Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style of hip hop music. It was prominent in the East Coast from the late 1980s to early 1990s.
The term is an onomatopoeia that represents the sounds used for the bass (kick) and snare drums. The style is usually recognised by a main drum loop that uses a hard-hitting acoustic bass drum sample on the downbeats, a snappy acoustic snare drum sample on the upbeats and an abrasive audio mix that emphasises the drum loop.
Prominent Hip hop artists and groups that incorporated Boom bap in their music: Black Moon, Nas, Smif-n-Wessun, Gang Starr, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, The Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One, Common, LL Cool J, Craig Mack, R.A. the Rugged Man, Jeru the Damaja, Group Home, Jay-Z, Redman, EPMD, Masta Ace, Big L, Kurious and more...
Key producers include: DJ Premier, RZA, Buckwild, Large Professor, Easy Mo Bee, Pete Rock, Marley Marl, K-Def, Q-Tip, Havoc, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Showbiz, DJ Muggs, T-Ray, Da Beatminerz, The Beatnuts, J Dilla, 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Statik Selektah, The Alchemist, Black Milk, Apollo Brown and more...