merry xmass

Kurupt

Kurupt 

began his winding career with Death Row Records and rose to momentary fame alongside Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, but struggled to establish himself as a successful solo artist. Born Ricardo Brown in Philadelphia on November 23, 1972, he moved to Hawthorne, CA, where he befriended Snoop and joined the roster of Death Row. He debuted on Dr. Dre's The Chronic (1992) and continued to contribute guest appearances to successive Death Row releases, most notably Snoop's Doggystyle (1993). He ultimately debuted as one-half of Tha Dogg Pound, a partnership with rapper/producer Daz Dillingerspun off from Snoop's enormous success at that time. Together with Daz and Snoop, Kurupt enjoyed sizable success with Dogg Food (1995) and its hit singles: "Let's Play House" and "New York, New York." Three years later the then-A&M-affiliated Antra Records released Kuruption! (1998), the rapper's ambitious double-disc solo debut. The album met modest success but didn't make much of a commercial impact, nor did its tighter, more traditional follow-up, Tha Streetz Is a Mutha (1999). Kurupt's next release, Space Boogie: Smoke Oddessey (2001), aimed for crossover success, incorporating pop-rap elements as well as unlikely big-name guests like Fred Durst and Everlast, but again made little impact beyond the rapper's following. Meanwhile, Kurupt teamed with Daz for another Dogg Pound album, Dillinger & Young Gotti (2001), which presented a much more underground sound, released independently by D.P.G. Recordz. Meanwhile, Death Row released 2002 (2001), a collection of leftovers from Tha Dogg Pound's mid-'90s era. In the wake of these many releases and little accompanying commercial success, Kurupt returned to the long-quiet Death Row label in 2002 and helped Suge Knight revive the infamous label. Against tha Grain, released in 2004, was the first fruits of the relationship. 

Scarface (rapper)

Scarface Biography

Like in the criminal world where there's a big difference between being a hustler and being a boss, the music biz sets galactic space between the role of an artist and that of a label head. The fans unknowingly segregate artists who try to gain street credibility from those who get credited by the streets. The latter for each of the past comparisons represent what Brad Jordan, known to most as Scarface, is to the universe that is hip-hop.

What Scarface is a hip-hop ambassador. He represents mastered skill, preserved integrity, immense respect, quiet leadership and vocal tutelage. But ask the average fan and you'll probably get a simple summary statement like "Face is a dope MC!" Since stepping on the scene with his Houston, Texas cohorts, Geto Boys back in '90, then waking the world a year later with his arctic delivery on the classic single "Minds Playing Tricks On Me" he's been putting it down for the south. But once the artist formerly named Mr. Scarface went solo in '91, released the gold selling LPs Mr. Scarface Is Back ('91) and World Is Yours Diary ('93), then scored platinum success with his third solo release Diary ('94), the rap world was hooked to the ex-Houston hustler. There wasn't any other rapper who brought across such dark images so vividly, spoke about the firey bottoms of hell with such a frozen tongue, yet warm voice. Hip-hop never saw him coming and now they keep coming back.

Fans flock to him and his new releases. The only difference is many of his fans are his peers. You'd be hard pressed to find a rhyme heavyweight who hasn't graced a Face album. To name a few: Ice Cube, Tupac, Jay-Z, Too Short, Daz, Kurupt, Redman and UGK all leaped at the opportunity to share a track with Mr. Face. This has allowed him to extend his status from H-town diplomat to global ambassador for rap. He brought the world to the American Geto. "I didn't put up a boundary on my music," Scarface says. "Though I rep my hood and rep my city, my music was for everybody from California to Cleveland to Chicago to Washington DC to New York to Mississippi to Atlanta. I didn't want to put no boundaries on my music, no Houston boundary."

