Hip Hop instrumentals can be created with a variety of sampled sounds or produced from scratch. Drum beats are a key element in hip hop production. The most common drum machine used is the Roland TR-808. Drum machines have been staples of hip hop production for decades, but the advent of digital audio workstations has opened new possibilities for hip hop beat makers.

The sound of hip hop instrumentals can be described as "mellow". They are often made with a variety of instruments, from horns to keys. The beats used in hip hop instrumentals are typically played at a slow tempo and rely on double-time hi-hats. The instrumentals are often used as a backdrop to the vocals.

Hip hop instrumentals are usually created with a tempo of 80-100 beats per minute, and the majority of them use samples from vinyl. Most of these samples come from R&B and Soul records from the 60s and 70s. However, modern producers are beginning to create their own basslines and melodies using virtual instruments. This allows producers to avoid copyright issues and royalties. Many hip hop instrumentals also use a swing/shuffle drum pattern. This gives them a head-nodding appeal.

While traditional instruments may still be used in hip hop production, many producers now use DAWs and software sequencers. These programs are often cheaper, easier to expand, and require less space than their hardware counterparts. However, a number of classic hip hop songs were recorded using basic equipment, which contributes to their raw sound.

The development of electronic equipment led to a democratization of music production. It also gave people in previously excluded groups the chance to create music and tell their stories. This democratization continues today. Earlier producers had to work around technological limitations, but today's producers are able to create music using unprecedented tools.

Hip hop instrumentals were originally used as accompaniments to rapping. But later, instrumental hip hop beats were also used to accompany other hip hop activities such as breakdancing and graffiti art. By the end of the decade, hip hop had become an important part of popular music. Most pop songs in America contain elements of hip hop.

Hip hop is an emerging genre of music that began in the 1970s as a reaction to disco music. In its early years, it incorporated hard funk loops from vintage funk records. By 1979, these instrumentals had become the foundation of hip hop. The rise of hip hop also contributed to the decline of disco.