Haitian hip hop

Haitian Hip Hop or Hip Hop Kreyol is music originating from Haiti and sung by artists of Haitian descent. The most popular form of this is the rising of 'Hip Hop nan Kreyòl' or Kreyòl Hip Hop. Often, hardcore beats are used while the artist raps in kreyòl. Kreyòl hip hop, though relatively new, has become very popular with Haitian youth.^{[citation needed]}

Many Haitian rap artists have had rough childhoods and difficult living conditions producing rappers who address socio-economic topics in their lyrics.^{[citation needed]} Though similar to mainstream American hip hop in that materialistic imagery is portrayed or lyricized, the negative aspects of less fortunate Haitian society, such as topics concerning slum life, gang warfare, the drug trade, and poverty, are much more common.

The most well-known exports of Haitian hip hop are two members of the legendary Grammy Award-winning hip hop group, the Fugees, Wyclef Jean and his cousin Pras Michel (a.k.a. Pras). Most recently, Christopher FREEDOM Laroche released his inspirational debut album Liberation 1804, Kerns (Mr OK) Olirice released first EP ( Men Mwen) which quickly gained popularity among the Haitian population. However, the godfather of hip hop in Haiti is the late Master Dji, who not only released the first Haitian rap song in the early 1980s, but was also influential in encouraging other young Haitians to become rappers, DJs, and breakdancers.