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ROOTS
1926-1972
1926
Louis Armstrong scats on the recording "Heebie Jeebies"1927
Chris Bouchillon's "Talking Blues", introducing a new form of 'rhythmic speech', becomes a hit record1930
Earl 'Snake Hips' Tucker dances the 'Boa Constrictor' in the short film Crazy House.1938
African-American Heavyweight Champion boxer Joe Louis knocks out German Max Schmeling in a symbolic victory.1940
Richard Wright publishes Native Son, a powerful protest novel about race relations that becomes a best-seller.1952
Malcolm Little becomes "Malcolm X".1955
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat to a white person, triggering a successful African-American boycott of the bus system.1956
Danny Kaye performs patter songs in the movie The Court Jester.1963
Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his "I Have A Dream" speech in Washington, D.C.1964
Shirley Ellis releases "The Name Game".
Boxer Cassius Clay becomes Heavyweight Champion, changes his name to Muhammad Ali.1965
Malcolm X is assassinated.
President Lyndon B. Johnson deploys American soldiers to Vietnam.
Rioting breaks out in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles over racial tension.1966
Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton found the Black Panthers.1967
A trio of musicians and poets form the Watts Prophets
Aretha Franklin records "Respect"1968
Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
Comedian Pigmeat Markham releases what became one of the first break beats: "Here Come The Judge"1969
Isaac Hayes releases Hot Buttered Soul.
Sly and the Family Stone perform "I Want to Take You Higher" at Woodstock.
Gill Scott-Heron records the album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox.
James Brown releases "Get on The Good Foot".
Iceberg Slim's Pimp: The Story of My Life is published.
A Greek teenager calling himself "Taki 183" begins tagging his name all over NYC.
1970
The Last Poets release their eponymous debut album.
Funkadelic releases their self-titled debut album under the stewardship of George Clinton.
James Brown gives Clyde Stubblefield some on "Funky Drummer".1971
Gill Scott-Heron releases Pieces of a Man, which includes "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised".
Marvin Gaye's watershed release What's Goin' On.
Gordon Parks' 'Blaxploitation' film Shaft hits theaters.The "Crown Prince of Comedy" Richard Pryor gets raw on Craps (After Hours).
"Lee 163", "Phase 2", "Futura 2000" & other graf writers start 'Bombing All Lines'.1972
The Mack becomes one of the highest grossing Blaxploitation films of its time.
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BEGINNINGS
1973-1978
1973
DJ Kool Herc hosts his first house party in the Bronx.Joseph Saddler begins DJing under the alias Grandmaster Flash.Afrika Bambaataa renames Zulu Kings as the Zulu Nation and reorganizes its members as a collection of DJs, breakers and graffti artists.1974
Grandmaster Caz begins DJing in the Bronx after seeing DJ Kool Herc play a house party.The Blaxploitation film Foxy Brown features a soundtrack of funk and soul music.Lee Quinones & Tracy 168 begin painting graffiti murals on handball courts.1975
Emceeing evolves from party shouts like "Yes, Yes, Y'all" to written routines. DJ Kool Herc, Coke La Rock and Clark Kent form the first MC team, Kool Herc and the Herculoids.Grand Wizard Theodore accidentally invents "the scratch".1976
Afrika Bambaataa and Disco King Mario engage in the first ever DJ battle. Graffiti evolves from "tags" to "throw ups" on subway cars to full blown murals by artists like Lee Quiñones1977
Grandmaster Flash teams up with emcees to form Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. A group of four New York breakdancers, aka B-boys, form the Rock Steady Crew.While "Uprocking" in New York, B-Boys in L.A. are "Popping". DJ Disco Wiz is credited for being the first Latino DJ. The Mighty Force is formed, soon changing their name to the Cold Crush Brothers.1978
MC Grandmaster Caz, formerly DJ Casanova Fly, teams up with the Cold Crush Brothers. Tracy 168 & Lee Quinones begin painting their murals on handball courts.
Breaking Out
1979-1985
1979
Afrika Bambaataa and DJ Kool Herc promote shows as Nubian Productions.
Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" is the first commercial rap record.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five release their first single "Superrappin'".
Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" is the first commercial rap record.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five release their first single "Superrappin'".
Rapper Kurtis Blow is the first Hip-Hop artist to be signed to a major record label.
Mr. Magic's "Rap Attack" is the first radio Hip-Hop show.
