---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My definition of hip hop is taking…"
description: "\"My definition of hip hop is taking elements from many other spheres of music to make hip hop. Whether it be breakbeat, whether it be the groove and gru..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54b/afrika-bambaataa-11009_also_my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-eleme_1060855.png"
---

#  My definition of hip hop is taking elements from many…

![“My definition of hip hop is taking elements from many other spheres of music to make hip hop. Whether it be breakbeat, whether it be the groove and grunt of James Brown or the pickle-pop sounds of Kraftwerk or Yellow Magic Orchestra, hip hop is also part of what they call hip-house now, or trip…” quote by Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54b/afrika-bambaataa-11009_also_my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-eleme_1060855.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54b/afrika-bambaataa-11009_also_my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-eleme_1060855.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54b/afrika-bambaataa-11009_also_my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-eleme_1060855.png)

> “My definition of hip hop is taking elements from many other spheres of music to make hip hop. Whether it be breakbeat, whether it be the groove and grunt of James Brown or the pickle-pop sounds of Kraftwerk or Yellow Magic Orchestra, hip hop is also part of what they call hip-house now, or trip hop, or even parts of drum n' bass.”

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Hip hop blends diverse musical influences, creating new sub‑genres and reflecting cultural hybridity.

**In simple terms:** Hip hop mixes many music styles.

Key Takeaway

Embrace cross‑genre creativity.

Themes

music culture innovation identity collaboration

Mood

energetic creative celebratory

Type

educational inspirational

When to use this quote

- music production
- DJing
- dance culture

Key Concepts

sampling genre fusion cultural exchange

Questions to Reflect On

- How does blending styles affect authenticity?
- What responsibilities do artists have when sampling?

A Different Perspective

Risk of cultural appropriation if not respectful.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Orchestra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orchestra/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trip/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow/)

## Related quotes

> [I think the focus of the media changes. At the moment the more electronic stuff like trip-hop was the flavor of the month, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-think-the-focus-of-the-media-changes-at-the-moment-the-more/)

[Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/)

> [Trip-hop? That's never existed and they say I invented it. Trip-hop is just hip-hop with a girl singing on top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/trip-hop-that-s-never-existed-and-they-say-i-invented-it-trip-hop-is/)

[Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/)

> [First off, I absolutely hate the term 'trip-hop.' It was a term that made it seemed like I was trying to turn the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/first-off-i-absolutely-hate-the-term-trip-hop-it-was-a-term-that-made/)

[Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/)

> [All my favorite artists are downtempo - Portishead, Burial, a lot of 1990s trip-hop. Some people are saying that I'm trying to help with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mister-lies/all-my-favorite-artists-are-downtempo-portishead-burial-a-lot-of/)

[Mister Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mister-lies/)

> [I appreciate people who make hip-hop... the way A Tribe Called Quest and Lauryn Hill and KRS-One did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doja-cat/i-appreciate-people-who-make-hip-hop-the-way-a-tribe-called-quest-and/)

[Doja Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doja-cat/)

> [I want to make hip-hop that can use guitars and soul and jazz and just fuse it all together. And I want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/i-want-to-make-hip-hop-that-can-use-guitars-and-soul-and-jazz-and/)

[Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/)

> [I love hip hop music, I make hip hop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/i-love-hip-hop-music-i-make-hip-hop-music/)

[Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/)

> [Hip-hop is the only music in the world where you can take any instrument and make it hip hop. It's anybody's music. It's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelawolf/hip-hop-is-the-only-music-in-the-world-where-you-can-take-any/)

[Yelawolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelawolf/)

> [I was a hip-hop head. When I really found my own lane in music, it was hip-hop. I wanted to make hip-hop music. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-was-a-hip-hop-head-when-i-really-found-my-own-lane-in-music-it-was/)

[Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/)

> [Some people say I make hip-hop. Others see me as doing EDM. Some people might look at me as a trap artist, but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaytranada/some-people-say-i-make-hip-hop-others-see-me-as-doing-edm-some-people/)

[Kaytranada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaytranada/)

> [Every James Brown cut makes a party get crazy. He's the god of all music. I always play different wild remixes of his songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/every-james-brown-cut-makes-a-party-get-crazy-he-s-the-god-of-all/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [James Brown was my favorite, my absolute idol. Every time I played with him was like a music lesson, and I never thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-shaffer/james-brown-was-my-favorite-my-absolute-idol-every-time-i-played-with/)

[Paul Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-shaffer/)

> [I felt Michael Jackson was inspired a little bit more from the elegance of a Fred Astaire. Michael loved Sammy Davis, Jr. and James…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-ortega/i-felt-michael-jackson-was-inspired-a-little-bit-more-from-the/)

[Kenny Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-ortega/)

> [“Those people obviously don't know who I think I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-wesley-jr/those-people-obviously-don-t-know-who-i-think-i-am/)

Fred Wesley Jr

> [“Think of all the different ways that stories get told. I’m working with the James Brown people on a movie that will end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmir-questlove-thompson/think-of-all-the-different-ways-that-stories-get-told-i-m-working/)

