“Cause I’m playin ball or bobbin’ in the hall/ or just writin’ my name in graffiti on the wall..”
– Rakim “My Melody” circa 1986
Very few of today’s Hip Hop enthusiasts understand the history and impact of aerosol art or graffiti on the culture that we all know and love. As the eldest of Hip Hop’s original four pillars, its visual self expression is rooted in some of the roughest streets of New York and Philadelphia, depending on who you ask.
Then you have the youngest of the four pillars, emceeing, which is the verbal expression of the street culture and the euphemism “the handwriting on the wall” is told from the POV of the MC. In the 80s and 90s, there several of the era’s most prolific emcees began their “careers” in Hip Hop as graff artists. Some of them have continued to pursue their love to paint and some will give you a tag when you request an autograph.
The Source has decided to compose a list of five emcees that you may or may not know have hand styles for miles and Old Gold can control!
KRS -ONE
Brooklyn-born/Bronx-raised Hip Hop legend KRS-One was a graffiti writer before he was known as the “Blastmaster” of Boogie Down Productions, scribing his name all over the streets of Brooklyn and the Bronx during his time at a men’s shelter where he met the late DJ Scott La Rock.
Fat Joe
The Bronx is widely known to have produced some of MYC’s greatest graffiti writers and Fat Joe aka Joey Crack aka CRACK TS is a part of that legacy. The Terror Squad was originally a street crew and with graffiti being apart of their outfit, you could find CRACK TS pieces and throw ups near Forest Projects as late as 1993 when Joe dropped his first single “Flow Joe”. Above, you can see a throwie that CRACK painted in Lil Wayne’s home.
MF DOOM
One of the most revered and worshipped figures on the Hip Hop landscape is the late MF DOOM. Formerly known as Zev Love X from the conscious trio KMD, DOOM later established himself as a solo artist, but his assumed nom de plume DOOM became more of a staple of his identity. DOOM throwies could be found around lower Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and even other countries with his CM(Criminal Minded) crew inscribed in his piece. The DOOM throwie is still a seminal piece of the MF DOOM/Metalface brand and will be always be one of the most recognizable throws in the graff game.
DJ KAY SLAY
The illustrious “Drama King” DJ Kay Slay(R.I.P.) was an integral part of the graffiti culture long before he was known for terrorizing the mixtape scene in the late 90s and early 2000s. Known among writers as Dezzy Dez aka DEZ TFA, Slay appeared in the 1983 NYC graffiti introduction documentary Style Wars as a 16-year-old graff expert, even schooling a younger artist named TRAP to the tricks of the trade almost four decades ago. No, he isn’t an emcee, but we had to pay homage to a true pioneer of Hip Hop culture. Rest In Paint Kay Slay
TAME ONE
As one half of the lyrical Newark-based duo The Artifacts, TAME was just as active with a can, if not more, as he was on the mic. As a member of NJ graff crew BOOM SKWAD, TAME’s name could be seen as large as full productions and as small as marker tags all over Newark, East Orange and Irvington while he and El Da Sensei worked their two albums , 1994’s Between A Rock And A Hard Place and 1997’s That’s Them. TAME ONE aka Raheim Brown will forever be remembered as one of the best bombers to pick up a mic. R.I.P.
On this day 51 years ago (August 11, 1973), Kool Herc threw his legendary back-to-school basement party, which would go on to create the foundation for Hip-Hop music through the “breakbeat” DJ technique he used to keep the party rocking. Many aspiring emcees at the time paired ‘the break’ with the rhymes flowing through their minds, jumpstarting a sound and movement now considered the most popular genre in music; Hip Hop.
Many are familiar with the story of the 1520 Sedgewick Avenue Recreation Center and how Jamaican-born Herc attracted the youth from the community and other boroughs that had already made names for themselves in other aspects of the culture (B-Boying, Graffiti, and MCing). The climate in NYC has often been omitted from history, where the city was on the brink of bankruptcy while crime and “white flight” was at an all-time high. These were the circumstances in which the culture of Hip Hop was born and thrived throughout the city for about a decade before it became recognized by the mainstream.
Salute to the pioneers of the era, such as Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Coke La Rock, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, The Funky Four Plus 1 More, The Magnificent Seven, and a host of others who were there at the foundation. Thank you for giving us what we can document now as Hip Hop history!
Chance the Rapper, the renowned artist known for his innovative approach to music and storytelling, has once again captured hearts with his latest release, “Together.” Produced by the legendary DJ Premier, this soul-stirring track both celebrates the home-front while also presenting a rallying cry to protect it. The self-directed visual centers on lyrics of reminiscence and pride, against a backdrop of vintage personal home video and archival footage from community-led political movements through history.