Mr. Magic's "Rap Attack" is the first radio Hip-Hop show.
1980
Kurtis Blow releases "The Breaks" the first rap single to be certified gold.
Kurtis Blow is the first hip hop artist to appear on national television when he performs on Soul Train.
Kurtis Blow is the first hip hop artist to appear on national television when he performs on Soul Train.
Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation release their first single "Zulu Nation Throwdown Pt. 1"
Spoonie Gee and the Treacherous Three release "New Rap Language".
Spoonie Gee and the Treacherous Three release "New Rap Language".
Blondie releases "Rapture" on which lead singer Debbie Harry name checks Fab 5 Freddy & Grandmaster Flash.
1981
Funky 4 Plus One More perform "That's The Joint" on Saturday Night Live.
Disco Daddy & Captain Rapp's "Gigolo Rap" is the first west-coast rap on vinyl.
Disco Daddy & Captain Rapp's "Gigolo Rap" is the first west-coast rap on vinyl.
Rock Steady Crew & Dynamic Rockers battle at the Lincoln Center.
ABC's 20/20 shows the first national television news coverage of the "rap phenomenon".
ABC's 20/20 shows the first national television news coverage of the "rap phenomenon".
1982
Afrika Bambaataa, GrandMixer D.ST & The Infinity Rappers along with Fab 5 Freddy, the Rock Steady Crew, Graf Artists like Phase 2, Dondi & Futura & many others embark on the first international Hip-Hop tour in Europe.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five release "The Message".
Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force release "Planet Rock".
Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force release "Planet Rock".
Wild Style is the first full-length authentic Hip-Hop film released featuring DJing, MCing, graffiti, and B-boying.
1983
Jazz Legend Herbie Hancock collaborates with Grandmixer D.ST on "Rockit".
Style Wars, a documentary of subway graffiti in New York, airs on PBS featuring interviews.
Style Wars, a documentary of subway graffiti in New York, airs on PBS featuring interviews.
The Rock Steady Crew cameo memorably in the film Flashdance.
Run-D.M.C. releases "It's Like That/Sucker MCs" symbolically ending 'old school rap'.
Run-D.M.C. releases "It's Like That/Sucker MCs" symbolically ending 'old school rap'.
Ice-T records "Cold Winter Madness" & "Body Rock/Killers".
Ralph McDaniels and Lionel C. Martin debut "Video Music Box" on WNYC the first t.v. show to feature Hip-Hop videos.
Ralph McDaniels and Lionel C. Martin debut "Video Music Box" on WNYC the first t.v. show to feature Hip-Hop videos.
1984
Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin launch Def Jam Records with LL Cool J as their first artist.
U.T.F.O. releases "Roxanne, Roxanne".
U.T.F.O. releases "Roxanne, Roxanne".
Mr. Magic, Marley Marl and a teenage Roxanne Shante record "Roxanne's Revenge".
Doug E. Fresh releases "The Original Human Beat Box".
Doug E. Fresh releases "The Original Human Beat Box".
The film Beat Street highlights Hip-Hop culture.
Los Angeles' KDAY becomes the first rap-only radio station.
Los Angeles' KDAY becomes the first rap-only radio station.
1985
Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick release "The Show"/"La Di Da Di".
Super Nature, who later change their name to Salt N' Pepa, debut with their answer record "The Showstopper".
Super Nature, who later change their name to Salt N' Pepa, debut with their answer record "The Showstopper".
Beastie Boys release their rap debut, Rock Hard a 3 song 12" on Def Jam.
LL Cool J releases Radio.
LL Cool J releases Radio.
Toddy Tee releases seminal West Coast jam "Batterram".
Schoolly D drops "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?".
Schoolly D drops "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?".
(R)EVOLUTION
1986-1999
1986
Eric B. & Rakim raise the bar of emceeing with "Eric. B Is President".
The Beastie Boys issue their debut album Licensed to Ill.
The Beastie Boys issue their debut album Licensed to Ill.
Ice-T releases "6 N' The Morning".
KRS-One & DJ Scott La Rock (as Boogie Down Productions) record "The Bridge Is Over" in response to MC Shan's "The Bridge" sparking one of the most famous battles in Hip-Hop history.
KRS-One & DJ Scott La Rock (as Boogie Down Productions) record "The Bridge Is Over" in response to MC Shan's "The Bridge" sparking one of the most famous battles in Hip-Hop history.
