Genre Research Project 94/1361: Industrial Hip Hop

Industrial hip hop is an Experimental Hip Hop genre that uses Industrial Music beats and sounds. The production style is generally very dissonant, featuring atonal Noise and loud, distorted drums. Vocals are usually more aggressive than typical hip hop and are sometimes shouted.

Industrial hip hop originated in the late 1980s, inspired by several attempts to combine industrial music with Hardcore Hip Hop and Dub. Public Enemy's intensity and use of unconventional noise elements inspired a darker form of hip hop. Mark Stewart (of The Pop Group) worked with the house band of Sugar Hill Records to blend industrial with elements of dub on As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade. In 1988, The Beatnigs pioneered the genre on their debut album. The next year, the Sugar Hill Records band collaborated with Tackhead to blend industrial with Funk Rock and dub. Consolidated and The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy were also influential on the genre's development. Some contemporary practitioners of the genre employ more Electronic elements in their music, from genres such as Illbient and Glitch Hop.