The Big Beat: How Hip Hop Music Changed the World

A look at how hip hop music has changed the world, featuring the latest news and insights on the genre.

Origins of Hip Hop

Hip hop music first emerged in the early 1970s in the Bronx borough of New York City. It is a style of music that is characterized by rap, DJing, and graffiti. Hip hop music has become one of the most popular genres of music in the world and has had a significant impact on the culture of many countries.

DJ Kool Herc

While it is impossible to pinpoint the exact moment when hip hop began, many people credit DJ Kool Herc with being one of its earliest innovators. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1955, Herc moved to the Bronx, New York, in 1967. It was here that he began experimenting with music, using two turntables to play extended versions of songs and adding his own improvised commentary over the top.

Herc’s parties quickly became hugely popular, and soon other DJs began adopting his style. These early parties laid the foundations for what would become hip hop culture, with its focus on MCing (rapping), DJing, and breakdancing. Hip hop would go on to become one of the most popular and influential genres of music in the world.

Grandmaster Flash

Grandmaster Flash is one of the pioneers of hip hop music. He was born in Barbados and moved to the Bronx in New York City when he was a teenager. Flash began his career as a DJ in the early 1970s, and he soon became one of the most popular DJs in the city. In 1973, he formed a group called Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The group was one of the first hip hop groups to achieve mainstream success, and their song “The Message” is considered to be one of the most important hip hop songs ever made.

The Rise of Hip Hop

Hip hop is a style of music that was created in the 1970s by African Americans and Latinos living in the South Bronx, New York City. Hip hop music is a mix of rap,DJing, and graffiti. The first hip hop song was “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang.

The Sugarhill Gang

In 1979, a group of kids from Englewood, New Jersey recorded a song called “Rapper’s Delight.” It was fifteen minutes long, and it used a sample from the Chic song “Good Times.” The Sugarhill Gang didn’t write the song—it was written by two guys who worked for their record label, Sugar Hill Records. But the Gang’s version of “Rapper’s Delight” was the one that caught on, and it became the first rap song to cross over into the mainstream.

“Rapper’s Delight” was a huge hit, but it also caused a lot of controversy. Some people loved rap music, but others thought it was a fad that would never last. Critics said that rap wasn’t really music—it was just people talking over records. They also said that rap music was too angry and violent, and that it promoted drug use.

But despite the criticism, rap music continued to grow in popularity. In the 1980s, new artists like Run-DMC and LL Cool J emerged, and they helped to make rap music more mainstream. By the 1990s, hip hop had become one of the most popular genres of music in the world. Today, hip hop is still growing in popularity, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Run DMC

Run DMC was an American hip hop group from New York City, formed in 1983. The group consisted of Joseph “Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Jam Master Jay. They are credited with helping to pioneer the hip hop music genre and are considered one of the most influential groups in the history of rap music. They were the first rap group to achieve mainstream success, with their 1984 album Run-D.M.C., which included the hit singles “Rock Box” and “Sucker MCs”. The group released a string of successful albums throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, including Raising Hell (1986), Tougher Than Leather (1988), and Back from Hell (1990). They also collaborated with Aerosmith on the 1986 single “Walk This Way”, which helped break down racial barriers in popular music and paved the way for the success of future hip hop artists.

The Golden Age of Hip Hop

The golden age of hip hop was a time when the music changed the world. It was a time when the music was fresh and new and the artists were able to express themselves in new ways. This was the time when rap music first became popular and when the first rap albums were released.

Public Enemy

Public Enemy was an American hip hop group from Long Island, New York, consisting of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, Khari Wynn, DJ Lord, and MotorMouth. The group was known for their politically charged lyrics and aggressive style of rap.

Public Enemy’s debut album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, was released in February 1987 to critical acclaim. The album featured the singles “You’re Gonna Get Yours” and “Public Enemy No. 1”, which helped to establish the group as a political and social force in the late 1980s.

In 1988, Public Enemy released their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The album features the singles “Don’t Believe the Hype”, “Bring the Noise”, and “Night of the Living Baseheads”. It is widely considered to be one of the most influential hip hop albums of all time.

Public Enemy released four more albums between 1990 and 1998: Fear of a Black Planet (1990), Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black (1991), Muse Sick-n-hour Mess Age (1994), and He Got Game (1998). These albums continued to further Public Enemy’s reputation as one of the most important and influential hip hop groups of all time.

NWA

NWA was one of the most controversial and influential hip hop groups of all time. Formed in Los Angeles in 1986, the group was composed of rapper/producer Dr. Dre, rapper Ice Cube, rapper MC Ren, and DJ Yella. NWA’s debut album, Straight Outta Compton, was released in 1988 and is widely considered one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The album’s lyrics were highly controversial, with themes of violence, gang life, drug use, and police brutality. Despite the controversy, Straight Outta Compton was a commercial and critical success, selling over 3 million copies and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. NWA’s follow-up album, Efil4zaggin (1991), was also highly successful, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and going platinum. However, tensions within the group soon led to its dissolution; Ice Cube left in 1989 and Dr. Dre left in 1991. NWA nonetheless remains one of the most important and influential groups in hip hop history.

Hip Hop Today

Hip hop today is more than just music. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a way of expressing yourself and your identity. It’s a way of communicating with the world. And it’s a way of making a difference.

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is one of the most successful and acclaimed hip hop artists of today. His unique style and lyrical prowess have won him critical acclaim, commercial success, and a devoted following. Kendrick Lamar’s music often deals with social issues and personal struggles, making him one of the most important voices in hip hop today.

Chance the Rapper

Chance the Rapper is one of the most popular and successful young hip hop artists today. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Chance (real name Chancelor Bennett) first gained mainstream attention with his 2013 mixtape Acid Rap. The mixtape was downloaded over one million times on DatPiff, and received critical acclaim from publications like Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Complex.

Chance’s success continued with his 2016 mixtape Coloring Book, which debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200 charts and was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, of which he won three (Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Song). In addition to his solo career, Chance has also collaborated with a number of other artists, including Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, and Macklemore.

Chance is known for his positive and uplifting lyrics, as well as his commitment to social justice causes. In 2017, he donated $1 million to the Chicago public school system, and has also worked with organizations like Black Lives Matter and peace activist group Defend Chicago.