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Which four elements are considered the pillars of hip-hop culture?

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Although there is some debate regarding the number of components within the movement, hip-hop culture is widely considered to be built upon four primary pillars:12

  • Deejaying: Also known as "turntabling," this involves the manipulation of records to create music, such as isolating and extending break beats or using techniques like "scratching".12
  • Rapping: Also referred to as "MCing" or "rhyming," this is the vocal component of the culture, rooted in various oratorical traditions.12
  • Graffiti painting: Often called "graf" or "writing," this visual art form involves creating stylized renderings of names or imagery on public surfaces.12
  • Break dancing: Also known as "B-boying," this element encompasses dance, style, and attitude, characterized by acrobatic and improvisational movements.12

Many scholars and artists also recognize a fifth essential element: "knowledge of self/consciousness."12