Chap-Hop Music Guide: A Brief History of Chap-Hop

Chap-hop is a satirical genre of music that combines hip-hop and old-fashioned British customs. Endemic to the United Kingdom, it highlights stereotypical English tropes like drinking tea, watching cricket, and speaking in received pronunciation. It merges these cultural touchstones with the sounds of rap music and steampunk music to create a sound all its own.

Chap-hop history traces to the first decade of the 2000s when comedy artists like Mr.B the Gentleman Rhymer and Professor Elemental began to branch off from the steampunk musical genre. They began rapping about classic British stereotypes like proper manners, pipe-smoking, tea-sipping, and cricket. Notably, they seemed to embrace the lifestyle documented in The Chap, an English magazine dedicated to high society customs.

In 2013, chap-hop music got an unexpected endorsement from Conservative Party politician Michael Gove, who at the time served as the United Kingdom's education secretary. While the political associations repelled some listeners, they also provided publicity. In subsequent years, the chap-hop music scene has grown in parts of London and also expanded to international cities like New York. Today, chap-hop playlists have found dedicated fans on platforms like Spotify and Last.FM, while podcasts like The Dapper Villains have shone the spotlight on some leading chap-hop rappers.

Although the chap-hop genre of music has existed for fewer than two decades, several prominent artists have emerged from the scene, merging hip-hop, steampunk, classic English mannerisms, and tongue-in-cheek comedy.

1. 1. Mr.B the Gentleman Rhymer: Mr.B the Gentleman Rhymer is the stage name of Jim Burke. His act is largely comedic, and he raps while accompanying himself on a banjo-ukulele hybrid called a banjolele. His hit song, "O.G. Original Gentleman," is a tribute to Ice-T's 1991 classic "O.G. Original Gangster."
2. 2. Professor Elemental: Professor Elemental, known off stage as Paul Alborough, embraces the English steampunk aesthetic in his performances. He gained particular fame for the tea-focused music video to his song "Cup of Brown Joy."
3. 3. Sir Reginald Pikedevant, Esquire: Sir Reginald's 2011 music video, "Just Glue Some Gears On It (And Call It Steampunk)," helped launch chap-hop from the broader steampunk scene.
4. 4. Poplock Holmes & DJ WattsOn: If Mr.B the Gentleman Rhymer and Professor Elemental represent mainstream chap-hop, Poplock Holmes & DJ WattsOn represent a deeper cut of this already niche genre. Their music videos, like 2013's "Monster Hunters," milk chap-hop for all its comedic worth.

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