L’histoire du Hip Hop/ Rap

Toasting during Slavery Period

1800

Slavery Period: black families in the south and former slaves were already using a primitive version of what would become the toast (toasting). 1776-1865

Cab Calloway

1930

1930s/1940s: In those days, black crooner/singer Cab Calloway used to improvise on his songs what is known today as “free-style,” a center component of rap.

James Brown

1969

James Brown and the constant onomatopoeic beat in songs like “I'm Black and Proud” and “Sex Machine” have had and still have today a grand influence on rappers.

Afrika Bambaataa,

1970

Afrika Bambaataa, a native of the South Bronx, the Godfather of Hip Hop, the first rappers and hip-hop deejays in the history, or at least the ones who helped rap music to enter the mainstream of America in the second half of the 1970s.

Barry White

1970

"Ancestors” of rap are singers like Barry White in the early 70s with a sort of “lover rap,” words smoothly put on music.

Sugar Hill Gang’s

1979

Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper's Delight.” 12 weeks on the charts (#36).

Rap into Mass Media

1979

Rap music broke into the mass media. That the concept of a DJ as an artist and cultural hero gradually became formulated.

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five’s

1982

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five’s “The Message.” Gold single.

Rock it” by Herbie Hancock and DJ Grand Mixer DXT.

1983

“Rock it” by Herbie Hancock and DJ Grand Mixer DXT. Gold single.

Aerosmith featuring RUN-D.M.C

1986

“Walk This Way” by Aerosmith featuring RUN-D.M.C. LP sold 3 million copies.