“Rap music has had a profound impact on society. Hip-hop, or rap music, began in the early 1970's.Hip hop arose from block parties in New York City”
“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. The highly popular video for the single was the first rap video ever played in heavy rotation on MTV”
“Russell Simmons went on to form Russell Simmons Music Group, and created the clothing fashion line Phat Farm”
“In the 1980's rap artists like Public Enemy ,NWA and X-Clan produced a more explicitly political and cultural analysis of United States without compromising the basic hip-hop aspects of their raps.
Their songs brought home the reality of what it is like to live in poverty and the prejudice and oppression that is attached with the condition. They produced a sound that was called gangsta-rap songs of resolution, rebellion and justice finding audiences the world over”
“Chuck D. The Public Enemy frontman grew up listening to protest music, and later used it as inspiration for his own work. "'Fight the Power' by the Isley Brothers was the song that inspired me to write 'Fight the Power' by Public Enemy," he says. "But, being a child of the Sixties, there's so many great protest songs. 'People Get Ready' and a lot of Curtis Mayfield's songs touched my soul. James Brown had a protest song against drugs with 'King Heroin,' and Peter, Paul and Mary struck me as a kindergartener”
“In 1988, Public Enemy released It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, which focused on politics, corporate control, structural racism and police brutality”
“Yo MTV Raps ran from August 1988 to August 1995 It premiered on MTV on August 6, 1988.
MC Hammer's album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, became the first hip-hop album to reach diamond status, selling more than 10 million units. Soon after MC Hammer dolls, lunchboxes, and other merchandise were marketed. He was even given his own Saturday morning cartoon, Hammerman”
“In 1992 Ice-T released a song "Cop Killer" that was a commentary on police violence and brutality. The lyrics were directed at "bad cops" whom by their actions were themselves criminals. Before performing this song live in concert Ice-T always made it clear that there were also "good cops" and that he was not advocating violence against any one. This song caused an international controversy. Police picketed and protested against Time Warner, Ice-T's then record label. Even then President Bush angrily lambasted it”
“On September 7, 1996 West rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur was shot to death in a drive by shooting in Las Vegas. On March 3, 1997 East rapper Christopher Wallace aka Notorious B.I.G. was shot to death. They both were killed in a feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers. That was a wake up call to many other rappers that music should be a positive force for people. Still today some rappers still demean women and glorify thugs, drug dealers and murderers”
http://www.solcomhouse.com/hiphoprap.htm
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