History of Rap and Hip Hop

Popularity

Dec 24, 1970

Rapping first gained popularity in the U.S in the late 1970s as a kind of street art, especially among African American teenagers

Rap

Dec 24, 1979

It want until 1979 when the Sugarhill Gang released their breakaway hit, 'Rappers Delight, that record producers took notice of this emerging musical genre. Once they did, numerous rap acts, including Run-DMC and N.W.A, surfaced, and raps audience began to swell.

Rap

Dec 24, 1980

By the 1980s, white rap bands such as the Beastie Boys and female rap bands such as Salt n Pepa were reaching the top of the charts

Rap

Dec 24, 1990

By the 1990s, rap matured from an old-school-style, which was louder and included more complex lyrics