Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Golden age hip hop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The golden age of hip hop, derivative of old school hip hop, was probably introduced with the popularity of Run-DMC's 1986 album Raising Hell. Not set into full effect until around late 1988, some will say it roughly ended with the popularity of G-Funk around 1997, reports these events as the bookends of a genre, while MSNBC calls the whole decade of the '80s' the "Golden Age" on the basis of its "spirit," the fact that it wasn't video driven, and commercial control was less of an influence on the art. even though many classic albums by artists such as Nas, The Notorious B.I.G.,Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, A Tribe Called Quest, and the Wu-Tang Clan arguably extended this era into 1994. It was characterized by ubiquitous soul, jazz and funk samples (à la James Brown and Average White Band) and Afrocentric lyrics.[citation needed] The various "elements" of hip hop culture were still on a somewhat equal footing - with many groups including DJs, beatboxers and b-boy breakdancers - art forms that would lose priority with the mainstreaming of the music. The golden age was largely based in New York City, where the careers of many of the acclaimed rappers in hip-hop history began.
Contents |
A number of new hip hop styles and subgenres began appearing as the genre gained popularity. Run-D.M.C.'s collaboration with hard rock band Aerosmith on "Walk This Way" was an early example of rock and hip hop fusions. Also, the mid-1980s saw the rise of the first major black female group, Salt-N-Pepa, who hit the charts with singles like "The Show Stoppa" in 1985. Ice T's seminal "6n' Da Mornin'" (1986) was one of the first nationally successful West Coast hip hop singles, and is often said to be the beginning of gangsta rap.
In 1987, Public Enemy released their debut album (Yo! Bum Rush the Show), and Boogie Down Productions followed up in 1988 with their 2nd album By All Means Necessary. Both records pioneered a wave of hard-edged politicized performers. In 1988 and 1989, artists from the Native Tongues Posse released the first conscious hip hop albums, with jazz-based samples and diverse, quirky and often political lyrics covering a diverse range of topics (see jazz rap) and strongly influenced by the Afrocentric messages of Bambaataa's Zulu Nation. Also, in 1988, Public Enemy released their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. This album, generally considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time [1], and praised by critics and fans, combined noisy, often atonal samples with fiery political rhetoric to create a wholly unique sound, never before seen in hip-hop. The Juice Crew, Rakim, KRS-ONE, and Chuck D are thought to have played significant roles in advancing the artform of rap, upping the ante in terms of meaningful subject matter, witty wordplay, and effective verbal delivery. Additionally, groups such as De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest produced thoughtful recordings that expressed conscientious understanding of the world around them, leading to the sub-genre of conscious hip hop.
Many new subgenres and styles flourished. Artistic growth was not limited to New York; gains were being made nationwide, especially in areas such as Philadelphia, New Jersey, Chicago, California, and the Southern states. It was during this period that many of hip-hop's regional hotbeds produced the rappers who are now considered their regional ambassadors, notably Scarface of the Geto Boys and Bun B of UGK, who first began displaying the skills that made them both acclaimed artists in Texas.
During this period, Def Jam became the first independent hip hop record label and saw the rise of one of its most successful protégés LL Cool J.[citation needed]
During this time hip-hop saw a large circle of artist promoting Black pride, unity, and self-awareness. Artist and groups such as Public Enemy , Kool Moe Dee, X-Clan, and Boogie Down Productions (particularly after the death of Scott 'La Rock' Sterling) began to preach their distaste with the social and political state of the U.S. and its effects on the black community. This was also the time of the Stop the Violence Movement, an initiative to curb violence in hip hop and the black community, led by KRS-One and the all-star single "Self Destruction". This era also saw a significant number of Five Percent Nation-affiliated artists such as Rakim, Lakim Shabazz, Big Daddy Kane, Poor Righteous Teachers, YZ, Black Moon, and Brand Nubian preaching the doctrine of the Supreme Alphabet and Supreme Mathematics in their lyrics.
Prior to the late 80's, women in hip hop were few and far between and those that were active got very little airplay. However after the releases of "Roxanne's Revenge" by Roxanne Shante and "The Show Stoppa" by Salt 'N Pepa, it became apparent that women in hip hop would no longer take a backseat to the current male dominated market. Artists such as MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Monie Love and Michie Mee began to release full albums and gain airtime on radios.
Alternative styles were developed and popular, such as the "jazz rap" sound pioneered by groups like Stetsasonic and Gang Starr and further popularized by the Native Tongue Posse, which included A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, the Black Sheep, and the Jungle Brothers.
The most memorable artists from the golden era were perhaps those affiliated with Marley Marl's Cold Chillin' Records and its collective the Juice Crew. Big Daddy Kane was known for his smooth lyrical flow and sex appeal, Kool G Rap for his crime stories and complex wordplay, Biz Markie for his beatboxing and comedic antics, and MC Shan from the Bridge Wars against Boogie Down Productions. Other members included Masta Ace, Craig G, and the aforementioned Roxanne Shanté. Many rappers of today continue to pay homage to Kane and Kool G Rap for their development of hip-hop lyricism.
While the East Coast was the dominant force during these days, the West Coast was certainly a factor in making hip hop much more mainstream. While not as afrocentric or political as their eastern counterparts, the West saw popular mainstream artists such as Tone Loc, Young MC, Sir Mix-A-Lot and MC Hammer solidify the pop-rap genre. While from one side it may have seemed like "fun and games" on the West Coast, the social and political struggles of gang wars, police brutality, drugs and poverty was beginning to show through the maturities of gangsta rap. When N.W.A. first emerged into the spotlight with Straight Outta Compton it demonstrated the brutality and explicit life in America's ghettos. This was not uncommon in east coast hardcore hiphop, with artists such as Boogie Down Productions, Just Ice, or even Public Enemy. However profanity and sexual references took a back seat to style and wordplay in east coast rap, and in many cases was viewed as distasteful or irrelevant. Other rappers like Ice Cube took front stage in continuing political hip hop set for from East Coast artists by releasing two critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums in the early 1990's entitled AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted and Death Certificate. At the time, many listeners that grew up on hip-hop viewed this new West Coast invasion as primitive because of reliance on shock value and profanity versus the complex flow from their favorite artists. Rapidly, regular programming on Yo MTV Raps and BET's Rap City began playing these videos. Before 2Pac rose to stardom, he had a successful career in albums like 2Pacalypse Now and Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., which talked about a lot of aspects of urban hardships and political issues.
In the South, a distinctive bass-heavy scene Miami bass evolved out of electro hop and similar hip hop-influenced dance scenes in Miami, including Luther Campbell and his group, 2 Live Crew. 2 Live Crew became infamous after their album, Nasty As They Wanna Be (1989), The Miami Bass scene that 2 Live Crew typified is simply one form of southern rap and Miami Bass' club-oriented sound garnered little respect from hip hop fans. The South became synonymous with "rump shaking" music. However, as with its Western counterparts, the realities of inner-city life, this time in the South began to show through artist like the Geto Boys.
In 1984 Def Jam Recordings was founded by producer Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, the brother of Joseph Simmons of Run-D.M.C.. Its first releases were LL Cool J's "I Need A Beat" and the Beastie Boys' "Rock Hard," both in 1984 [2].