Soon after the fall 1979 release of “Rapper’s Delight,” versions of the first commercially successful rap recording began cropping up around the world. Two Portuguese-language versions, “Bons Tempos” and “Melô Do Tagarela,”…
Tag: hip hop @ 50
How hip-hop learned to call out homophobia – or at least apologize for it
In the 2018 song “Boss Life,” the rapper Offset, part of the multiplatinum-selling rap group Migos, rhymed: “I do not vibe with queers.” Such casual use of a perceived anti-gay slur is…
Deaf rappers who lay down rhymes in sign languages are changing what it means for music to be heard
In April 2023, DJ Supalee hosted Supafest Reunion 2023 to celebrate entertainers and promoters within the U.S. Deaf community. The event included performances by R&B artist and rapper Sho’Roc, female rapper Beautiful…
How a key phrase from Islam became a pillar of hip-hop
I was 9 years old when Eric B. and Rakim’s “Paid in Full” dropped. I have vivid memories of the bass-laden track booming out of car stereos and hearing it on Black…
How hip-hop uses Afrofuturism to take listeners on journeys of empowerment
It is perhaps only natural, as hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, that people look to the genre’s future. But for some rappers, the future has always been part of the story. Ever…
7 essential listens to celebrate rap’s widespread influence
On the evening of Aug. 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc attended a block party in the South Bronx. Armed with two record players and a mixer, he created an extended percussive break…