Golden age hip hop

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Run-D.M.C.'s Raising Hell (1986), one of the most important releases from the golden age of hip hop.

The golden age of hip hop, derivative of old school hip hop, began with the popularity of Run-DMC's album Raising Hell in 1986 and ended with the popularity of G-Funk around 1993 ^[1]. It was characterized by ubiquitous soul, jazz and funk samples (à la James Brown and Curtis Mayfield) and Afrocentric lyrics ^{[citation needed]}. The golden age was based in New York City and saw acts emerge from the West Coast and the South, and featured rappers including the Juice Crew All-stars, Rakim, KRS-ONE, and Chuck D, who advanced the wordplay, delivery, and subject matter of rap. Additionally, groups such as De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Leaders of the New School produced socially conscious recordings, leading to the genre of conscious hip hop. Hip hop also expanded into new subgenres and styles. During this period, Def Jam became the first independent hip hop record label and the rise of one of its most successful protégés LL Cool J.^{[citation needed]}

1 New styles
2 Overview
3 Post-golden age
4 See also
5 References

[edit] New styles

Audio samples of golden age hip hop

Don't Sweat The Technique (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- by Eric B. & Rakim
We Got The Jazz (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- by A Tribe Called Quest
Feel The Music (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- by Guru
Follow the Leader (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- 1988, by Eric B. & Rakim. An example of complex golden age rhymes.
Problems playing the files? See media help.

[edit] Overview

A number of new hip hop styles and subgenres began appearing as the genre gained popularity. Run-D.M.C.'s collaboration with hard rock band Aerosmith on "Walk This Way" was an early example of rock and hip hop fusions. Also, the mid-1980s saw the rise of the first major black female group, Salt-N-Pepa, who hit the charts with singles like "The Show Stoppa" in 1985. Ice T's seminal "6n' Da Mornin'" (1986) was one of the first nationally successful West Coast hip hop singles, and is often said to be the beginning of gangsta rap.

In 1987, Public Enemy brought out their debut album (Yo! Bum Rush the Show), and Boogie Down Productions followed up in 1988 with By All Means Necessary. Both records pioneered a wave of hard-edged politicized performers. In 1988 and 1989, artists from the Native Tongues Posse released the first conscious hip hop albums, with jazz-based samples and diverse, quirky and often political lyrics covering a diverse range of topics (see jazz rap) and strongly influenced by the Afrocentric messages of Bambaataa's Zulu Nation. Also, in 1988, Public Enemy released their sophomore album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. This album, generally considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time ^[2], and praised by critics and fans, combined noisy, often atonal samples with fiery political rhetoric to create a wholly unique sound, never before seen in hip-hop.

[edit] Black pride, Afrocentricity and Politics

Main article: Conscious hip hop

Main article: Political hip hop

During this time hip-hop saw a large circle of artist promoting Black pride, unity, and self-awareness. Artist and groups such as Public Enemy , Kool Moe Dee, X-Clan, and Boogie Down Productions (after the death of Scott Sterling) began to preach their distaste with the social and political state of the U.S., and its effects on the black community. This era also saw a significant number of Five Percenter affiliated artist such as Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Poor Righteous Teachers, and Brand Nubian preaching the doctrine of the Supreme Alphabet and Supreme Mathematics in their lyrics.

Hip hop also began a movement of ending violence in hip hop and the black community, mostly led by KRS-One and the Stop The Violence Movement with their song "Self Destruction".

[edit] Rise of women

Prior to the late 80's, women in hip hop were few and far between and those that were active got very little airplay. However after the releases of "Roxanne's Revenge" by Roxanne Shante and "The Show Stopper" by Salt N' Pepa, it became apparent that women in hip hop would no longer take a backseat to the current male dominated market. Artists such as MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Monie Love began to release full albums and gain airtime on radios.

[edit] Alternative styles

Alternative styles were developed and popular, those of the Native Tongue Posse which included A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, the Black Sheep, and the Jungle Brothers. Also jazz rap began its rise through groups such as Stetsasonic and Gang Starr. Beatboxing was popular through artists like Doug E. Fresh, Biz Markie and the Fat Boys.

[edit] The crew with the "Juice"

The most memorable artists from the golden era were perhaps those affiliated with Marley Marl's Cold Chillin Records and its collective the Juice Crew. Big Daddy Kane was known for his smooth lyrical flow and sex appeal, Kool G Rap for his complex wordplay, Biz Markie for comedic antics, Masta Ace, Craig G, and MC Shan from the Bridge Wars against Boogie Down Productions. Many rappers to this date pay homage to Kane and Kool G Rap for their impact on some of today's lyricists.

[edit] The California "Gold" Rush

Main article: West Coast hip hop

While the East Coast was the dominant force during these days, the West Coast was certainly a factor in making hip hop much more mainstream. While not as afrocentric or political as their eastern counterparts, the West saw popular mainstream artists such as Tone Loc, Young MC, Sir Mix-A-Lot and MC Hammer solidify the pop-rap genre. While from one side it may have seemed like "fun and games" on the West Coast, the social and political struggles of gang wars, police brutality, drugs and poverty was beginning to show through the maturities of gangsta rap. When N.W.A. first emerged into the spotlight with Straight Outta Compton it demonstrated the brutality and explicit life in America's ghettos. This set a trend for other socially violent rappers to come out from the West Coast causing an uproar from conservative groups and middle class America alike for its blunt, profanity filled lyrics. Other rappers like Ice Cube took front stage in continuing political hip hop set for from East Coast artists by releasing 2 critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums in the early 1990's entitled AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted and Death Certificate respectively. 2Pac also rapped about various political and social issues in the beginning of the 1990's before his style began to lean towards gangsta rap.

[edit] Heading South

Main article: Southern rap

In the South, a distinctive bass-heavy scene Miami bass evolved out of electro hop and similar hip hop-influenced dance scenes in Miami, including Luther Campbell and his group, 2 Live Crew. 2 Live Crew became infamous after their album, Nasty As They Wanna Be (1989), The Miami Bass scene that 2 Live Crew typified is simply one form of southern rap and Miami Bass' club-oriented sound garnered little respect from hip hop fans. The South became synonymous with "rump shaking" music. However, as with its Western counterparts, the realities of inner-city life, this time in the South began to show through artist like the Geto Boys.

[edit] Def Jam Recordings

Main article: Def Jam Recordings

In 1984, Def Jam Recordings was founded by Russell Simmons, the brother of Joseph Simmons of Run-D.M.C., and producer Rick Rubin. It was the first independent hip hop record label. Its first releases were LL Cool J's "I Need A Beat" and the Beastie Boys' "Rock Hard," both in 1984 ^[3].

[edit] Post-golden age

A few contemporary artists still follow the golden age hip-hop standard: People Under The Stairs, Jurassic Five, and Little Brother, among others. These groups are commonly referred to as "retro-rap" rather than "golden age," perhaps due to the realization that golden age hip hop is no longer en vogue. ^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ All Music Guide Golden Age Genre reports these events as the bookends of a genre, while MSNBC calls the whole decade of the '80s' the "Golden Age" on the basis of its "spirit," the fact that it wasn't video driven, and commercial control was less of an influence on the art.
^ AllMusic Guide
^ The Musicangle Interview: Producer Rick Rubin Part I