Genre story · Hardcore
Rapcore
Rap vocals meeting the blunt riffs and rhythmic attack of hardcore and alternative metal.
Rapcore became a loose term for artists combining Hip-Hop vocal delivery with punk, Hardcore or heavy alternative-rock instrumentation. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, performers from both rock and hip-hop crossed into one another's musical territory. Rage Against the Machine made the combination a particularly visible form in 1992, while other bands moved closer to metal or funk. The name is not universally defined: Rap Metal and Rap Rock overlap with it considerably.
Riffs beneath the rhyme
The drums can drive like a heavy rock band or lock into a hip-hop groove, while guitar and bass repeat short, percussive figures. The voice delivers rhythm and language that may be shouted, rapped or sung. Some records bring in turntables and samples; others are live-band performances. The result depends on both musical traditions, not the assumption that rap is just another vocal effect.
Where the border lies
Rapcore may signal a stronger punk or hardcore association than Rap Metal, which often emphasizes metal riffing. That distinction is only useful when the tagged recording supports it.
Listening examples
- 1992Rage Against the MachineRage Against the MachineA major rap/rock political and rhythmic crossover.
- 1994BiohazardState of the World AddressMetallic hardcore incorporating rap-related delivery.
- 1994Downset.Downset.LA heavy guitar music with rap and hardcore roots.