Hip-hop vs. Pop: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on February 20, 2024
Hip-hop is a cultural movement and music genre characterized by rap, DJing, and breakdancing, while Pop is a mainstream, diverse music genre aiming for wide appeal.
Key Differences
Hip-hop, originating in the 1970s in the Bronx, New York, is a genre deeply rooted in African American culture, emphasizing lyrical rhythm and storytelling through rap. In contrast, Pop music, short for 'popular music,' emerged as a blend of various styles, focusing on melodies and choruses intended for a broad audience.
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Feb 18, 2024
The beat and rhythm in hip-hop are heavily influenced by funk, soul, and R&B, often featuring sampling and strong bass lines. Pop music, meanwhile, tends to have a more consistent and straightforward beat, making it easily digestible and catchy to listeners.
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Lyrically, hip-hop often explores social and political themes, reflecting the experiences and struggles of urban life. Pop music, on the other hand, usually focuses on universal themes like love, relationships, and personal experiences, aiming for relatability to a wider audience.
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Hip-hop culture extends beyond music to include elements like breakdancing, graffiti art, and fashion, representing a lifestyle and identity. Conversely, Pop music is less about a cultural movement and more about a commercial and accessible sound that resonates with a large demographic.
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Hip-hop often prioritizes authenticity and street credibility, with artists sharing personal stories and experiences. Pop artists, however, may not always write their own music, with a focus on creating hits that appeal to the masses and succeed commercially.
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Comparison Chart
Origins
1970s, Bronx, NY; African American culture.
Evolved as a blend of various musical styles.
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Musical Characteristics
Rap, strong bass, sampling.
Catchy melodies, straightforward beat.
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Themes
Social, political, urban life.
Love, relationships, personal experiences.
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Cultural Elements
Breakdancing, graffiti, fashion.
More focused on commercial sound.
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Authenticity
Emphasizes street credibility and storytelling.
Often focused on mass appeal and commercial success.
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Hip-hop and Pop Definitions
Hip-hop
It's a cultural movement including dance, art, and fashion.
Hip-hop culture has greatly influenced global fashion trends.
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Pop
It focuses on themes like love, relationships, and fun.
Pop lyrics are often relatable, focusing on everyday emotions and experiences.
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Hip-hop
Originating from the Bronx, it's deeply rooted in urban experiences.
Hip-hop originated as a voice for marginalized communities in New York.
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Hip-hop
It's known for its emphasis on authenticity and street credibility.
Hip-hop artists often gain respect through their authentic storytelling.
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Hip-hop
Hip-hop is a genre combining rap, rhythmic music, and cultural expression.
Hip-hop music often reflects the artist's personal and social experiences.
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Pop
To move quickly or unexpectedly; appear abruptly
At last the cottage popped into view.
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Hip-hop
Hip-hop music features complex beats and lyrical storytelling.
The hip-hop track used intricate beats and powerful lyrics.
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Hip-hop
A style of music usually based on rap and often including elements of other styles such as funk or rhythm and blues.
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Pop
To have the eustachian tubes open suddenly, equalizing pressure on both sides of the eardrum in response to changes in atmospheric pressure, as in a descending airplane
After I swallowed, my ears popped.
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Hip-hop
An urban youth culture originating in the 1980s in New York City, involving such forms of expression as hip-hop music, b-boying, and graffiti art.
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Pop
(Baseball) To hit a short high fly ball, especially one that can be caught by an infielder
Popped out to shortstop.
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Hip-hop
An Afro-American urban youth culture based on rap music, breakdancing etc.
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Hip-hop
(music) A form of popular and dance music featuring strong percussion and a powerful rhythm, usually accompanied by rapping.
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Pop
To cause to open with a sharp bursting sound
Popped the hood of the car to check the oil.
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Hip-hop
An urban youth culture associated with rap music and the fashions of African-American residents of the inner city
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Hip-hop
Genre of African-American music of the 1980s and 1990s in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment; several forms of rap have emerged
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Pop
To put or thrust suddenly or unexpectedly
"popping a crisp plump shrimp into her mouth" (Kathleen Winsor).
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Pop
To take (drugs), especially orally
"To calm a case of the jitters ... the bride popped Valium" (People).
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Pop
(Slang) To take into legal custody; arrest
"Her friend was visiting and got popped for a DUI while he was driving her car" (Jamie Harrison).
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Pop
Of or for the general public; popular or popularized
Pop culture.
Pop psychology.
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Pop
(countable) A loud, sharp sound, as of a cork coming out of a bottle.
Listen to the pop of a champagne cork.
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Pop
An effervescent or fizzy drink, most frequently nonalcoholic; soda pop.
Lunch was sandwiches and a bottle of pop.
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Pop
A bottle, can, or serving of effervescent or fizzy drink, most frequently nonalcoholic; a soda pop.
Go in the store and buy us three pops.
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Pop
A pop shot: a quick, possibly unaimed, shot with a firearm.
The man with the gun took a pop at the rabbit.
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Pop
Something that stands out or is distinctive to the mind or senses.
A white dress with a pop of red
A pop of vanilla flavour
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Pop
(physics) The sixth derivative of the position vector with respect to time (after velocity, acceleration, jerk, jounce, crackle), i.e. the rate of change of crackle.
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Pop
(intransitive) To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound.
The muskets popped away on all sides.
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Pop
(ergative) To burst (something) with a popping sound.
The boy with the pin popped the balloon.
This corn pops well.
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Pop
To enter, or issue forth, with a quick, sudden movement; to move from place to place suddenly; to dart.
A rabbit popped out of the hole.
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Pop
To place (something) (somewhere); to move or position (something) with a short movement.
