Hip Hop 50/ Return to the Mecca

• Origins: Early hip-hop music saw its roots in the 1970s in the New York City borough of the Bronx. It started as a collaboration among intersecting groups of Black, Latinx, and Caribbean American youth at block parties—community gatherings that featured DJs playing soul and funk music. NYC DJs like DJ Kool Herc, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa began to experiment with different techniques during parties, including longer percussive breaks (called “breakbeats'' or simply “the breaks”), turntable techniques, scratching, freestyle, and improvised vocals based on Jamaican “toasting.” They’re often credited as pioneers of modern hip-hop and rap music.

• Expansion through the US: In 1979, hip-hop trio the Sugarhill Gang released what is now widely considered the first hip-hop record, “Rapper’s Delight,” which reached the top 40 on the US Billboard charts and propelled hip-hop into the spotlight—making hip-hop a full-fledged genre.

• Diversification: In the 1980s, hip-hop was in full force. Many different artists began bringing new ideas to the genre, including drum kits (especially the 808), more complex sampling, metaphorical rap lyrics, and broader collaboration with genres like electro music. The ’80s also saw hip-hop spread to an international audience, especially across the UK, Japan, and Australia. Notable songs included “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

• New school hip-hop: In 1984, several hip-hop albums—especially from artists Run-DMC, LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys—introduced what became called “new school hip-hop.” This style emphasized drum machine beats, minimalism, shorter songs (which were more radio-friendly), and socio-political commentary. These artists shifted away from the party rhymes and funk influences of “old school hip-hop.”

• The golden era: The late 1980s and early 1990s were the golden age of hip-hop, in which many performers enjoyed huge mainstream success while introducing major innovations with each new record. Major artists included Public Enemy, Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., MC Hammer, Boogie Down Productions, Snoop Dogg, Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, and Big Daddy Kane. The era also saw the rise of gangsta rap, a subgenre that emphasized the lifestyle of inner-city youth and was characterized by artists like Schoolly D, Ice-T, and N.W.A.

• Commercialization: By the late 1990s, hip-hop was a major mainstream genre and created many high-profile artists, including Lil Wayne, Timbaland, Nelly, Puff Daddy, Jay-Z, Ja Rule, DMX, Eminem, and 50 Cent. In 1995, the Grammys added a new award category for Best Rap Album; it was awarded for the first time to Naughty by Nature.

• Alternative hip-hop: In the 2000s, many artists incorporated heavier influences from genres like punk, jazz, indie rock, and electronic. During this time, prominent or rising artists included Outkast, Kanye West, MF Doom, 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane, Juicy J, The Roots, Kid Cudi, Mos Def, Drake, Aesop Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and Gnarls Barkley.

• Contemporary hip-hop: The rise of internet distribution and streaming services at the turn of the century and into the modern-day created an explosion of artists, mixtapes, and experimentation. Artists that rose to prominence in recent years include Waka Flocka Flame, Cardi B, Future, Migos, Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion, 21 Savage, and Lil Uzi Vert.