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The Birth Of A Culture
Hip Hop was born at a birthday party, in West Bronx, New York City. Clive Campbell, better known as DJ Kool Herc, was the founder, when, at his sister's birthday party, he performed the first incarnation of the "break beat". Other, early artists during the time, such as Keith Cowboy and The Sugar Hill Gang implemented the first forms of rapping. Kurtis Blow, a founding rap icon, mentions that Hip Hop emerged as a response to the europeanised, mainstream sounds of early disco. -
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The Old School Era of Hip Hop
By 1979, most of the loops and tracks in Hip Hop were primarly disco based. Although Hip Hop was a factor in the eventual decline of disco music, it progressed itself. With production beginning to incorporate elements from early electronic music, and rappers such as Afrika Bambaataa developing the simple rhymes of party raps to accomodate complex, rapid-fire rhyme schemes that dominated the early 80's. Though not yet mainstream, the old school era carved a prominent niche for the genre. -
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The Transition Period: New School Hip Hop
With an emphasis on the drum-machine creating a characteristic "Boom-Bap" sound, and artistical subject matter ranging from boastful, aggressive raps to relevant social commentary, the New School era provided Hip Hop with the commercial appeal needed to expand. Artists such as the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and RUN- D.M.C led the charge of radio suitable singles and albums. -
Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five: The Message
The transition from simple party raps to socially conscious raps were recognised in the hit single title track from this album. -
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The Golden Age Era
Significant for it's developments in technical ability, diversity, innovation and mainstream success, the Golden Age of Hip Hop is glorified as the very pinnacle of the genre. Ranging from the smooth, funky, laid back style of A Tribe Called Quest, to the complex rhymes schemes employed by Rakim (who later inspired rap icon Nas) and focus on black nationalism, the Golden Age was cited to have bred the music's best artists and producers. -
Dr Dre's "The Chronic"
The Chronic, by Dr Dre, was hailed as having created a new sound: G Funk, which hailed from the sub-genre, Gangsta Rap. It made the crime riddled subject matter and hard beats of Gangsta Rap almost anthemic, and glorified the gangster lifestyle in a celebratory, success driven way. -
Illmatic
Often described by critics as the quissential rap album. Nas was praised for his artful storytelling, lyricism, technical ability and his portrayal of the ghetto, not the glorification of it. -
50 Cent/Kane West sales competition
In a heated sales battle, Kanye (With Graduation) and 50 Cent (Curtis) pitted their albums head to head for the number 1 spot. This decisive battle would convey to the world whether gangsta rap or the new wave of self-conscious,sensitive, pop flavoured would take precedence within the Hip Hop industry. Kanye inevitably won, with the album meeting rave reviews and selling over 957,000 copies in it's first week.
