THE GOLDEN AGE
OF
RAP
(1986-1996)
HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM
 After hip-hop’s “old
school era” (1979 to
1985), rap moved
into the “golden
age” (from 1986 to
1996).
HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM
 The golden era of rap
had many
contradictions
(political messages,
gangsta’ rap,
degrading to
women, feminist,
homophobic,
materialistic).
HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM
 The first women
rappers to achieve
success were Salt N’
Pepa who went
double platinum (2
million sold) in 1986.
HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM
 MTV initially refused
to feature black
artists, but began to
broadcast rap music,
including the show
“Yo! MTV Raps!” in
1989.
HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM
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AZ
2 Live Crew
3rd Bass
Above the Law
A Tribe Called Quest
Beastie Boys
Big Daddy Kane
Big L
Biz Markie
Black Sheep
Bone Thugs-nHarmony
Boogie Down
Productions
Boot Camp Clik
Brand Nubian
Common
Cypress Hill
Das EFX
De La Soul
Digable Planets
Digital Underground
The D.O.C.
Doug E. Fresh
Dr. Dre
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The
Fresh Prince
DJ Quik
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Eazy-E
EPMD
Eric B. & Rakim
Gang Starr
Geto Boys
Heavy D & The
Boyz
Ice Cube
Ice T
Jungle Brothers
Kid Frost
Kool G Rap & DJ
Polo
Kool Moe Dee
KRS-One
LL Cool J
Lord Finesse
Lords of the
Underground
Main Source
Masta Ace
Mobb Deep
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MC Lyte
MC Ren
MC Shan
Nas
Naughty by Nature
The Notorious B.I.G.
N.W.A.
Onyx
Organized
Konfusion
Pete Rock & CL
Smooth
Public Enemy
Queen Latifah
Redman
Rob Base and DJ E-Z
Rock
Run-D.M.C.
Salt-N-Pepa
Slick Rick
Special Ed
Stetsasonic
The Pharcyde
Too $hort
Tupac Shakur
Ultramagnetic MCs
Wu-Tang Clan
THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP
 Los Angeles joined
New York City as a
major source of rap.
 Artists like N.W.A.
(Niggaz Wit’
Attitude) and Run
DMZ made records
documenting life in
the ‘hood and saw
themselves as
“underground
reporters.”
THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP
 West Coast rappers
specialized in
criminal-minded,
violence, and
woman-beating,
earning the name of
“gangsta’ rap.”
 In 1986, Ice-T
released "6 in the
Mornin”, which is
often regarded as
the first gangsta rap
song.
THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP
 N.W.A released their
debut studio album,
Straight Outta
Compton, in 1988.
THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP
 Their songs "Straight
Outta Compton,”
“Fuck tha Police,”
and “Gangsta
Gangsta" painted the
view of inner-city
youth and protested
against police
brutality.
THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP
“Straight Outta’ Compton”
THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP
 Movies about innercity life in the ‘hood
such as New Jack
City, Boyz in the
Hood, and Menace
to Society appealed
to black, Latino, and
whites.
THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP
“Menace to Society”
THE DEATH of the GOLDEN AGE
 In the mid-1990s, the
competition
between East Coast
and West Coast rap
turned violent with
fights and murders.
THE DEATH of the GOLDEN AGE
 The 1996 drive-by
shooting death of
Tupac Shakur and
Notorious B.I.G. in
1997, ended rap’s
golden age.
THE DEATH of the GOLDEN AGE
 As gangsta rap’s
most influential star,
Tupac symbolized
the many
contradictions of
hip-hop culture (thug
life, sexual abuse of
women, and
awareness to black
issues).
THE DEATH of the GOLDEN AGE
 Billboard Magazine
found that since
2000, rap sales
dropped 44%. Some
argue that young
people are fed up
with the violence,
degrading imagery
and lyrics.