Nostalgic footage of Block club parties, barbecues, and Black Panther rallies contextualize the varying nature of Black communal spaces. While the first verse works to highlight the community built with the home, the second verse looks outwardly, toward the importance of organizing with those in your neighborhood. Housing Justice, displacement, and gentrification are alluded to throughout the record and Chance explicitly calls for a community benefits agreement from former President Barack Obama in the development of the new Presidential Library in the residential neighborhood of South Shore in Chicago, Il.
“‘Together’ is really a call to action for Housing Justice in Chicago and abroad. It’s one of the key themes of the Star Line project, and for this song I wanted to try to paint that point with nostalgia rather than trauma. Losing granny’s house is a fear and reality a lot of us deal with and instead of lingering on the negatives of that reality I wanted to highlight why those spaces are so important: they’re where we build memories, move family when they need somewhere to stay, raise our kids, do hospice. All of it,” states Chance the Rapper.
Wild Style is arguably the very first movie and one of the very few that shows the true essence of what Hip Hop is about. When Hip-Hop was being passed off as a fad that wouldn’t last beyond “Rapper’s Delight,” a vivid reenactment of the introduction of this artistic culture to the world was made. In 1983, film director and cultural artist Charlie Ahearn premiered the flick in Times Square, breaking records by selling out at all screenings for the three weeks it played.
A member of the collective artist group Collaborative Projects, Ahearn was initially exposed to Hip Hop in the late 70s through graffiti when he went to film the youth in the projects in Manhattan’s Lower East Side that studied martial arts. He was soon approached by Fred “Fab 5 Freddy” Braithwaite about making a movie encompassing all elements of Hip-Hop (emceeing, DJing, breakdancing, and graffiti). Fab 5 Freddy brought legendary graff artist Lee Quinones to meet Ahearn to discuss further the approach of filming graffiti and introducing it as a legitimate art form. Ahearn found out that Lee was the same graf king whose work he admired while filming in LES. With Ahearn as producer and director, the three began embarking on a journey to gather the individuals who would be the faces of this landmark film.
Developing its name from an abstract letter design made famous in the graffiti world by graff king Tracy 168, Wild Style featured some of the most prolific pioneers from all aspects of Hip-Hop. The Cold Crush Brothers, Rock Steady Crew, and Grandmaster Flash were just a few of Hip-Hop’s trailblazers that debuted on Wild Style’s silver screen. The Furious Five could not appear alongside Flash and had to be cut from the film because of prior obligations to another more mainstream motion picture depicting the development of Hip Hop that came out later called Beat Street. This is why Afrika Bambaataa, the New York City Breakers, The Treacherous Three, or female pioneer MC Sha Rock were not seen in the film. Other notable legends included Busy Bee Starski, graff legends Dondi, Zephyr, and Revolt, who designed the Wild Style logo and the Fantastic Freaks.
Lee Quinones played the main character “Zoro,” the anonymous graf phenom introduced to the art world by his pal and fellow graffiti writer “Faze,” played by Fab 5 Freddy. Faze introduces Zoro to Virginia, a journalist portrayed by cultural icon Patti Astor, who later shows Zoro to art’s world stage of galleries and museums. The story is an accurate historical account of how Hip-Hop, in general, was introduced to mainstream America and, later, the rest of the world. It also showed the poverty and despair that existed in the South Bronx, out of which the culture of Hip Hop emerged.
Over 30 years later, Wild Style is still an American pop culture icon. The players that participated and performed in the movie have made themselves legends in their own right. However, most will recognize their appearance in the film as the catapult of their career. The movie has been sampled on various classic Hip Hop albums, including ATCQ’s Midnight Marauders, Common’s Ressurection, and the Five Mic classic, Nas’ Illmatic. Wild Style was voted one of the top ten rock n’ roll movies of all time by the Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame, and VH1’s Hip Hop Honors acknowledged the film’s influence in Hip Hop with a tribute in 2007.
Hip Hop is a 50-year-old testament to resilience, creativity, and art. As with every music genre, it comes from a backdrop of rich history and tradition. For those unaware, the most basic part of hip-hop history is the understanding of the five pillars that make up the genre. Hip-Hop has five pillars, and these are rap (emceeing), DJing, breakdancing, Graffiti, and knowledge. Of these artistic mediums, rap is the most familiar to a majority of people, so much so that the word has become interchangeable with Hip Hop itself, which is a larger umbrella of multiple art forms and traditions. On the opposite side of the popularity contest is Graffiti, an old, yet essential pillar with a convoluted and remarkable history. In honor of Black History Month, journey through the history of spray cans, tagging, expression, misunderstandings, and every other facet of Graffiti in Hip Hop.
