By: ASHISH HIRANI

Urban music is an umbrella for many different sub-genres.

However it embraces two distinctive styles which are Hip-Hop and R&B.

Urban music is heavily associated to African American music.

‘Black Music’ was renamed to ‘Urban Music’, therefore getting its name.

Urban music started in The United States - in New York City - in the 1970's when DJs started to take beats from funk and disco songs and spin them out into new songs of their own.

Eventually emcees broke away into their own performances to begin the rap movement. By 1979, the hip hop music genre was widespread and was starting to be commercially recorded.

Urban music have roots in West African music and the African American culture.

Initially, urban music and hip hop music were termed "disco rap." According to lore, the term "hip hop" came about when Cowboy was poking fun at a friend that joined the army; he scatted the terms "hip/hop/hip/hop" to re-create a sound like soldiers marching.

First of all, urban culture was changing in the U.S. in the 1970's and music and art were developing differently as an outgrowth of this. Getting started in hip hop music was low cost. Anyone could MC along with beats being played, and rap was a free form that could be improvised on the spot. Urban music and hip hop music skills required little if no musical training.

Musicians and artists passed them along to each other. The music industry was changing vastly during the 1970's as well, as disco, funk and rock started to decline in popularity and the public demanded new and interesting forms of production music and popular music. 

In Washington, DC, music started to emerge that was a reaction against disco and started to blend into rap, hip hop music and other types of urban music.

Today's hip hop continues to include influences from many different styles of music. Latin hip hop and electro are two of the more modern styles of hip hop music that have arisen in the past decade, further illustrating that hip hop music and urban music is reflective of the diversity within the American culture from which it originated. Production music in films depicting city life is often hip hop music, which has become a vital part of mainstream music. 

The urban audience consists of today's tastemakers who set lifestyle trends. They are a youthful and active demographic. They like to have fun, and they invest in the music and entertainment value that will enable them to enjoy life to the fullest.

Urban Music is most popular amongst young males, due to its fast pace and beats.

Aged between: 13-26 Mainly African Americans Rebellious The audience in the present day is set to increase as Urban

Music has become more mainstream.

Urban Music is the umbrella of many genreshere are some of them: Rhythm & Blue (R&B) Hip-Hop Grime Gansta Rap Freestyle Rap Hip-Hop Soul Jazz Rap Comedy Hip-Hop Ghetto House

The genre ‘Urban Music’ is a very popular genre with mainstream appeal.

The main reason for this is due to the vast number of sub-genres that lie under it.

There are many music channels and other types of media that has a constant mention of Urban Music as a whole.

Record labels associated with Urban Music:

Sony BMGWarner Music GroupUniversal Music GroupEMI

World music market sales shares, according to IFPI (2005)

Urban Music has a huge mention in all types of media here are just some examples of where urban music can be heard or talked about:

Television: MTV(One, Base, Hits), Channel AKA, Flava, Kiss, VIVA, Starz TV,

Magazines: The Source, Vibe, King, Complex, Uptown

Radio: KISS 100, Capital FM, Choice FM, VIVA

Urban music is an ever growing genre in the music industry with many young artist entering the fray.

Therefore turning Urban music into a younger demographic, with a ever changing target audience.

Overall, urban music may be the most popular music genre amongst young people/adults and it will continue in this manor and gain a bigger and wider target audience as it becomes more mainstream.