Run-D.M.C. breaks into the pop charts, MTV and mass media at large with their Hip-Hop remake of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way".
1987
Public Enemy lets loose their debut album Yo! Bum Rush The Show.
Boogie Down Productions drop Criminal Minded.
Boogie Down Productions drop Criminal Minded.
DJ Scott LaRock is tragically killed in the South Bronx.
The compilation N.W.A. and the Posse featuring "Boyz-N-The-Hood" "Dopeman" & "8-Ball" heralds Eazy-E, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre's first incarnation as N.W.A.
The compilation N.W.A. and the Posse featuring "Boyz-N-The-Hood" "Dopeman" & "8-Ball" heralds Eazy-E, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre's first incarnation as N.W.A.
LL Cool J releases his Bigger And Deffer sophomore album.
On his How Ya Like Me Now, Kool Moe Dee ignites a lyrical battle with LL Cool J.
On his How Ya Like Me Now, Kool Moe Dee ignites a lyrical battle with LL Cool J.
1988
Hip-Hop reaches a wider mainstream audience through "Yo! MTV Raps".
Slick Rick elevates the art of storytelling on The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.
Big Daddy Kane flips the script with his debut LP Long Live The Kane.
Slick Rick elevates the art of storytelling on The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.
Big Daddy Kane flips the script with his debut LP Long Live The Kane.
Public Enemy revolutionize rap with It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.
N.W.A. bring so-called 'Gangsta Rap' to the National spotlight (and the FBI's attention) with their album Straight Outta Compton.
N.W.A. bring so-called 'Gangsta Rap' to the National spotlight (and the FBI's attention) with their album Straight Outta Compton.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince explain why "Parents Just Don't Understand" on He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper.
Ultramagnetic MC's unleash their Critical Beatdown.
Jungle Brothers emerge with Straight Out The Jungle.
Ultramagnetic MC's unleash their Critical Beatdown.
Jungle Brothers emerge with Straight Out The Jungle.
1989
De La Soul debut their change in speak with Three Feet High and Rising and immortalize the 'Native Tongues' on their "Buddy (remix)".
Houston's Geto Boys reforms with Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill who become the driving force behind the first wave of Southern Rap.
The D.O.C. shows Hip-Hop fans No One Can Do It Better on his debut album.
The D.O.C. shows Hip-Hop fans No One Can Do It Better on his debut album.
Queen Latifah (with the help of Monie Love) prove why it is "Ladies First" on her debut album All Hail the Queen.
1990
MC Hammer changes the game with Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em.
The landmark "Stretch & Bobbito" radio show launches on WKCR in New York.
The landmark "Stretch & Bobbito" radio show launches on WKCR in New York.
A Tribe Called Quest takes listeners on a journey with their debut People's Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm.
Ice Cube leaves N.W.A. and goes solo on AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted.
Ice Cube leaves N.W.A. and goes solo on AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted.
Arrests are made over the selling of 2 Live Crew's controversial album As Nasty As They Wanna Be.
Digital Underground hire a teenage Tupac Shakur as a back-up dancer and roadie.
Digital Underground hire a teenage Tupac Shakur as a back-up dancer and roadie.
1991
N.W.A.'s Efil4Zaggin debuts at #1 on the pop charts.
L.O.N.S.' Busta Rhymes shines on the A Tribe Called Quest posse cut "Scenario" blazing the trail for his hell-raising guest cameos and successful solo career.
L.O.N.S.' Busta Rhymes shines on the A Tribe Called Quest posse cut "Scenario" blazing the trail for his hell-raising guest cameos and successful solo career.
Main Source's "Live At The Barbeque" from Breaking Atoms marks the first appearance of 'Nasty' Nas.
Cypress Hill gets high on the charts with their self-titled debut album.
Cypress Hill gets high on the charts with their self-titled debut album.
2Pac discharges his debut 2Pacalypse Now.
1992
Dr. Dre drops "Deep Cover" in the summer, which sets up his new protege Snoop Doggy Dogg.
Dr. Dre, with Suge Knight, forms Death Row Records. In December, Dre changes the game sonically with The Chronic.
Dr. Dre, with Suge Knight, forms Death Row Records. In December, Dre changes the game sonically with The Chronic.
1993
Big Punisher becomes the first solo Latino rapper to go platinum.
