History of Hip-Hop
Kurtis Blow
Managed by Russell Simmons, he the first rapper to sign with a major label. He recorded "Christmas Rappin" on Mercury Records.
South Bronx
Also referred to as "the Boogie Down," considered by most to be the birthplace of Hip Hop music and culture
Grandmaster Flash
Inventor of mixing, connecting two different songs through short bits
Kool Herc
Known as the father of hip-hop, Herc was the first to experiment with breakbeats, manipulating the instrumental breaks of old funk, R&B and soul tracks to form the basis of hip-hop.
Kid Frost
1990s Mexican-American rapper strongly identified with street stories in Los Angeles. One of the earliest Chicano rappers who told stories of Chicano experiences in songs such as "La Raza" and "Ain't No Sunshine."
Native Tongues
1990s hip hop movement characterized by Afrocentric thought and a satirical view on popular rap. Includes artists such as Queen Latifah, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, Jungle Brothers, and MC Lyte.
Freestyle
Act of rapping via improvisation; originally a tradition on NYC street corners, usually in the context of a "battle"
C. Dolores Tucker
African American politician and veteran of the Civil Rights Movement who took a hard public stance against Gangster rap, citing its tendency to glorify violence, sexism, and misogyny, and calling for a censorship of gangster rap
Rock Steady Crew
Bronx b-boys JoJo and Jimmy D's New York break dancing team, founded in 1977
Ice Cube
Co-founder of NWA whose samples include rhythm and blues riffs, as in "It Was A Good Day."
KRS-One
Considered a founder of gangster rap, formerly homeless youth who, along with Scott LaRock and BoogieDown Productions rapped 'street stories,' drawing attention to crime, violence and incarceration, especially with the song "Hold."
Grand Wizard Theodore
DJ who accidentally invented "scratching," or nudging a record under the needle during breaks in songs
Tupac Shakur
Death Row Records' most lucrative signing, son of a Black Panther who began his career with Digital Underground. He developed a cult following that continued after his 1996 murder.
Orishas
First Latino hip hop group to go platinum, originating in Cuba and blending the sounds of Afro-Caribbean music with Reggae, rap, and ska
Coke La Rock and Clark Kent
First MC team, founded in 1975
"Gigolo Rap"
First West Coast rap record, recorded by Captain Rapp and Disco Daddy
Roxanne Shanté
First prominent and commercially successful woman rapper, recorded a response to UTFO's "Roxanne, Raoxanne" at the age of 14
Afrika Bambataa
Founder of the Universal Zulu Nation, a socially conscious collective of DJs, graffiti artists and breakdancers that included the b-boy crew the Shaka Zulu Kings. He defined the "four elements" of the nascent hip-hop scene as DJing, breakdancing, graffiti art and MCing.
MC Solaar
French rapper from the Sirgy, a working-class neighborhood in Paris identified with poverty and strife
Gangsta
Genre of rap founded in part by NWA, KRS-One, and Kool G Rap which highlighted street violence, gang activity, and anger towards law enforcement
Dirty South
Genre of rap that centers on southern party music. characterized by innovative vocal delivery, multiple MCs, and tailored to dance
Graffiti
Name for street art which occupied a significant role, often making social, political, or cultural commentary. This first appeared in New York City subways in 1973.
Frank Waln
Native American (Lakota) rapper also known as Oyate Teca Obmani (Walks With Young People) who left Creighton's pre-med program to pursue music to empower Native American people. He has been an outspoken critic of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines.
street art, breakdancing, DJing, rap, and fashion
Pillars of Hip Hop, these represent the entirety of Hip Hop culture
A Tribe Called Quest
Pioneering performers within the Native Tongues movement; poked fun and self-congratulatory gangster genre of rap
Sugar Hill Gang
Recorded the first commercial rap recording, "Rapper's Delight." Written by Grandmaster Caz and featuring a sample from the disco act Chic, it exposes many Americans to hip-hop for the first time.
"Backpack Rap"
Somewhat derisive nickname given to conscious rap, a genre identified by intellectual ideas, vocal delivery in more of the spoken word tradition, and middle-class college students. Also called "Nerd Rap."
Last Poets
Spoken word collective that released its first album in 1970, featuring the controversial "Run ******" which highlighted the exploitation and violence that African American people were historically subjected to