Hip house

Hip house, also known as rap house or house rap, is a musical genre that mixes elements of house music and hip-hop. The style rose to prominence during the late 1980s in Chicago and New York. Hip house originated in Chicago and quickly became popular across the U.S. and in the UK, with tracks like "Rok Da House" by UK producers the Beatmasters featuring British female emcees the Cookie Crew.

Minor controversy ensued in 1989 when a U.S. record called "Turn Up the Bass" by Tyree Cooper featuring Kool Rock Steady claimed it was the "first hip house record on vinyl". The Beatmasters disputed this, pointing out that "Rok Da House" had originally been written and pressed to vinyl in 1986. The outfit then released "Who’s in the House?" featuring British emcee Merlin, containing the lines "Beatmasters stand to attention, hip house is your invention" and "Watch out Tyree, we come faster". More claims to the hip-house crown were subsequently laid down in tracks by Fast Eddie, Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, and Toni Scott.