What the hell is the difference??
 

I can never say something's rap or hip-hop without saying it's "rap/ hip-hop." Becaaaause I still can't figure out what the difference is. Someone who knows a little more about this kinna music... tell meh.

I've just recently started allowing me to like anything "rap/ hip-hop"... when I was going through my emo stage I was determined to hate it all.

I just say hip hop instead of rap because it sounds cooler.

rap is a type of music, hip-hop is a lifestyle.

This from a 50+ year old White Irish\English living in suburban America.

And I have a Lil Wayne poster on the back of my door. Who are you going to trust?

But if you pronounce rap like "wrap" it sounds cooler than hip-hop...

And thanks so much. You folks are huge help. >.>

I think Hip Hop pertains to the music and Rap to the vocals. So-Beastie Boys:Hip Hop. Eminem: (c)Rap

HOW THE FUCK ELSE ARE YOU GONNA PRONOUNCE IT?

Unless you put an umlaut over the a...but then...that's illegal.

Hip Hop is more about beats that you can dance to and rap is more so about lyrics as jackhammer said

Rap is sort of style contained in Hip-Hop i guess, as you can have Hip-Hop that doesn't have rapping in it.

jayjamjah is right, hip-hop is a lifestyle that includes: b-boying (breakdancing), MC-ing, and DJ-ing. It's the MC's that rap, but not everyone that raps is considered an MC by "true hiip-hoppers". The original purpose of an MC would be to add a humorous comments over a beat during block parties, etc... But then it developed into something bigger where now many say it is the job of an MC to educate and send a positive message rather than talk about hoes and cars and gold chains. Here's a decent video, I hope was helpful.

YouTube - "The Definition of Hip Hop" - Directed by Konee Rok