But that's Face's worth in the rap sector of notepads and vocal booths. His living legacy surpasses that. On rap music's flip-side, Brad Jordan is a boss in hip-hop label juggernaut that is Def Jam Records. Two years ago he was anointed as president of their southern division, Def Jam South. And in alignment with the success of his recording career, Scarface scored big from the start of his exec tenure. His first signee, the rambunctiously engaging ATL representer, Ludacris sold three million copies of his debut Back For The First Time and is threatening to outdo his freshman outing with his sophomore LP Word Of Mouf, which has been blazing charts with hits like the Jazze Phae orchestrated "Area Codes" and the Organized Noize produced "Saturday." Not only has Def Jam allowed Face the opportunity to exercise his muscle in nurturing artists, they've allowed him to add to his rhyme resume by relocating Face from his former label Virgin and making the house that Rush built his new home--as an artist. The result: Face's seventh solo album, The Fix, set to be served in every hood this summer. "My destiny is in my hands now. It's not in nobody else's hands," he states. "I make the final decision on my product. I'm not obligated to nothing and I know that with Def Jam behind me, I know I'm a give them a different look."

With The Fix, Scarface intends to not only keep his solo streak of either gold or platinum achievements alive, but he also wants to finally get the recognition for the reason his albums have been such canvases of perfectly woven rhymes to music----his production. The music has always complemented Scarface's sharp oratorical because he's always had a huge role in his LP's production. Check the past Scarface album credits and you'll see Skinny Gangsta, Face's production company since he entered the rap game. "I had outside producers doing music but I ultimately produced my whole album myself," he informs.

It's fitting being that Face made a local name for himself as a DJ before his love for Kool G. Rap and encouragement from mentor and Rap-A-lot general J Prince inspired him to step in front of the wheels of steel as an MC. Though on The Fix, Face aims at getting his production props, you'll still get to hear outside production from Pharrell of the Neptunes on TK and Kanye West on the Jay-Z and Beenie Sigel assisted block banger "Guess Who's Back."

The LP hosts the perfect reintroduction to the old Scarface: the hustler, the gangsta, the ghetto preacher, the icon and the introduction to the new Face: the Def Jam executive and artist. All in all it's the same old Brad Jordan, that skinny hood from South Acres, Houston who was always looking for a better hustle than the last. And The Fix, does just that---supercede its predecessors. Did you expect anything less?

Scarface All Music Guide Biography

       Scarface quickly became the South's most admired rapper and remained so throughout the '90s after breaking away from the Geto Boys to launch his solo career in 1991. Even if he never scored any national hits or stormed up the charts with any of his numerous albums throughout the '90s, no one could question his clout throughout the South. He essentially defined what it meant to be a Southern thug rapper years before anyone even coined the term Dirty South. This became glaringly evident in the late '90s when a massive wave of young MCs arose from Houston, New Orleans, and Memphis emulating his style of hard-boiled, ghetto-bred, straight-up hardcore rapping. Besides serving as the father of Southern thug rap, it seemed as if every hardcore rapper wanted to align himself with Scarface during the '90s -- everyone from Ice Cube and Dr. Dre to 2Pac and Master P collaborated with the former Geto Boy -- all in an attempt to foster credibility among the loyal Southern rap audience. Yet despite his unquestionable influence, Scarface never crossed over to mainstream success. His albums were often plagued with filler, his lyrics were simply too harsh for radio, and his devotion to producer Mike Dean led to a stagnant, albeit trademark, sound. Still, likely because Scarface never crossed over and remained aligned to the streets, his influence never waned, making him one of the few veterans able to sustain in the here-today, gone-tomorrow rap game. In the early 2000s, Def Jam Records rewarded his staying power with a lucrative contract, a wealth of industry connections, and a powerful marketing push.Scarface consequently enjoyed the most successful album of his career, The Fix(2002), and a revival of interest in his back catalog, which his former label, Rap-a-Lot, repackaged that same year on Greatest Hits. 

