroes. Even big name artists like Eminem and Kid Rock have proclaimed the influence that Esham and company had on them while growing up in Detroit.

The biggest success story of Acid Rap on a worldwide scale would have to be the much talked about Insane Clown Posse. The ICP duo of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope took Esham’s style to a whole new sinister level and rode it all the way to gold and platinum success, all independently mind you, as major labels wouldn’t touch music this controversial with a ten foot pole. Hip Hop veteran Kool Keith even experimented with the Acid Rap style, most famously with Esham on the collaborative project Tongues in 2001. Successful independent Hip Hop artists like Cage, El-P and Del The Funkee Homosapien have also released some Acid Rap-styled material.

Acid Rap is actually one of the only sub-genres of Hip Hop still prospering today with over a dozen other acts emerging. Despite some attempts at mainstream recognition Acid Rap remains an underground cult phenomenon, existing with its own loyal fanbase, seemingly independent of Hip Hop and the majority of it’s audience.

Heavy Metal Rap/Nu-Metal

One of the more maligned sub-genres of Hip Hop would have to be Heavy Metal Rap/Nu-Metal. It started off humbly enough with Run-DMC’s forays into Hard Rock and Public Enemy’s musical union with Anthrax. Pairing Hip Hop lyricism with a funky live instrument sound, more Hard Rock than Heavy Metal, Detroit’s Urban Dance Squad are a notable forerunning group to the sub-genre.

The movement really kicked off however in the mid-90’s with Ice-T’s controversial and truly quite awful side-project Body Count, who recorded the infamous Cop Killer, which cost Ice his record deal with Warner Brothers.

Momentum picked up with the release of the Judgment Day Soundtrack, which paired several Hip Hop acts with their Heavy Metal counterparts for the first time; incuding Onyx with Biohazard and Del The Funky Homosapien with Dinosaur Jr. Out of this came fairly talented groups like Smokin’ Suckas Wit Logic and Philadelphia outfit The Goats. Faith No More, and later Rage Against the Machine, rode the sub-genre to mainstream success, while maintaining the elements and dignity of the original genres. However what soon followed was something quite unforgivable.

The late 1990’s saw the mainstream birth of Nu-Metal, with Korn and Limp Bizkit at the forefront, as well as acts like P.O.D and former straight-laced rapper Kid Rock, delivering simplistic and generic Hip Hop-styled lyrics over Heavy Metal and Hard Rock concoctions. Out of those ashes though came perhaps one of the most talented and original of these groups, Linkin Park, who actually had an a semblance of knowledge and passion for Hip Hop and didn’t completely suck wind. LP also gave birth to Fort Minor, another talented more Hip Hop-focused hybrid act. Dynamic Brooklyn, NY group Game Rebellion are carrying on the tradition of the style, however in a more Hip Hop-accented style, releasing the innovative Searching For Rick Rubin mixtape in mid 2007.

As detailed above, with any sub-genre, if it is done correctly it can produce fantastic results, on the other hand when not done properly it can sound god-awful.

Horrorcore

The term Horrorcore was created by Def Jam president Russel Simmons, after he signed New York Hip Hop group the Flatlinerz in 1993. Thus, the Flatlinerz could technically be credited as the first Horrorcore artists. However, before the term was officially coined Kansas City trio Insane Poetry released the cult classic Grim Reality in 1992, originally calling the style Terrifying Style.

The Horrorcore style was a reaction to the negative environments of the artists, as well as the overly dark mindset of the world, remember, this was the same period when Heavy Metal and Grunge were also taking favour. Horrorcore, similar to its Detroit relative Acid Rap, delivered a morbid and dark twist on Hip Hop, as the name would suggest.

The Gravediggaz truly put Horrorcore on the map in 1994, with the Prince Paul-masterminded 6 Feet Deep. But, what began as a tongue-in-cheek parody of Gangsta Rap truly evolved into its own sub-genre.

While leaning more towards traditional West Coast Gangsta Rap, the Bay Area’s Brotha Lynch Hung and X-Raided could also be counted among the Horrorcore disciples, with their twisted tales of disebowelment and cannibalism. It went to sickeningly graphic and very real levels when X-Raided was arrested for suspected cannibalism. Talk about living the music!

The shelf life of the style was short-lived however, although the Gravediggaz and Insane Poetry continued releasing projects. It is not completely buried though (pun intended) as the remnants and influence of the style can be heard in modern day artists like Necro, Ill Bill/Non Phixion, Jedi Mind Tricks and most recently Psych Ward.

Jungle/Garage/Grime

As mentioned above, the United Kingdom’s Hip Hop scene had a large hand in melding Reggae with Hip Hop. That wasn’t the end though, as the mid-90’s saw the formation of the style and sound that has become synonymous with the U.K, with the birth of Jungle music, combining elements of Electronic, Reggae and Hip Hop music into one hyperactive and intense sub-genre. Even former pioneering Hip Hop artists like Hijak’s Kamanchi Sly ventured into this new world.

Jungle then gave way to the emergence of Garage, which had similar stylistic qualities and ideals. The violent behaviour that took place on and off stage became more publicised than the music and raised the ire of politicians and concerned citizens. So Solid Crew were the poster-child act for the Garage movement. The most successful artists to utilise the style, while also adapting it to appeal to a wider audience was The Streets.

Grime is now the latest manifestation and incarnation of both the Jungle and Garage sub-genres. While Dizzee Rascal and Lady Sovereign are the mainstream king and queen of Grime, with The Streets’ protégés the Mitchell Brothers also currently making waves, it was the work of artists like Wiley, Kano and Taz that set the stage for the Grime movement to kick off. The scene is still going strong, however it remains mostly in the U.K and throughout Europe, not making much headway in other regions.

Stay tuned for the next installment of The Melding Pot, peace out.