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The Golden Age
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Run-DMC releases "King of Rock"
NYC Hip Hop group Run-DMC releases "King of Rock," which would go on to become their first Platinum album and would be the first album released on the brand new format of Compact Disc. The album also blended traditional rock elements such as heavy guitar along with the newer hip hop elements. The award of a Platinum Album would cement the profitability of the Commercialization of Hip Hop. -
Rap and Rock UNITE for "Walk This Way"
Run DMC collaborate with Rock legends Aerosmith covering their song "Walk this Way" by adding Hip Hop elements to the classic tune, uniting Rock and Rap in one performance of Assimilation by two cultures that were often in conflict for the resource of album sales. -
"Yo! MTV Raps" Premieres
Music TeleVision debuts its show "Yo! MTV Raps" giving hip hop artists their first opportunity to be seen and discovered on mainstream television with a show focused on their communities specifically, and allowing Consumption of the newest innovations of the artform Show would run until 1995 -
The FBI Targets N.W.A.
Upon the release of N.W.A.'s album "Straight Outta Compton" and especially with the track "Fuck Tha Police", the FBI begins investigating the group, looking into whether or not their lyrics can be counted as threats and even sending letters to the group warning of Obscenity, sparking conversations in both public and government about appropriate reach of censorship even when in Counterculture Read more in the LA Times -
"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" Debuts
Rapper Will Smith became a "legitimate" television star with this ABC Sitcom and brought not only hip hop into the mainstream, but provided a positive portrayal of Black family dynamics as well as showing an affluent Black family, challenging the usual Social Contexts of African Americans in the United States -
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Present Era
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Drake Debuts with "Thank Me Later"
Aubrey Graham, who was previously known as the basketball star confined to a wheelchair after a school shooting, Jimmy, on the hit Canadian show Degrassi: The next generation, released his first rap album "Thank Me Later", beginning a career that would see him become one of the biggest names in Hip Hop worldwide. -
"Love & Hip Hop: New York" debuts on VH1
Hip Hop got the reality show treatment as VH1 debuted "Love & Hip Hop: New York" which began the "Love & Hip Hop" franchise which followed hip hop artists across the country and their struggles in life trying to make it as names in the scene. The show also introduced artists such as Cardi B and DreamDoll to the world stage. This show also gave a firsthand glimpse at the conflict between Production and Commodification of art in the Hip Hop Space. -
Kendrick Lamar wins Pulitzer Prize for Music with "DAMN."
Kendrick Lamar, having won the Grammy award for Best Rap Album earlier in the year for "DAMN.", becomes the first rapper to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music. This was acknowledgements of Hip Hops escalation past the Mainstream into art that could be acclaimed and earn Accolades among non-niche academics. -
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion release "WAP"
The conversation of Feminism in Hip Hop and what it means to be sexually liberated was once again debated with Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion releasing the song "WAP (Wet Ass Pussy)" and immediately being met with criticism from conservative commentators and praise from more liberal outlets. This was a display of the Intersectionality of the experiences of Black Women especially when it came to expressing their sexuality -
Kendrick Lamar and Drake Begin Biggest Feud in Modern Rap History
Following years of animosity, Kendrick Lamar releases "Like That" in response to a Drake/J Cole lyric in a previous song. After initially responding, J Cole bows out of the feud and Drake and Kendrick exchange disses, culminating in the May 4 release of "Not Like Us" which can be seen as the heaviest hit of the feud. This feud also brought into question the Authenticity of Drake as an Artist and as a Black individual within the culture, also accusing Drake of Cultural Appropriation.