East Coast hip-hop

East Coast hip-hop is a regional subgenre of hip-hop music that originated in New York City during the 1970s. Hip-hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the Bronx borough of New York City.

In contrast to other styles, East Coast hip-hop music prioritizes complex lyrics for attentive listening rather than beats for dancing. The term "East Coast hip-hop" more specifically denotes hip-hop originating from the Northeastern United States. Southeastern states such as Georgia or Florida instead produce Southern hip-hop rather than East Coast hip-hop, although the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland produce East Coast hip-hop.