Graffiti as an artform predates rap, and perhaps the other two elements of Hip Hop, by at least a decade. It is also decidedly the legacy of two artists: Cornbread and TAKI 183. Cornbread was the tag name of Daryl McCray. The daredevil artist, at the peak of his notoriety, reportedly tagged a Philadelphia zoo Elephant, as well as the Jackson 5 airplane. However, Graffiti in Hip Hop is sometimes never traced to him, but instead to TAKI 183, the Greek-American artist who dominated the Bronx in the 1960s.
In fact, many sources name TAKI 183, and not Cornbread, as the founder of Graffiti in Hip Hop. This is because it was he who led the charge in New York, the birthplace of the genre. TAKI was short for Dimitraki, his birth name, while 183 stood for his home address at 183rd Street, Washington Heights. It has been alleged that Taki learned Graffiti from JULIO 204, who Graffiti’d with Cornbread in Philly before moving to New York.
Taki infamously tagged subway stations and cars. Moreover, he tagged the walls of public buildings, including those along Broadway, and inside JFK airport. Where Cornbread was daring, Taki was speedy. He was such a problem for New York City, that his “vandalism” made the front page of the New York Times in 1971. Remarkably, he was just 17 years old at the time. As his legacy, TAKI 183 led to the development of a generation of artists, who, in trying to compete with him, would eventually merge Graffiti with Hip Hop. It is also he who invented the tag style of pairing a mononym with an address.
1970s: Hip Hop Is Fully Formed
A woman walks past a subway train covered in graffiti, in the Times Square subway station, New York City, New York, May, 1973. Image courtesy National Archives. (Photo via Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images).
The 1970s was a time of birth and rebirth for what would become the other three pillars of Hip Hop. On August 11, 1973, a group of teenagers threw a back-to-school party that would change history. Held in the rec room of a Bronx apartment building, the iconic party was deejayed by Kool Herc, a Jamaican-American DJ, who pioneered deejaying. After the art of deejaying, came breakdancing, a form of dance invented to mimic the breaks between the tracks which the DJ mixed. The fourth horseman, Emceeing (rhyming) would also happen organically in a similar manner.
The ‘70s also saw a new generation of Graffiti artists and styles. Phase II, Wild Style, Futura 2000, Fab 5 Freddy, Lee Quiñones, Dondi, and Lady Pink were important figures in the movement. Unsurprisingly, as Hip Hop became more widespread, Graffiti and the other elements were forced to jostle for public space. This usually took place in melting-pot locations like The Roxy, a roller-skating rink and roller disco located in Chelsea, Manhattan.
The Roxy was opened in 1978, and it was one of very few spots for urban art forms. There, breakdancers could perfect their moves, and Graffiti artists could test new forms and styles. In the same vein, DJs and rap MCs like Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, and Kool Herc provided entertainment. It was either that or competing for dominance. As the ‘70s rolled to an end, the mainstream community began to develop an interest in these Black-centric art forms. This would become the gateway for the explosion that would come in the ‘80s.
Hip Hop was arguably the biggest cultural renaissance of the century at the time of its origination. It brought street elements and urban grit into the American cultural landscape. Street photography was equally popular, with Graffiti serving as an essential backdrop, resulting in Hip Hop becoming an overwhelming influence. Therefore, to “look like Hip Hop” was to be cool; To have “street cred” became something to aspire for. This is why iconic pictures like the 1987 photograph of English pop group The Outfield with a Graffiti background exist. In summary, by the 80s, everybody wanted a piece of the Hip Hop pie.
However, all of Hip Hop’s “pillars” existed distinctly as separate art forms for the most part. The only common denominator was that they were adopted en masse, at the same time, by an entire generation of young Black and Brown people from working-class New York communities. The conjoining of DJing with emceeing came first and dominated the music scene. Breakdancing followed naturally, but Graffiti was left out of Hip Hop’s reign for a bit.
This was until it was time to export these Black-centric art forms to the larger society. These “exports” were events like the New York City Rap Tour of 1982. Furthermore, viral music videos like “Buffalo Gals” by Malcolm McLaren, a white artist, were recorded in the streets, parks, and skating rinks. On display in these areas were visibly noticeable Graffitied walls and floors.
