Old School Rap Has Paved The Way For New School Rap And Will Continue To Act As The Foundation. Let’s Retrace Our Steps And See Where It All Started!
“Music can change the world because it can change people” once said Bono, a popular Irish Songwriter and singer. Tunes can literally lift your mood like a parachute taking off. We can bet on it that there is no remedy better than music.
From a 4-year-old to a 97-year-old, everyone has their distinct taste in music. Some people like jazz, some like pop, some like contemporary, and some like classical. Be it any genre that you may fall for, the eternal feeling of listening to your favourite song remains the same.
Music is an art and art with a very specific kind of audience. It is one of the most subjective topics that you can choose to talk about. Although talking about music, there’s one genre that is catching fire like it’s drenched in petrol is Hip-Hop.
Founded in the early 1970s, Hip-Hop originally belongs to The United States where it began as the voice of the African Americans and the Latinos living in the U.S. It gained worldwide momentum when the Hip-Hop cultural revolution took place in the 1980s and 90s. This revolution expanded the audience and made Hip-Hop famous outside the ghettos and regional communities.
Comparing Old School Hip-Hop to Modern-day Hip-Hop, a lot has changed lately. From the singing style to the instruments used everything has become more interesting and polished. This genre has given legends like Eminem, Tupac, Snoop Dog, Drake, and Jay-Z to the industry. Today, we will have a look at some of the tracks that helped in the evolution of Hip-Hop and traversing it where it is today!
Rapper’s Delight 1979 – The SugarHill Gang
The era we are talking about here is none other than the 80s. In the era where long hair was taking over the heads and ripped knees were letting the load off; an era was about to commence. An era where everybody was equal, an era where music won, and an era where everyone was fighting for justice.
The Sugarhill Gang was the group that made Hip-Hop popular in the mainstream media in the 1980s. Originated in Bronx, New York, Hip-Hop was now spreading its wings like an eagle. Rapper’s Delight was not only the first Hip-Hop mainstream song but also was in the Top 40 charts in the U.S.
Produced by Sylvia Robinson, it is still to this date considered as one of the greatest of all times. Do give it a listen and observe how raw Hip-Hop was at that time.
Colors 1988 – Ice-T
Popularly known for his controversial song “Cop Killer”, Tracy Lauren Marrow or Ice-T was one of the OGs and one of the last rappers of the Old School era. He was so much influenced by bringing a change in the community that his words ignited a fire in everyone’s heart.
With the release of his single Colors in 1988, the singer topped the top 70 charts and everyone knew who he was. Not only he was an influencer, but later he went on featuring in many movies and T.V series.
Changes 1998 – Tupac Shakur
Single headedly one of the most famous Hip-Hop artists of all time is Tupac Shakur or famously known as “2Pac”. He was shot dead when he was 25 years old and returning from an event in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the biggest controversy of the music industry which led to various suspects but no convicted mastermind yet.
He sure was an ambitious rapper which was evident when he released his single Changes in 1988. It not only told everyone about the difficulties that African Americans faced in the early 2000s but also united everyone who loved to listen to hip-hop.
Yourself 2002 – Eminem
Can we even talk about Hip-Hop without mentioning the greatest of the all-time? Marshall Bruce Mathers III or popularly known as “Eminem” is considered the greatest of all time to this day. With some Gen-Z hits like Rap God and Kamikaze, he has a fanbase that is really hard to find.
Lose Yourself was released in 2002 and was one the most influential and successful Hip-Hop tracks of the era. It was Number 1 on the Billboards Top 100 for twelve consecutive weeks and did change the image of the rapper Eminem.
Humble 2017 – Kendrick Lamar
Still one of the favourites rappers of all time is Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick is popularly known for his modern touch to Old-School music. Humble was not so humble but was very aggressive in the Billboards Top 100 when it topped with the fourth position in 2017, the same year it was released.
Not only was this a huge milestone for the singer, but it influenced the new school Hip-Hop. Many Gen-Z artists still consider Humble as one of the best pieces of Hip-Hop ever produced.
