嘻哈星球

You can find hip-hop everywhere you go. Countries like France， Brazil and even Japan have their own hip-hop culture. But where did this strange speaking-singing style come from？

如今無論你到哪里去，你都可以發現嘻哈音樂。像法國、巴西甚至日本這樣的國家都有自己的嘻哈文化。但這種奇怪的說唱風格是從哪里來的呢？

Many centuries ago， in West Africa， traditional storytellers played musical instruments while they were telling stories. When this tradition traveled from West Africa to the USA， it developed into different musical styles. For example， blues and jazz. These styles all started in poor African-American areas. And in the 1970s， there were many poor areas in New York. There wasnt any money for music lessons in schools， so kids made their own music. African teenagers and DJ here played their records outside in the streets. Everybody joined in. MCs had rapping1 competitions. Every week， there were talented new dancers， new DJs and new MCs. Hip-hop culture was born.

許多世紀以前，在非洲西部，傳統說書人會邊講故事邊演奏樂器。當這一傳統從非洲西部傳到美國的時候，它發展成了不同的音樂風格，例如藍調和爵士樂。這些風格都始于貧困非洲裔美國人的地區。在20世紀70年代，紐約有許多貧困地區。因為學校里沒有資金條件開設音樂課，所以孩子們自創音樂。非洲青少年和當地的唱片騎師（DJ）在街道上播放自己的音樂唱片。每個人都參加了。麥手們（“MC”即Microphone Controller）舉行說唱比賽。每個星期，都會誕生才華橫溢的新一代舞蹈演員，流行音樂節目音樂人和新麥手們。就這樣，嘻哈文化誕生了。

I remember the first time I heard hip-hop. It was 1980. I was at a party in New York. There was a young DJ at the party. He was playing records. While he was putting a record on， a kid picked up a microphone2 and began rapping. Some other kids were break-dancing to the music. It was loud and boring， and I hated it. I preferred jazz.

我記得我第一次聽到嘻哈音樂是1980年。我當時在紐約的一個聚會上。這個聚會上有一個年輕的唱片騎師。他在播放唱片。當他播放一個唱片的時候，一個孩子拿起麥克風，開始說唱。其他的孩子們開始隨著音樂手舞足蹈地表演。這個場面既鬧心又無聊，我不喜歡這樣的表演形式。我更喜歡爵士。

During the 1980s， hip-hop became popular all over the USA. Todays successful American artists like Missy and her friend Tim heard it on the radio when they were growing up.

在上世紀80年代，嘻哈音樂風靡美國。當今成功的美國藝術家，比如密西和她的朋友蒂姆，就是聽著收音機里的嘻哈音樂長大的。

The last time I heard hip-hop， I was in West Africa. I was writing a book about African-Americans. I was going to interview a traditional storyteller when I met a young hip-hop artist. He told me there are hundreds of rap groups in Africa today. We live on a hip-hop planet.

我上次聽到嘻哈音樂是我在西非的時候。我當時在寫一本關于非洲裔美國人的書。在采訪一個傳統說書人的時候，我遇到了一個年輕的嘻哈藝術家。他告訴我如今在非洲，有成百上千個說唱團體。我們住在一個嘻哈星球里。