The movement started in the '90s and gained momentum in the early 2000s as a response from Bay Area rappers to commercial hip-hop's ignoring of the Bay's influence.[6][7] Although the hyphy movement has just recently seen light in mainstream America, it has been a long standing and evolving culture in the Bay Area.[1]
Hyphy used as an adjective, "to get hyphy", refers to when an individual acts or dances in an overstated, fast paced, and ridiculous manner. This is similar to the southern phrase "to get crunk" but without the drug and alcohol references. Those who consider themselves part of the hyphy movement would describe this behavior as "getting stupid" or "going dumb."[5][8] In contrast to much of popular American culture where these phrases would be considered negative or even insulting, Hyphy is distinguished by taking this kind of behavior as a form of pride.[9] Hyphy as an adjective, "the hyphy movement" is a cultural term: regional slang that refers to the dance itself as well as party atmosphere, lifestyle,[4] and independent Bay Area music referred to as hyphy music.[1][8]
Notes and references
^ abcdCollins, Hattie (2006-10-21). "Ghostridin' the whip". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-11-12. Known as Hyphy and hailing from Oakland's Bay Area, the synth-led staccato beats represent a culture that encompasses cars, clothing, slanguage, graffiti and dances like 'going dumb' and 'ghostridin' the whip'... Deriving from hyperactive, Hyphy is over 10 years old and was first coined on record by Bay legend Keak Da Sneak. While it may be far from fledgling, it's new to mainstream music ears and thanks to The Pack, Fab and artists like E40 and the now-deceased Mac Dre, it's about the most exciting offshoot seen in rap since crunk.
^ abReid, Shaheem "Lil Jon Has Big Plans For E-40 And The Hyphy Movement", MTV News. Link: [1]
^ abBurke, Garance (2006-12-29). "Hip-Hop Car Stunt Leaves 2 Dead". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-11-12. Hyphy was born in the cities of Oakland, Richmond, and Vallejo in the late 1990s...
^From the USA Today article: "Every record label was getting at us at that time, but we fumbled the ball," says E-40, whose My Ghetto Report Card entered the Billboard album chart at No. 3 in March. "I hung on like a hubcap in the fast lane along with a few other rappers, and now it's time again. We had a 10-year drought and they went to other regions and were bypassing us like the sand out here. But we're trendsetters, and the rap game without the Bay Area is like old folks without bingo."
^According to his comments in the July 2006 issue of Vibe magazine, Keak Da Sneak was the first to use the word "haipy" on record on 3X Crazy's "Stacking Chips" in 1997. On MTV's "My Block: The Bay" he explains how the word evolved from hyper, to super hyper, to hyfee. If someone was hyphy, they were reacting spontaneously to the music. Alternately, it is based heavily around partying and having as much of a good a time as possible. In an interview on the bay Area hip-hop station KMEL, the definition of hyphy in the early days meant that something wild was going to go down such as a fight or some other form of violence.
^ abRosen, Jody (2007-02-13). "Why hyphy is the best hip-hop right now". Slate. Retrieved 2007-11-12. ... the Bay Area biggest hip-hop genre known as hyphy (pronounced "hi-fee"), in which stewiness, maininess, dumbness are everything: the means and ends, the sun and moon and stars...