Mary J. Blige is christened the 'Queen of Hip-Hop Soul' after the enormous success of her debut What's The 411?
Mary J. Blige is christened the 'Queen of Hip-Hop Soul' after the enormous success of her debut What's The 411?
Record mogul Sean "Puffy" Combs signs The Notorious B.I.G. to his newly formed Bad Boy Records.
Wu-Tang Clan conceive an entire cosmology with Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).
Wu-Tang Clan conceive an entire cosmology with Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).
Snoop Doggy Dogg releases Doggystyle.
HOT 97 switches from its dance format to "Where Hip-Hop Lives" hiring DJ Funkmaster Flex.
The Roots independently release their self-produced Organix CD.
HOT 97 switches from its dance format to "Where Hip-Hop Lives" hiring DJ Funkmaster Flex.
The Roots independently release their self-produced Organix CD.
1994
Nas debut album Illmatic is an instant classic.
Notorious B.I.G. drops Ready To Die.
Notorious B.I.G. drops Ready To Die.
OutKast, Atlanta's dynamic duo of Andre 3000 & Big Boi, release their debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.
2Pac is robbed and shot 5 times in the lobby of Quad Studios in Manhattan then serves 8 months in prison.
2Pac is robbed and shot 5 times in the lobby of Quad Studios in Manhattan then serves 8 months in prison.
1995
Eazy-E dies of AIDS at the age of 31.
2Pac signs with Death Row Records after Suge Knight posts his $1.4 million bail.
2Pac signs with Death Row Records after Suge Knight posts his $1.4 million bail.
Master P, who put New Orleans on the Hip-Hop map with his No Limit Records, signs a huge distribution deal with Priority.
1996
Indie Label Rawkus Records forms, championing the careers of Mos Def & Talib Kweli among others.
Jay-Z drops an instant classic with Reasonable Doubt.
Jay-Z drops an instant classic with Reasonable Doubt.
2Pac is killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1997
The Notorious B.I.G. is killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.
Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott shatters the glass ceiling with her debut Supa Dupa Fly.
Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott shatters the glass ceiling with her debut Supa Dupa Fly.
1998
Lauryn Hill's watershed debut solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill scores her 10 GRAMMY nominations and 5 wins.
1999
Eminem debuts with The Slim Shady LP.
Production duo The Neptunes dominate the airwaves.
Dr. Dre releases his eagerly anticipated follow up 2001.
Production duo The Neptunes dominate the airwaves.
Dr. Dre releases his eagerly anticipated follow up 2001.
NEW MILLENIUM
2000-2010
2000
Ludacris bursts on the scene with his major label debut Back For The First Time.
2001
Jay-Z releases The Blueprint.
2002
Jam Master Jay is shot and killed in his Queens studio.
2003
50 Cent captivates the crowds and the charts with Get Rich or Die Tryin'.
T.I. records Trap Muzik.
T.I. records Trap Muzik.
With the addition of Fergie, The Black Eyed Peas release their commercial breakthrough Elephunk.
Jay-Z releases The Black Album.
Jay-Z releases The Black Album.
2004
Ol' Dirty Bastard dies inside a recording studio two days before his 36th birthday.
2005
50 Cent releases his sophomore LP The Massacre.
Kanye West debuts with The College Dropout.
Kanye West debuts with The College Dropout.
2006
Nas' Def Jam debut Hip-Hop Is Dead sparks debate over its controversial title.
Kanye West releases his sophomore album Late Registration.
Kanye West releases his sophomore album Late Registration.
2007
Jay-Z releases American Gangster.
2008
Illinois Senator Barak Obama becomes 44th President of the United States.
Jay-Z becomes the first rapper to headline the Glastonbury Festival in the UK.
Jay-Z becomes the first rapper to headline the Glastonbury Festival in the UK.
2009
Eminem releases Relapse, his first studio album in five years.
Billboard names The Neptunes "Producers of the Decade".
Billboard names The Neptunes "Producers of the Decade".
Lil' Wayne wins three GRAMMYs for Tha Carter III.
Jay-Z releases The Blueprint III his 11th straight #1 album breaking the record previously held by Elvis Presley.
Jay-Z releases The Blueprint III his 11th straight #1 album breaking the record previously held by Elvis Presley.
2010
Gang Starr member Guru dies of cancer.
Jay-Z headlines the Coachella Music Festival.
Jay-Z headlines the Coachella Music Festival.