Just pop it in the fridge for now.
He popped his head around the door.
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Pop
To make a short trip or visit.
I'm just popping round to the newsagent.
I'll pop by your place later today.
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Pop
(intransitive) To stand out; to be distinctive to the senses.
This colour really pops.
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Pop
To pawn (something) (to raise money).
I had to pop my watch to see me through until pay-day.
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Pop
To swallow or consume (especially a tablet of a drug, sometimes extended to other small items such as sweets or candy).
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Pop
To undergo equalization of pressure when the Eustachian tubes open.
My ears popped as the aeroplane began to ascend.
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Pop
To arrest.
He's on probation. We can pop him right now for gang association.
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Pop
Used to represent a loud, sharp sound, as of a cork coming out of a bottle.
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Pop
A small, sharp, quick explosive sound or report; as, to go off with a pop.
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Pop
A nonalcoholic carbonated beverage; - so called because it expels the cork with a pop from the bottle containing it; as, ginger pop; lemon pop, etc.
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Pop
To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound; as, the muskets popped away on all sides.
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Pop
To enter, or issue forth, with a quick, sudden movement; to move from place to place suddenly; to dart; - with in, out, upon, off, etc.
He that killed my king . . . Popp'd in between the election and my hopes.
A trick of popping up and down every moment.
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Pop
To burst open with a pop, when heated over a fire; as, this corn pops well.
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Pop
To thrust or push suddenly; to offer suddenly; to bring suddenly and unexpectedly to notice; as, to pop one's head in at the door.
He popped a paper into his hand.
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Pop
To cause to pop; to cause to burst open by heat, as grains of Indian corn; as, to pop corn or chestnuts.
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Pop
To eat or swallow; - of food, especially snacks, in small pieces; as, he popped a whole can of peanuts while watching the movie.
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Pop
A sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring;
In New England they call sodas tonics
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Pop
Music of general appeal to teenagers; a bland watered-down version of rock'n'roll with more rhythm and harmony and an emphasis on romantic love
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Pop
Appear suddenly or unexpectedly;
The farm popped into view as we turned the corner
He suddenly popped up out of nowhere
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Pop
Put or thrust suddenly and forcefully;
Pop the pizza into the microwave oven
He popped the petit-four into his mouth
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Pop
Drink down entirely;
He downed three martinis before dinner
She killed a bottle of brandy that night
They popped a few beer after work
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Pop
Take drugs, especially orally;
The man charged with murder popped a valium to calm his nerves
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Pop
Cause to burst with a lound, explosive sound;
The child popped the balloon
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Pop
Burst open with a sharp, explosive sound;
The balloon popped
This popcorn pops quickly in the microwave oven
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Pop
(of music or art) new and of general appeal (especially among young people)
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Pop
Pop music is a mainstream genre aimed at a wide audience.
Pop songs often top the charts due to their wide appeal.
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Pop
It's characterized by catchy melodies and simple rhythms.
The pop song had a catchy chorus that stuck in my head all day.
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Pop
Pop often incorporates elements from various musical styles.
Today's pop music blends electronic, rock, and even hip-hop elements.
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Pop
Pop is known for its commercial success and mass marketability.
Pop artists frequently dominate mainstream media and advertising.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
What are the origins of pop music?
Pop music originated in the mid-1950s, evolving from rock and roll and traditional popular music.
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What defines pop music?
Pop music is a diverse genre, characterized by its mainstream appeal and often catchy, melodic tunes.
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Is hip-hop the same as rap?
Rap refers to the vocal style of speaking rhythmically, which is a primary component of hip-hop music.
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What are some subgenres of hip-hop?
Subgenres of hip-hop include gangsta rap, trap, and conscious hip-hop.
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What is hip-hop music?
Hip-hop is a music genre that originated in the 1970s, characterized by rhythmic and rhyming speech (rapping) and beats.
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What instruments are common in pop music?
Pop music commonly uses both electronic and traditional instruments like guitar, drums, and keyboards.
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How did hip-hop music start?
Hip-hop started in the Bronx, New York City, as a cultural movement among African Americans and Latino youths.
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Feb 18, 2024
Are instruments used in hip-hop?
Hip-hop often relies on electronic beats, but it can incorporate a variety of instruments.
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What role do lyrics play in hip-hop?
Lyrics are crucial in hip-hop, often conveying messages, stories, or social commentary.
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Are there different types of pop music?
Yes, pop music has many subgenres, including pop-rock, pop-rap, and synth-pop.
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Do pop songs usually have a common structure?
Yes, pop songs often follow a verse-chorus structure with catchy hooks.
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How has pop music evolved over time?
Pop music has evolved to incorporate elements from various genres, constantly adapting to trends.
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Can hip-hop be instrumental?
Yes, instrumental hip-hop focuses on beats and rhythms without vocal rapping.
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Do pop artists often collaborate with other genres?
Pop artists frequently collaborate with artists from various genres, enhancing the genre's diversity.
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How does pop music influence culture?
Pop music often reflects and influences mainstream culture, trends, and societal norms.
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Is freestyling a part of hip-hop?
Yes, freestyling, or improvisational rapping, is a key element of hip-hop.
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What is the cultural significance of hip-hop?
Hip-hop has a rich cultural heritage, often addressing social issues and serving as a voice for marginalized communities.
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How important are visuals in pop music?
Music videos and visual imagery play a significant role in the marketing and appeal of pop music.
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How has technology impacted pop music?
Technology has greatly influenced pop music production, distribution, and consumption.
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Are collaborations common in hip-hop?
Yes, collaborations between artists are common and often cross genres in hip-hop.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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