Dutch hip-hop
Dutch hip-hop or Nederhop is hip-hop created by Dutch speaking musicians in the Netherlands and Flanders. Although the first Dutch rappers in Europe typically wrote in the English language, this began to change when Osdorp Posse gained a big following of fans. They were the first to record and release hip-hop in the Dutch language, perform for big crowds and to achieve chart success with their albums.
In 1995, the same year Osdorp Posse had a top 20 chart hit with their album Afslag Osdorp, rapper Extince was the first Dutch rap artist to achieve a top 10 hit in the singles charts with Spraakwater.
After rapper Def Rhymz was the first to reach the Dutch main chart with number 1 hits such as Doekoe, and Schudden with a more pop, R&B and dance influenced sound, Dutchlanguage hip-hop has grown into a staple of mainstream pop music in the Netherlands and Flanders in the 21st century.
History
1980s
Between 1980 and 1985 a few Dutch Hip Hop records had already been released, but in 1986 Dutch rap duo MC Miker G & DJ Sven had a top 10 hit in at least ten countries across Europe with their Holiday Rap, which sampled Madonna's "Holiday". It caused notable financial disputes, four years ahead of Vanilla Ice's similar sampling troubles with Ice Ice Baby. That same year Dutch rapper Extince released his first record Rap Around The Clock, and in 1987 he scored a modest hit with The Milkshake Rap.However, in the late 1980s Nederhop emerged, as artists began to rap in Dutch, such as Def Rhymz, Blonnie B, Alex and the CityCrew, Dynamic Rockers, and the Osdorp Posse. Though there is disagreement about who were the first, the pioneers' work was at first only experimental, except for the Osdorp Posse, a group from Osdorp, a "hood" in Amsterdam, who were first to release tracks in Dutch, for instance the single Moordenaar in 1989, marking a beginning milestone of Nederhop. After their frontman, rapper Def P, began by literally translating English raps into Dutch, he started writing original work that still contained peculiar idioms that resulted from his earlier literal rewordings. The result was described by rapper Ali B as highly visual and captivating. Once Extince switched to Dutch in 1994, having rapped in English since 1984, both he and Osdorp Posse became highly influential in Nederhop in the 1990s and beyond.
Notable in the late 1980s were All Star Fresh of King Bee, topping charts with "Back by Dope Demand" in early 1990, and Rudeboy of Urban Dance Squad, who, at the time, were arguably more widely known in New York City than in the Netherlands. DJ and Producer All Star Fresh turned professional as early as 1979. After winning the Dutch Mixing Championships in 1988, he was invited to the World Mix Championships in the London Royal Hall and won third place among strong competition. He was invited by Dave Funkenklein to enter the lion's den in New York. He made history in the Big Apple of hip-hop by being the first non-American to fly into the finals of the World Supremacy Battle of DJs. He gained the highly respected second place of this prestigious DJ contest. The impression that he made that year resulted in many invitations to perform with artists like Public Enemy, Stetsasonic, Ice T, and Ultra Magnetic MCs.
All Star Fresh. As performer and producer he is better known as KING BEE. With his second floor filler Back By Dope Demand he achieved one of his biggest hip-hop hits. In the Netherlands, it resulted in a Top 3 position and best Dance Product by The Edison Awards in the Netherlands. This also meant that with this title, he was the first black artist to win this award in the Netherlands. After that, he appeared as a supporting act for Madonna's show in the Netherlands. All Star Fresh kept entering the dance floors. The last titles mentioned were also popular worldwide, selling over 2.4 million copies. He didn't only work within projects like King Bee or Capella, but also was featuring well known production teams like Snap. This teamwork resulted in the single Lets Get Busy. This record ended up No. 1 in the Billboard Dance Charts. Other productions in this line were Deepzone "It's Gonna Be All right", Kellee- my love, Ty Holden- you're my Inspiration and His Royal Freshness- They don't understand.
File:Urban Dance Squad.jpg|thumb|Urban Dance Squad's biggest hit was Deeper Shade of Soul, peaking at 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991.
1990s
was a Dutch rap rock band formed after a jam session at a festival in Utrecht in 1986, including rapper/vocalist Rudeboy Remington and DJ DNA. The band's music is described as a blend of genres, including hard rock, funk, soul, hip-hop, reggae, jazz, and ska, and is compared with Living Colour, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Fishbone. They are still known for their hit single Deeper Shade of Soul, which charted at number 21 in the United States on Billboard Hot 100.In 1989, Osdorp Posse formed, the first rap act solely in the Dutch language. They started out translating N.W.A songs to Dutch, but soon began writing their own rhymes. Dutch rap was still frowned upon in general. Many hip-hop listeners found it silly to hear raps in a different language than English, and the radio and television didn't want to have anything to do with it at all.
