NEW YORK – Inner city mix of African American music tradition + Caribbean Americans in the Bronx in the 1970S

Focus on DJs, block parties

« Mother of Hip Hop » – Sylvia Robinson : produced Sugar Hill Gang’s « Rapper’s Delight » (1979)

This was the first known rap hit and introduced rap to the corporate world.

1983 – Ice T : Gangsta Rap on the West Coast

Violence, inner city life

Mid 1980s – Mid 1990S = GOLDEN AGE OF HIP HOP

Beastie Boys – » Licensed to Ill » was the first Rap record on the Billboard charts ( 1986)

1987 – Public Enemy : First group to rap about politics (1989 « Fight the Power »):

« New School Hip Hop » = Electro and Rock vibes (Public Enemy, Run DMC, LL Cool J)

Run DMC re-make of Aerosmith’s « Walk this Way »:

1995 – Queen Latifah, « Queen of Rap » , wins a Grammy award

West coast – + funk

East coast – + jazz, hard core

Development of more genres within hip hop (regional)

The Fugees – 1996, adds reggae vibes

Mid 1990s – Hip Hop became the most popular musical genre

Late 90s – early 2000s = « Bling era » : Hip Hop infusing with other popular genres (soul, r&b)

« Gangsta rap » became less popular, and more sensitive, melodic hip hop was more successful

« Empire State of Mind » – Alicia Keys and Jay Z (2009)