Graffiti’s Impact On The Overall Hip Hop Scene
This does not diminish the contributions of Graffiti artists who inhabited the spaces of music and art at the same time. For example, Phase II and Futura 2000 both put out rap albums and contributed to the development of Hip Hop outside of Graffiti. Basquiat also produced and arranged Rammellzee VS K-Rob’s “Beat Bop,” and made an original artwork for the cover. However, the most impactful artist who actively worked toward the unification of all of Hip Hop’s elements was Fab 5’s Freddy. “I developed these theories that all these elements of urban culture were beginning to seem like one big thing,” he said. “I helped explain to people that Graffiti was part of Hip Hop. It was always something I saw as one cultural movement.”
Freddy took his Hip Hop gospel very seriously. In 1983, he made an independent film: Wild Style with filmmaker Charlie Ahearn. He made sure to show off as much of his theorized Hip Hop elements as possible in the film, including a massive concert in the Lower East Side. One year after Wild Style, Beat Street hit the shelves, produced by Harry Belafonte. It had the exact premise as Wild Style, but was far more commercially successful. After the two films, Hip Hop became a Hollywood product and was sold far and wide. Afterward, it became an identity, and people were finally catching on to Freddy’s gospel.
Graffiti Gains Favor
Indeed, Freddy was an active and conscious participant in building Hip Hop to encompass all elements, including Graffiti. Nonetheless, a number of other pioneers did it unconsciously. For example, the first time Graffiti was spoken of favorably in a major outlet was by Richard Goldstein of the Village Voice. He also made sure to give rap a shoutout in the same article. In 1983, the Graffiti photographer Henry Chalfant made his critically famous documentary film, Style Wars. Style Wars was a documentary about Graffiti in New York, the teenagers who made it, and the governmental powers who fought them. However, by the time the film hit the shelves, Chalfant had also fallen subject to Freddy’s gospel. As a result, he included the street struggles of rapping and breakdancing too, albeit to a smaller extent.
Legacy
From Jay-Z’s Basquiat haul to Chris Brown’s colorfully Graffitied mansions, Graffiti and Hip Hop are a timeless duo. Furthermore, they continue to complement each other today. This will go on as long as the genre remains alive. Whether succinctly or overtly, the two art forms will always rely on each other for identity, prominence and meaning. Graffiti may not be as talked about today, but it’s responsible for much of the genre we know and respect.
As Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, all four of the culture’s pillars have celebrated their contributions, but graffiti has received the least fanfare, even though graffiti art is older than all of the other aspects of Hip Hop. Some graffiti purists disregard graff as a part of Hip Hop culture, but more of an art form and no graff artists or enthusiasts can speak about the history of graffiti without mentioning DONDI CIA.
DONDI, whose given name is Donald White, began his interest in graffiti in the mid 70s, joining the TOP(The Odd Partners) crew in 1977, which included artists such as DURO and TOP founder JAMES TOP. DONDI eventually formed his own crew, CIA(Crazy Inside Artists). For the next two decades, DONDI was recognized as one of the most prolific style creators in the art form and even was gifted the moniker “Stylemaster General” by his contemporaries.
DONDI appeared in the Hip Hop educational documentary Style Wars, created by Tony Silver and filmmaker Henry Chalfant. DONDI was also the first graff artist to host an international one-man show in the Netherlands and Germany, with other European museums displaying his art in graffiti exhibitions. DONDI worked with the Fun Gallery and together with artists of the like of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lee Quinones, Keith Haring, ERO (Dominique Philbert), Rammellzee, Fab 5 Freddy, Futura 2000, Toxic, Zephyr, rbinging art from the streets to art galleries.
DONDI died in October 1998 from complications from AIDS, but his legacy continues with family members and graffiti writers that continue to push his influence in the street art form forward.
St. Louis Culture: Where Graffiti Meets Groove, Breakdancing Blends with Jazz, and Deejaying Dances with Humanity
In a resounding celebration of music’s timeless power, the vibrant city of St. Louis recently served as the epicenter of musical ecstasy during the 2023 edition of Music at the Intersection. Nestled in the heart of the Grand Center Arts District, this annual extravaganza unfolded over two days, welcoming music enthusiasts from every corner of the globe for an experience that defied boundaries and blurred the lines between genres, generations, and musical eras.