[Ahmir Questlove Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmir-questlove-thompson/)

## More by Afrika Bambaataa

> [Somewhere down the line, the evil ones stole the legacy of hip hop and flipped it to a corporate type of hip hop. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/somewhere-down-the-line-the-evil-ones-stole-the-legacy-of-hip-hop-and/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [I'd like to see people pay attention to the science of hip hop. The knowledge part, the political side of what hip hop could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/i-d-like-to-see-people-pay-attention-to-the-science-of-hip-hop-the/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [I'm the renegade of funk. I've made house, techno, rock, funk, reggae... That's why I've been on so many different labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/i-m-the-renegade-of-funk-i-ve-made-house-techno-rock-funk-reggae-that/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [House, rap, R&amp;B, disco rock, they are all part of hip-hop culture. Why you ain't playing Kraftwerk along with Jay-Z? That's hip-hop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/house-rap-r-b-disco-rock-they-are-all-part-of-hip-hop-culture-why-you/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [Everybody needs to show respect to each others' ways and the cultural life that you get on this planet. Don't get caught up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/everybody-needs-to-show-respect-to-each-others-ways-and-the-cultural/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [What worries me are these so-called radio stations with program directors who don't play all the different flavors of hip-hop. They should play the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/what-worries-me-are-these-so-called-radio-stations-with-program/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [Record industry's not so much against artists, but certain people are just wicked people that sit up in the industry who go against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/record-industry-s-not-so-much-against-artists-but-certain-people-are/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [I don't care if it's rap, metal, whatever. You still should play Beatles records mixed with Limp Bizkit mixed with Foghat mixed with Creedence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/i-don-t-care-if-it-s-rap-metal-whatever-you-still-should-play-beatles/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [We also want to try and slow down all this foolishness that's going on between the East and West. We gotta understand that Hip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/we-also-want-to-try-and-slow-down-all-this-foolishness-that-s-going/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [There are a lot of true culturalists who respect where they're from, but you have some who are just all about the benjamins, like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/there-are-a-lot-of-true-culturalists-who-respect-where-they-re-from/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [I like Akon, I like some of Lil Wayne when he uses that funky voice. Anything progressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/i-like-akon-i-like-some-of-lil-wayne-when-he-uses-that-funky-voice/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [We want you to sit down and leave your egos at home and let's get an understanding as to where all this is foolishness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/we-want-you-to-sit-down-and-leave-your-egos-at-home-and-let-s-get-an/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [A lot of times you can lose the MP3s - it's a lot of labor to be finding it again, putting things back up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/a-lot-of-times-you-can-lose-the-mp3s-it-s-a-lot-of-labor-to-be/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [There are a lot of things being put out to let people know. Even in the last 25 years, all these extraterrestrial movies are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/there-are-a-lot-of-things-being-put-out-to-let-people-know-even-in/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

> [Hip-hop went through different stages, from the beginning in the streets of the Bronx, to the whole Tri-State area and then to the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/hip-hop-went-through-different-stages-from-the-beginning-in-the/)

[Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

[Explore all 62 Afrika Bambaataa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/)

## More Also quotes

> [I'm a workaholic, but I also like to vacation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrueche-tran/i-m-a-workaholic-but-i-also-like-to-vacation/)

[Karrueche Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrueche-tran/)

> [I've also directed, shot, and edited several music videos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-king/i-ve-also-directed-shot-and-edited-several-music-videos/)

[Richard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-king/)

> [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/)

[Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/)

> [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/)

[Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/)

> [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/)

[Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/)

> [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/)

[Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/)

> [With all the technology we're inventing and what they're coming up with scientifically, people are having longer lifetimes. It's scary, but in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-murphy/with-all-the-technology-we-re-inventing-and-what-they-re-coming-up/)

[Brittany Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-murphy/)

> [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/)

[Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/)

> [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/)

[Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/)

> [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/)

[Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/)

> [I always like to look for adventure when I go away. I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/)

[Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/)

> [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/)

[Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/)

> [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/)

[Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/)

> [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/)

[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

> [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/)

[Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/)

Browse all 3,822 Also quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "My definition of hip hop is taking elements from many other spheres of music to make hip hop. Whether it be breakbeat, whether it be the groove and grunt of James Brown or the pickle-pop sounds of Kraftwerk or Yellow Magic Orchestra, hip hop is also part of what they call hip-house now, or trip hop, or even parts of drum n' bass.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Afrika Bambaataa"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-elements-from-many-other-spheres/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Also"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-elements-from-many-other-spheres/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54b/afrika-bambaataa-11009_also_my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-eleme_1060855.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54b/afrika-bambaataa-11009_also_my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-eleme_1060855.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54b/afrika-bambaataa-11009_also_my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-eleme_1060855.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My definition of hip hop is taking elements from many other spheres of music to make hip hop. Whether it be…” — Afrika Bambaataa",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Afrika Bambaataa",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "My definition of hip hop is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-elements-from-many-other-spheres/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-elements-from-many-other-spheres/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
