It was August 11, 1973 — and people were ready to dance. A party was happening in the Bronx, a neighborhood of New York City. DJ Kool Herc was there to run the music and get people moving. He started working two at one time to keep the best beats going for longer. And that’s when hip hop was born!
Like other music, hip hop built on the that came before it. It had aspects of R&B, funk, soul, and disco. DJs in the Bronx used to experiment with songs at block parties. DJ Kool Herc knew that drum parts in songs often got people dancing the most. So instead of playing records straight through, he created the “Merry-Go-Round” . DJ Kool Herc switched between two turntables to keep the drum break going. This nonstop sound is called a breakbeat.
Hip hop came to be known for its strong beats. Artists and DJs rapped over the music. The genre grew and grew. In 1980, a group called the Sugarhill Gang put out what may be the first hip-hop album. Their song “Rapper’s Delight” became popular around the world. Some of the tune’s lyrics summed up hip hop:
”Now what you hear is not a test: I’m rappin’ to the beat
And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet.”
Hip hop didn’t stop there. The genre put many talented performers in the spotlight. Some top acts included Run-DMC, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, and Salt-N-Pepa. In 1989, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff won the first rap award at the Grammys. And in 2023, Missy Elliott became the first female hip-hop artist added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Now, hip hop is 50 years old and still going strong. Some of the biggest hip-hop stars include acts like Lil Nas X, Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, and Jay-Z.
On August 11, many hip-hop legends took a beat to celebrate hip hop’s birthday. There was a show called “Hip Hop 50 Live” at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx — very close to where hip hop was first created. Lil’ Kim, Nas, and Ice Cube were all part of the show. One surprise guest was singer and rapper Lauryn Hill, who took the stage in a bright pink outfit. Run-DMC closed out the concert, in what the group says is its last live performance.
A rapper called Common hit the stage too. He said he would have been there even if he weren’t performing “because the and art means so much to me.” The artist added, “Happy birthday, and I love you, hip hop.”
Updated August 15, 2023, 5:03 P.M. (ET)
By Ashley Morgan
