The rhythm of the bass in the hip-hop scene

When it comes to the hip-hop scene, vocalization takes center stage. Drums, guitars, brass, and even synths just serve as a backdrop. As for the bass lines, you may want to listen to Soul, Gospel, Reggae, and traditional African music. These are the foundations of modern hip-hop and rap music. Studying these music genres will give you great insight into how hip-hop evolved in terms of downbeat.

The bass in hip-hop music sounds best when it plays a steady beat. Listen to Outkast’s bass lines on “Atliens.” The instrumental piece is a delight. You’ll notice a great rhythm between the kick and bass. The bass line is never overly complicated, but adds a steady pulse that holds the snare rhythm and melody together.

It’s important to hold back when playing bass. Refrain from going too far and being too adventurous with the licks. The repetitive licks that support the vocalist and the guitars don’t hurt. In fact, the repetition of licks helps you to give a nice punch to the overall texture of the song. Listen to “Tequila Sunrise” by Cypress Hill. While the horns are making sonorous tones, the vocalist is giving a powerful performance and the mariachi style guitar is amazing. In the background, the bass provides an effective and constant rhythm. Play an occasional bass ride that will give you a very smooth groove throughout the song. On “Ghetto Superstar,” you can hear simple chromatic walks right at the end of the chorus line. But throughout the song, the bass is always “stuck” to basic, repetitive notes in sync with the drum hits.

You may also want to “leave a hole” on purpose. If you listen to “Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauryn Hill, you’ll notice that the bass drops out of the song after a couple of beats only to come back with a smooth bass beat that isn’t too complicated. The bassist’s line for the song does not draw the listener’s attention away from the song.

Being minimalistic on hip-hop basslines doesn’t mean you’re boring or too mechanical. Always remember that you can have your own “highlights” at the right time because in hip-hop, timing is important. Tupac’s “Only Judge can Judge me” takes a really good minimalist approach.

There are many hidden gems of basslines in the hip-hop music scene. Go back to early ’80s and ’90s hip-hop recordings by Busta Rhymes, Snoop Doggy dog, 2Pac, and The Roots for some great bass lines you might want to try.