In the 1990s, rap was being divided into many subgenres, and musicians also started combining rap and rock styles of music. Some of the first bands to use rapped parts in their rock songs were Anthrax and Faith No More. One of the most recognized fusions of rock and heavy metal was produced by Rage Against the Machine (Covach and Flory 484). The band was influenced by Faith No More, as well as the style of Red Hot Chili Peppers, and it mixed the heavy metal sound with rapped vocals. It is notable that most lyrics of the band were political – rap lyrics likely allowed the performers to create a narrative in their songs. Rage Against the Machine continued to employ the fusion of styles in several albums, including Rage Against the Machine, Evil Empire, and The Battle of Los Angeles (Covach and Flory 484). The band became an example for other bands wanting to use the rap-rock combination.
Other bands also used a mix of rap and heavy metal but added a new sound to their style. For instance, Korn expanded the genre of rap-rock by using the seven-string guitar, usually used by jazz musicians (Covach and Flory 484). The band’s lyrics are also almost completely rapped; however, the band also added screaming into the mix, producing a darker, more aggressive type of heavy metal. Another prominent example of the rap-rock style is Limp Bizkit – the band’s style is similar to Korn in that the musicians utilize a fusion of rap and rock and use the seven-string guitar and screaming (Covach and Flory 484). As can be seen from the descriptions of these bands’ music, rap was used heavily in songs as most lyrics were usually rapped rather than sung. Therefore, rap-rock can be described as a blend of heavy metal instrumental sound and rapped vocals.
Work Cited
Covach, John, and Andrew Flory. What’s That Sound?: An Introduction to Rock and Its History. 5th ed., W. W. Norton, 2018.