Against the grain II

Most people never thought that rap music would see 50 years

“Never thought that hip hop would take it this far,” said late rapper Christopher “Notorious B.I.G” Wallace on his debut single “Juicy” in 1994. 

Nobody did. Seen as a novelty when rap music started with the explosive and timeless “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang in 1979, it was so different, trendy and addictive, but no one besides the hip hop underground community of New York envisioned it even continuing to exist 50 years later.  

The 50th anniversary of hip hop as rap music would evolve to be referred to, is actually being celebrated on the day that Clive “DJ Kool Herc” Campbell created the style in the Bronx, New York, in 1973.  The style began flooding underground clubs and by 1975, it was exploding and expanding outside of New York.  Several raw and non-commercialized groups made their reputations not on big stages, but in abandoned warehouses, at off nights of popular clubs and most importantly right on the streets of New York.

As rap music began to develop, the popularity of boom boxes and street DJs ascended its growth. Normally rap artists were groups who spoke a few lines and passed it to the next rapper.  In 1977 DJ Grandmaster Flash further changed the industry with the introduction of the first scratching of records. Up until that point, it was a no-no to actually touch the vinyl platter, but he found a rhythmic way to control the record and make sounds that were unique to rap.

Then in 1979, six years into the art form, the biggest record in the history of rap music completely changed everything that had happened before. Sylvia Robinson, an executive for Sugar Hill Records and former soul singer, introduced the world to rap with the Sugar Hill Gang and “Rapper’s Delight.” This record was not as popular in the underground market that rap music was brewing in. Many of the purists thought the record was a commercial ripoff of rap music.

Regardless of the underground opinion of the record, it was the first record that made commercial success. In the process, it took the Sugar Hill Gang onto stages that were reserved for the biggest rock groups. Appearance on dance music shows and tours signaled the arrival of rap music to the world. The song reached No.35 on the Billboard chart and No.3 on the UK chart. Rapper’s Delight was a worldwide success.

It also put record executives on notice that it wasn’t just a fad. With the popularity of the record, it also represented a transcendence in race. Hip hop is not just music. It is scratching, fashion, dancing and a mentality. These ideas were absorbed by the general public and transcended race.  

Immediately major record labels began to groom hip hop artists for the main stream, while several of the rap purists went the independent route to releasing music. The form grew and grew.

Today, the hip hop industry is a multi-billion dollar annual business. While there were times when major labels ruled the hip hop scenes, today with the direct-to-consumer nature of social media, artists are more likely to release a song on their own than be backed by a record label.

Between the fashion, music and culture today’s top artists are billionaires. Jay-Z, Puffy Combs and Kanye West have mastered their craft of maximizing their profitability in all aspect in order to maximize their footprint. Other rappers have engaged in business to supplement their music careers. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson are two of the most influential television and movie producers on the planet. Both started their careers as rappers.

While we don’t know all of the rappers who perform today, the core of hip hop is as strong as ever as it celebrates 50 years.