Hip-Hop, 80s style
Yeeeeaaaaaah, boyyyyyyyy!
Where it came from…
• US hip-hop/rap has its roots in NYC
• Jamaican-born “Kool Herc” is credited with
igniting the hip-hop craze
• Many examples of spoken-word/music exist
– West African griots were their society’s storytellers
– Early Blues artists
– 60s/70s Funk artists
– Jamaican toasting
What’s it about?
• The rhythmic and rhyming vocal style that
accompanies an instrumental (drums, turntables)
foundation
– Turntablism: the use of pre-recorded samples played &
manipulated by a DeeJay
– MC’ing: the act of vocally rhyming with rhythmic
inflections
• Other integral components include breaking, graffiti, &
beatboxing
• Rap/Hip-Hop has traditionally been a medium for
disenfranchised groups to express their struggles &
concerns with everyday life
Sugar Hill Gang
Rapper’s Delight
Sugar Hill Gang
• Founded in 1973 in Englewood, NJ, by Wonder
Mike, Master Gee, & Big Bank Hank
• The first hip-hop crew to gain nation-wide
attention
• This was their only hit, although they have
toured & recorded for over 40 years
• Their label, Sugar Hill Records, is named after
a Manhattan neighborhood
Rapper’s Delight
continued
• Released 1979 on Sugar Hill Records –
Sugarhill Gang – (album)
• Uses Chic’s Good Times song as a sample
• Generally considered the song that
popularized rap/hip-hop in the US
• The song touches on day-to-day experiences,
girls, money, & the group’s ability to rock a
beat & get the audience moving
• Video
Run DMC
King of Rock
Run DMC
• Founded in 1981 in Hollis, Queens, NYC by Joseph
“Run” Simmons, Darryl, “D.M.C.” McDaniels, & Jason
“Jam Master Jay” Mizell
• One of the most influential, successful hip-hop acts
EVER
• Their list of “firsts” in hip-hop is long & impressive:
–
–
–
–
–
1st gold album
1st Grammy award
1st platinum album
1st to have a video on MTV
1st to be on the cover of Rolling Stone
King of Rock
continued
• Released in 1985 on Profile/Arista Records –
King of Rock (album)
• Produced by Russell Simmons (co-founder of
Def Jam Records & brother of “Run”)
• The sampled track features a heavy guitar riff
(unique for rap at the time)
• Run-DMC became one of the first acts to
incorporate rock into their sound – Walk
• Video
Beastie Boys
Girls
The Beastie Boys
• Formed by NYC punk band in 1981 by Mike D,
Ad-Rock, & MCA (Mix Master Mike was their
DJ)
• The band is one of the most successful hiphop acts of all time (7 platinum albums,
numerous awards)
• “Girls” has been considered misogynistic due
to its lyrical content (the Beasties apologized
for this later in their career)
Girls
continued
• Released 1987 on Def Jam/Columbia Records –
Licensed to Ill (album)
• Produced by Rick Rubin
• The song tells the story of the narrator’s thoughts
on women & a particular woman that is the
object of his affection
• The band’s later career is marked by more
socially-conscious lyrics & apologies for their past
lyrical content
• Lyric video
Public Enemy
911 Is A Joke
Public Enemy
• Formed in 1982 in Long Island, NY by Chuck D
(MC), & Flavor Flav (hype, MC, multiinstrumentalist)
• Their socially-conscious & political lyrics were
incendiary & controversial for the time
• Their original DJ, Terminator X, is considered a
forefather of the scratching phenomenon of
early rap/hip-hop
911 Is A Joke
continued
• Released 1990 on Def Jam Records – Fear of a
Black Planet (album)
• The song describes the frustration in black
communities with calling emergency services
(911)
• Written (in part) by Flavor Flav (see, he does
more than just say, “Yeaaaaah, boyyyyyy!”)