The festival’s headline act, none other than the legendary Grandmaster Flash, took to the stage, reaffirming his rightful status as the “Founding Father.” An icon of hip-hop whose influence has rippled across generations, Flash ignited the crowd with his timeless beats, a testament to the enduring impact of his artistry. His performance set the stage for an event that would pay homage to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, reminding us of the genre’s profound legacy.
Music at the Intersection is renowned for its diverse lineup, and 2023 was no exception. The festival’s stages bore witness to a fusion of iconic figures such as Angela Winbush, Arrested Development, Cameo, Herbie Hancock, and Taj Mahal, seamlessly blending with the rising stars of today, including Masego, Phony PPL, Ravyn Lenae, Smino, and Thundercat. It was a harmonious collision of hip-hop’s storied history and promising future, where musical worlds converged.
Injecting a hearty dose of funk and groove into the mix, the collective genius of Snarky Puppy and the irresistible vibes of The Suffers and Tank and the Bangas had the audience grooving well into the night. These performances transcended genres, underscoring the festival’s commitment to showcasing music’s kaleidoscopic facets.
St. Louis jazz legends Denise Thimes and the Kendrick Smith Quartet delivered awe-inspiring performances, invoking the city’s rich musical heritage. Their presence was a living testament to the festival’s mission of celebrating St. Louis’ indelible mark on the American songbook.
Trumpeter Keyon Harrold brought his unmistakable “no place like home” energy to St. Louis, joining a roster of music heavyweights at Music At The Intersection. Backed by the incredible Shedrick Mitchell on keys, the dynamic Pharoahe Monch & Stout setting the stage ablaze, and the masterful Charles Haynes on drums, Harrold’s performance was a living testament to the unifying power of music across genres. His words resonated deeply: “It’s the 50th year of hip-hop, and I am bringing Pharoahe Monch with me – who is a legend. I am bringing Stout with me. We are going to merge the worlds – hip-hop meets jazz.”
Beyond the infectious beats and irresistible rhythms, Music at the Intersection was a testament to St. Louis’ profound impact on the music world. The festival transcended boundaries, spanning blues, jazz, soul, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, and hip-hop. It was a vibrant celebration of St. Louis’ musical, cultural, and artistic legacy.
A historic moment was etched into hip-hop’s annals as radio personality Edie Bee Anderson was honored with a Legends Award. Anderson, a trailblazer who introduced hip-hop to St. Louis airwaves by spinning “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang in 1979, rightfully received the recognition she deserved. Her pioneering spirit ignited a movement that has molded the city’s music culture.
Chris Hansen, the visionary executive director of Kranzberg Arts Foundation and chief producer of Music at the Intersection, beautifully encapsulated the festival’s essence: “St. Louis artists have birthed and stewarded these great genres, and now, the rest of the world gets to enjoy playing and listening to the music that we’ve been so instrumental in breaking.” The event undoubtedly realized its vision of uniting music lovers from around the globe.
Music at the Intersection 2023 was more than a festival; it was a musical odyssey through time and genres, a celebration of St. Louis’ enduring influence on music, and a testament to the unifying power of the art form. As the festival concluded, it left an indelible mark on the hearts and souls of all who attended, serving as a poignant reminder that music, in all its glory, truly knows no boundaries.
Photo Credit: Antonio T. Harris, Tyler Small, Martell Stepney, Phillip Hamer, and Anthony Patten. Courtesy of Music at the Intersection
The Nike LeBron 4 is a classic basketball sneaker that made its debut in 2006, capturing the hearts of sneaker enthusiasts and LeBron James fans alike. Known for its combination of style and performance, the LeBron 4 has remained a beloved silhouette over the years. One notable release of the Nike LeBron 4 was the “Graffiti” colorway. This eye-catching design added a splash of creativity to the lineup. With graffiti-inspired patterns and bold colors, it made a strong fashion statement.
However, it’s important to note that this particular colorway was quite limited, with only 250 pairs released, making it a sought-after collector’s item. The LeBron 4 features a mix of materials in its construction, offering both durability and comfort on and off the court. Its sleek design, with a prominent LeBron James logo on the tongue, has made it a timeless classic in the world of sneakers. In summary, the Nike LeBron 4 is a legendary sneaker, and the “Graffiti” colorway, though rare, added a unique twist to its legacy. Whether you’re a basketball enthusiast or a sneakerhead, the LeBron 4 is a must-have for your collection.
The sneakers feature a red rubber sole and a thick midsole that features a black-and-white graffiti design. White Foamposite constructs the uppers with white straps over the black laces to lock your feet in. A black strap that features LeBron James branding and a red/white Nike Swoosh is featured on the sides. Overall, these sneakers carry on the long legacy of LeBron, and sneakerheads will be happy an old pair is coming back.
