This parallels the axiom which states that while rap is something one does, hip-hop is something one lives. Meanwhile, the rapper is generally viewed as more aligned with the trends and demands of mainstream popular culture. With the passage of time, a differentiation by some in hip-hop culture has begun to appear between an “MC” or “emcee” and a “rapper.” The MC/emcee is often associated with traditional aspects of hip-hop which connect to DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing, the other three root elements of the culture. Over time numerous artists including MC Shan, MC Lyte, MC Hammer, and Young MC have incorporated the title into their stage names. When the seminal hit song “ Rapper’s Delight” was released in 1979, the focus of hip-hop music and culture was placed squarely on the vocalist or MC. The flexibility of slang in the language of hip-hop gave a variety of new meanings to what MC stands for, such as “Microphone Controller,” “Move the Crowd,” and “Mic Checka.” Given more freedom on the microphone in front of audiences, MCs began to get more creative with their performance opportunities. In most cases the MC needed the DJ’s permission to get on the microphone at all.Īs hip-hop culture evolved, so did the MC. If any rhyming was to be done by the MC, it was to talk about how great the DJ was. During this era, the MC was simply on hand to get the crowd excited about the DJ and to announce upcoming appearances. The most popular DJs developed large followings and drew the biggest crowds at their events. When hip-hop in New York City, New York began to grow in clubs and through block parties during the 1970s, the DJ was the center of attention. Since the 1970s the term MC (or emcee) has come to be associated with hip-hop culture, and rap music in particular, as a vocalist who rhymes over sampling, scratching, and mixing supplied by a DJ. MC, or Master of Ceremonies, is a term traditionally associated with someone who determines the forms to be observed on a public occasion, acts as host at a formal event, or is host for a program of entertainment.

Definition emcee