• Video
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Parents Just Don’t Understand
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
• Formed 1985 in Philadelphia, PA by Jeff
Townes, Will Smith, & Clarence Holmes (Ready
Rock C)
• The group won a Grammy for this song (1989)
• The group was known for non-offensive, lighthearted story-telling
• Their next hit sampled “I Dream of Jeannie”
• DJ Jazzy Jeff is credited with developing a
scratching technique known as “transforming”
Parents Just Don’t Understand
continued
• Released 1988 on Jive Records – He’s the DJ,
I’m the Rapper (album)
• Smith was a millionaire before the age of 20,
he spent it all & needed to learn fiscal
responsibility…
• One of only 2 winners of the “Grammy for
Best Rap Performance” before the category
was dissolved
• Video
Tone Loc
Funky Cold Medina
Tone Loc
• Born Anthony Terrell Smith (1966) in LA
• Known for his gravelly voice
• Used the Bud Light mascot Spuds Mackenzie
in his videos/raps
• This song was co-written by CA rapper, Young
MC
• The subject is an aphrodisiac (meant to make
people sexually aroused)…but things don’t go
the way Tone Loc wants.
Funky Cold Medina
continued
• Released 1989 on Delicious Vinyl Records –
Loc-ed After Dark (album)
• The song contains numerous samples
• His other hits include Wild Thing, & I Got It
Goin’ On
• This era of hip-hop/rap was rife with lawsuits
over illegal sampling
• Video
Queen Latifah
Wrath of My Madness
Queen Latifah
• Born Dana Elaine Owens (1970) in New Jersey
• Latifah has been a part of the NJ rap scene since
the mid-1980s, beatboxing, dancing, etc
• She is also an accomplished jazz/soul singer
• A successful actor, she has starred in shows such
as Living Single, hosted her own talk show
• She has also starred in successful movies & is the
face of a successful line of CoverGirl products
Wrath of My Madness
continued
• Released 1989 on Tommy Boy Records – All
Hail the Queen (album)
• This is one of Queen Latifah’s signature songs
• The album contained the feminist anthem
Ladies First
• The album broke into the Top 200 (Billboard),
but reached #6 on the Hip Hop Charts
• Video
MC Lyte
Cha Cha Cha
MC Lyte
• Born Lana Michelle Moorer in Brooklyn, NY
(1970)
• In addition to her Hip-Hop career, Lyte is a
successful actor & voice-over artist
• She appeared on the reality TV show Celebrity
Rap Superstar as a coach/mentor to actress
Shar Jackson
• Began her rap career at the age of 12 in the
early 1980s
Cha Cha Cha
MC Lyte
• Released 1989 on Atlantic Records – Eyes on
This (album)
• Written when Lyte was only 17 years old
• A #1 hit on the Billboard Rap charts
• Contains a sample from the German group
Kraftwerk
• Video
Neneh Cherry
Buffalo Stance
Neneh Cherry
• Born Neneh Mariann Karlsson in Sweden,
1964
• Her step-father is jazz artist Don Cherry
(trumpet) & step-brother is Eagle-Eye Cherry
• She has been outspoken about the
objectification of women in mass media
• She has collaborated with artists in many
different genres (Big Audio Dynamite, for
example)
Buffalo Stance
continued
• Released 1988 on Virgin Records – Raw Like
Sushi (album)
• “Buffalo” refers to a group of artists,
musicians, stylists, etc, that worked with UK
stylist Ray Petri
• Cherry performed this on the English program
Top of the Pops when she was 7 months
pregnant!
Monie Love
It’s a Shame
Monie Love
• Born Simone Gooden in London, England,
1970
• Worked alongside Queen Latifah & other rap
acts that strove to advance positive messages
• Love is also a radio personality on Sirius/XM
• She is considered one of the most influential
artists in the development of British hip-hop
(Brit-hop)
It’s a Shame
continued
• Released 1990 on Cooltempo/Warner Bros.
Records – Down to Earth (album)
• Samples “It’s a Shame” written by Stevie Wonder
for The Spinners
• The song broke the Top 40 here in the US, but
was much more successful across Europe
• The lyrics touch on protecting yourself from
abusive relationships (from a female perspective)
• Video