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Sneaker Bar Detroit reports that the Nike LeBron 4 “Graffiti” will be released at some point in 2023. Also, the retail price of the sneakers will be $240 when they drop. Further, make sure to let us know what you think about these kicks in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the most recent updates and news from the sneaker community. We’ll make sure to offer you the newest products from the most notable brands.
On this day 50 years ago (August 11, 1973), Kool Herc threw his legendary back-to-school basement party, which would go on to create the foundation for Hip-Hop music through the “breakbeat” DJ technique he used to keep the party rocking. Many aspiring emcees at the time paired ‘the break’ with the rhymes flowing through their minds, jumpstarting a sound and movement now considered the most popular genre in music; Hip Hop.
Many are familiar with the story of the 1520 Sedgewick Avenue Recreation Center and how Jamaican-born Herc attracted the youth from the community and other boroughs that had already made names for themselves in other aspects of the culture (B-Boying, Graffiti, and MCing). The climate in NYC has often been omitted from history, where the city was on the brink of bankruptcy while crime and “white flight” was at an all-time high. These were the circumstances in which the culture of Hip Hop was born and thrived throughout the city for about a decade before it became recognized by the mainstream.
Salute to the pioneers of the era, such as Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Coke La Rock, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, The Funky Four Plus 1 More, The Magnificent Seven, and a host of others who were there at the foundation. Thank you for giving us what we can document now as Hip Hop history!
In the heart of the Bronx, a revolutionary cultural movement was taking shape. 1977 marked the fifth year in the Hip Hop journey, a period teeming with creative strides and innovation. The stage was set, the players were in place, and the world was about to witness the birth of a genre that would forever alter the course of music history. As we countdown to Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary, we explore the significance of 1977 in the culture.
Towering figures of the Hip Hop scene began to emerge. Artists like DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa started making waves, with their innovative beats and rhymes becoming the sound of the Bronx. Herc’s technique of extending the breakbeat, a technique now known as ‘looping’, was a game changer. Bambaataa’s Zulu Nation, a collective of socially conscious rappers, dancers, and artists, was instrumental in spreading the hip-hop culture. Their work was more than music; it was a form of expression, a social commentary, and a tool for change.
Grand Wizzard Theodore, Chris Gilmore and Grandmaster Caz at the CBS Studios in New York, New York (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
The year 1977 witnessed another significant milestone in the evolution of Hip Hop: the birth of scratching. Grand Wizzard Theodore, a young DJ from the Bronx, stumbled upon this technique while experimenting with his turntable. The distinctive sound, a rhythmic manipulation of the vinyl, added a new layer of complexity to the Hip Hop sound, taking the genre into new territory.
In the late 70s, disco was king. However, Hip Hop was not in a silo; it was in dialogue with other musical genres, including disco. Artists began to sample disco tracks, incorporating the infectious grooves into their own beats. This fusion of styles marked another step in the evolution of Hip Hop, expanding its appeal and influence.
NEW YORK – APRIL 1: Graffiti artist Lee Quinones (L) poses for a portrait with Latino Hip Hop artists Latin Empire (Ricardo Rodriguez, center, and Anthony Boston, right) on April 1, 1989 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Catherine McGann/Getty Images)
The influence of Hip Hop extended beyond the realm of music. It became a lifestyle, a culture that permeated every corner of the Bronx and beyond. Street art, particularly graffiti, played a major role in this cultural shift. Artists like Lee Quinones started gaining recognition as his vibrant murals became a visual representation of the Hip Hop spirit.
As we look back on 1977, it’s clear that this was a pivotal year in the history of Hip Hop. It was a time of innovation, expansion, and exploration. Artists were pushing boundaries, experimenting with new sounds, and broadening the scope of what Hip Hop could be.
In retrospect, Hip Hop’s fifth year was a microcosm of the genre’s future trajectory. It was vibrant, diverse, and unapologetically bold. From its humble beginnings in the Bronx, Hip Hop had begun to assert itself as a force to be reckoned with, a cultural phenomenon that would continue to shape and be shaped by the world around it.
In celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, we honor the pioneers of 1977, those who dared to push the envelope and create something truly extraordinary. Their legacy continues to resonate today, influencing and inspiring a new generation of artists. As we countdown to the golden jubilee, let’s remember the year 1977: a milestone year in the unstoppable journey of Hip Hop.