Osdorp Posse overcame this and gained a small crowd of followers. Indie label Djax Records from Eindhoven picked up on this and signed Osdorp Posse to their label. In 1992, they released their debut album Osdorp Stijl, making it the first ever Dutch language hip hop album. Their beats, created by producer Seda on Amiga 500 with Protracker, had a heavy sound and were similar to U.S. old-school hip-hop, while also embracing their own style by making use of samples from metal music. The lyrics were often focused on social criticism, with frontman Def P describing it as hardcore rap. In Deventer, they found their first following, and the first Dutch-language hip-hop scene was born. The first hip-hop groups after Osdorp Posse were Zuid-Oost Posse and Maasstraat Mannen.
Dutch rap kept on reaching a bigger crowd, though it still could be considered an underground genre. A year after the debut album of Osdorp Posse, they released 2 more albums, Roffer Dan Ooit and Vlijmscherp. Paving the way like this, many Dutch rap acts popped up. In 1994, a breakthrough took place with the release of compilation record De Posse: Nederhop Groeit, presenting no less than 7 different new Dutch rap acts on one record. These groups performed all across the Netherlands, gaining an even bigger audience. By 1996, Djax Records released material by Ouderkerk Kaffers, White Wolf, West Klan, Dr. Doom, Spookrijders, Zuid Oost Posse, Klaas Vaak, Cut, Mach, Vuurwerk, Loco-Motief, Lijkenpikkers, Bitchez & Cream, Space Marines, Jesse, Neuk!, and De Uitverkorenen.
The media still largely boycotted Dutch rap, while often expressing criticism on the harsh lyrics and lo-fi beats. Despite this, Osdorp Posse managed to build a large following of fans by 1995, resulting in nationwide sold-out tours and big spots at Dutch festivals. They performed at the Lowlands Festival in 1995, with their popularity getting completely underestimated by the bookers, causing fans to even climb up lightning rigs and poles of the festival tent to be able to experience the set. In 1997, Osdorp Posse did two shows at the biggest festival of the Netherlands, the Pinkpop Festival. On the main day of the festival, they performed at the main stage for a packed field of fans, resulting in the biggest Dutch rap show of the decade.
By that year, the band had 2 albums which charted in the Dutch album charts, while still on an indie label and with virtually no airplay on radio and TV. In 1995 Afslag Osdorp, their fourth album, was the first Dutch language rap album to enter the Album Top 100, for a total of 14 weeks and even a ranking in the top 20. A unique achievement, with a peak position in the charts that would only be matched 7 years later by Brainpower.
By then, the band and Dutch rap in general got taken more seriously as well. After the undeniable success live on stage and in the album charts by Osdorp Posse, the lyrical content was getting cautious praise. By the mid-90's Def P collaborated with renowned and highly esteemed writers like Remco Campert and was often invited to recite his lyrics at poetry rap festivals like the Double Talk Festival at Paradiso.
At the same time, a shift took place when rapper Extince took rap in the Dutch language to a new commercial level and a different audience in 1995. While Osdorp Posse already had big chart successes with their albums, Extince's Spraakwater became the first single to make the mainstream pop single charts in the country. The song even made the top 10 of the singles charts and got airplay on the radio.
From then on, there were two styles dominating the Dutch hip-hop landscape. On one side, the hardcore rap performers like Osdorp Posse, De Uitverkorenen, Casto and West Klan, who focused on the content of their lyrics with social criticism, political subjects and knowledge, on often energetic and rough beats. On the other side, Extince, who was more of a storyteller with a slick flow and a knack for wordplay and metaphoric imagery, on funky and laidback beats.
A mix of these two styles gave birth to the Spookrijders, a three-man hip-hop group founded in 1996. With MCs Stefan and Clyde rapping about their personal lives and life in Amsterdam as a black man, the Spookrijders even gained respect from non-hip-hop musicians and fans. Most people admired the work of producer/DJ Cliff 'the Jazz' Nille after releasing Spookrijders debut album De Echte Shit. In 1999, Spookrijders hit the charts twice with the hits "Klokkenluiders" and "Ik ben de man." Both these songs appeared on the second album, Klokkenluiders van Amsterdam. After some personal arguments among the three crewmembers, Spookrijders split up in 2003, after releasing a third and final album Hey... Spookies!!
In 1999, The Postmen released their rap/reggae mix De Bom'', a top three hit single. They were active across Europe from 1998 to 2003.