<Dd> French: la Nouvelle - Orléans (la nuvɛl ɔʁle. ɑ̃) (listen) </Dd> <P> Also notable are lexical items specific to the city, such as lagniappe / ˈlɒnjɒp / meaning "a little something extra," makin' groceries for grocery shopping, or neutral ground for a street median . </P> <P> New Orleans has always been a significant center for music with its intertwined European, Latin American, and African - American cultures . It was the site of the first opera house in the United States . The city engendered jazz with its brass bands . Decades later it was home to a distinctive brand of rhythm and blues that contributed greatly to the growth of rock and roll . In addition, the nearby countryside is the home of Creole music, Zydeco music, Jazz, and Delta blues . </P> <P> New Orleans has consistently experienced a high homicide rate during the previous two to three decades . Its average annual per - capita homicide rate (59 per 100,000) ranks highest of large cities in the country from 1990--2010 based on Bureau Of Justice Statistics from FBI Uniform Crime Reports . In 1994, 421 people were killed (85.8 per 100,000 people), a homicide rate which has not been matched by any major city to date . The homicide rate rose and fell year to year throughout the late 1990s, but the overall trend from 1994 to 1999 was a steady reduction in homicides . </P>

What are the different cultures in new orleans