Jazz Rap

Jazz Rap emerged in the late 1980s, primarily in the United States, where hip hop artists discovered that throwing in a saxophone and some smooth piano could transform their rhymes into something a bit more sophisticated, like posh dinner music. Characterised by the clever interplay of jazzy samples and laid-back beats, it sounds like poetry over a cocktail party playlist, where the attendees are far too cool to wear ties. If nothing else, it proves that the worlds of jazz and hip hop can mingle very well, as long as everyone remembers to maintain a solid groove and avoid any dance-offs.