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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？
如今无论你到哪里去，你都可以发现嘻哈音乐。像法国、巴西甚至日本这样的国家都有自己的嘻哈文化。但这种奇怪的说唱风格是从哪里来的呢？
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 wasn’t 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.
许多世纪以前，在非洲西部，传统说书人会边讲故事边演奏乐器。当这一传统从非洲西部传到美国的时候，它发展成了不同的音乐风格，例如蓝调和爵士乐。这些风格都始于贫困非洲裔美国人的地区。在20世纪70年代，纽约有许多贫困地区。因为学校里没有资金条件开设音乐课，所以孩子们自创音乐。非洲青少年和当地的唱片骑师（DJ）在街道上播放自己的音乐唱片。每个人都参加了。麦手们（“MC”即Microphone Controller）举行说唱比赛。每个星期，都会诞生才华横溢的新一代舞蹈演员，流行音乐节目音乐人和新麦手们。就这样，嘻哈文化诞生了。
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.
我记得我第一次听到嘻哈音乐是1980年。我当时在纽约的一个聚会上。这个聚会上有一个年轻的唱片骑师。他在播放唱片。当他播放一个唱片的时候，一个孩子拿起麦克风，开始说唱。其他的孩子们开始随着音乐手舞足蹈地表演。这个场面既闹心又无聊，我不喜欢这样的表演形式。我更喜欢爵士。
During the 1980s， hip-hop became popular all over the USA. Today’s successful American artists like Missy and her friend Tim heard it on the radio when they were growing up.
在上世纪80年代，嘻哈音乐风靡美国。当今成功的美国艺术家，比如密西和她的朋友蒂姆，就是听着收音机里的嘻哈音乐长大的。
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.
我上次听到嘻哈音乐是我在西非的时候。我当时在写一本关于非洲裔美国人的书。在采访一个传统说书人的时候，我遇到了一个年轻的嘻哈艺术家。他告诉我如今在非洲，有成百上千个说唱团体。我们住在一个嘻哈星球里。
如今无论你到哪里去，你都可以发现嘻哈音乐。像法国、巴西甚至日本这样的国家都有自己的嘻哈文化。但这种奇怪的说唱风格是从哪里来的呢？
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 wasn’t 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.
许多世纪以前，在非洲西部，传统说书人会边讲故事边演奏乐器。当这一传统从非洲西部传到美国的时候，它发展成了不同的音乐风格，例如蓝调和爵士乐。这些风格都始于贫困非洲裔美国人的地区。在20世纪70年代，纽约有许多贫困地区。因为学校里没有资金条件开设音乐课，所以孩子们自创音乐。非洲青少年和当地的唱片骑师（DJ）在街道上播放自己的音乐唱片。每个人都参加了。麦手们（“MC”即Microphone Controller）举行说唱比赛。每个星期，都会诞生才华横溢的新一代舞蹈演员，流行音乐节目音乐人和新麦手们。就这样，嘻哈文化诞生了。
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.
我记得我第一次听到嘻哈音乐是1980年。我当时在纽约的一个聚会上。这个聚会上有一个年轻的唱片骑师。他在播放唱片。当他播放一个唱片的时候，一个孩子拿起麦克风，开始说唱。其他的孩子们开始随着音乐手舞足蹈地表演。这个场面既闹心又无聊，我不喜欢这样的表演形式。我更喜欢爵士。
During the 1980s， hip-hop became popular all over the USA. Today’s successful American artists like Missy and her friend Tim heard it on the radio when they were growing up.
在上世纪80年代，嘻哈音乐风靡美国。当今成功的美国艺术家，比如密西和她的朋友蒂姆，就是听着收音机里的嘻哈音乐长大的。
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.
我上次听到嘻哈音乐是我在西非的时候。我当时在写一本关于非洲裔美国人的书。在采访一个传统说书人的时候，我遇到了一个年轻的嘻哈艺术家。他告诉我如今在非洲，有成百上千个说唱团体。我们住在一个嘻哈星球里。