Before Brad Jordan (born November 9, 1970) became known as Scarface, he called himself Akshen. As such, he began his rap career first as a solo artist in his native Houston during the mid-'80s for James Smith's then-fledging Rap-a-Lot label. Smith was trying to launch a group he tagged the Geto Boys, and he eventually asked Akshen to join the group in the late '80s. The Geto Boys' second album (and first to feature Scarface) -- Grip It! On That Other Level(1990), later repackaged and re-released that same year simply as The Geto Boys -- shocked many with its vivid depictions of violence and its overall extreme nature. This album featured the song "Scarface," which introduced Akshen's alter ego, a title he would keep from that point onward. The ensuing controversy surrounding the group's debut put the Geto Boys on the map and set the stage for the impressive We Can't Be Stopped (1991). In the wake of the group's national success came solo albums, one of which being Scarface's debut, Mr. Scarface Is Back (1991). The album made it evident who the group's most talented member was, and the acclaim showered on Scarface resulted in bitter tensions among his fellow Geto Boys: Bushwick Bill and Willie D. By the timeScarface returned with his follow-up album, The World Is Yours (1993), his reputation overshadowed that of his group's. Willie D consequently departed, and the Geto Boys never again rivaled We Can't Be Stopped, releasing half-hearted, albeit popular, efforts with a new lineup before later reuniting in the late '90s. In the meantime, Scarface continued to funnel his efforts into additional solo efforts: The Diary (1994) and Untouchable (1997). He then released the double-disc My Homies (1998), a bloated effort laden with guests, many of the South's leading rappers. 

It wasn't until 2000, though, that Scarface won substantial admiration from the greater rap community with Last of a Dying Breed (2000), his most personal and focused album in years. As a result, he was awarded Lyricist of the Year at the 2001 Source Awards and was offered a promising deal with Def Jam Records. The powerhouse East Coast label wanted Scarface to helm its Def Jam South subsidiary division, and the rapper obliged, first signing Ludacris, who became an overnight superstar, and then releasing his own album, The Fix (2002). Led by a Kayne West-produced collaboration with Jay-Z, "Guess Who's Back," it spawned a popular single, "My Block," and attracted widespread embrace. Rap-a-Lot furthered Scarface's newfound coast-to-coast acceptance with the rapper's first best-of collection, Greatest Hits (2002). In turn, he reunited with Willie D andBushwick Bill and put together The Foundation (2005), another Geto Boysalbum. In 2006 he introduced his new crew, the Product, with the album One Hunid and released a second volume of My Homies. Also landing in 2006 was 2 Face, a collection of tracks featuring Scarface and the late 2Pac. MADE proved that Scarface was still relevant in 2007; it debuted at number two on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. A year later he retired his solo career with the good-bye album Emeritus. 

ADDICTED TO HIP-HOP: RAP/HIP-HOP TIMELINE 1970-1989

ADDICTED TO HIP-HOP: RAP/HIP-HOP TIMELINE 1970-1989: "1970 The Last Poets release their eponymous debut album. It's combination of spare funk and aggressive, socially-conscious sp..."

RAP/HIP-HOP TIMELINE 1970-1989

1970  

• The Last Poets release their eponymous debut album. It's combination of spare funk and aggressive, socially-conscious spoken word will be an early brick in the foundation of what would come to be hip-hop.
  
• James Brown releases 'The Big Payback', an early funk gem that emphasizes the groove rather than melody over his aggressively spoken vocals.
  
• A young immigrant from Kingston, Jamaica named Clive Campbell begins deejaying at local parties. As DJ Kool Herc, he invents a new technique of deejaying that would cut two of the same records and extend the middle instrumental, or 'break,' of the popular funk and disco songs of the day.
  

1972  

• DJ Hollywood, a club DJ from Manhattan; begins rhyming over popular disco hits at his trendy night spots. It is alleged that Hollywood coins the term 'hip-hop' though some say his partner, Lovebug Starski, came up with the term.

1974  

• A former gang member-turned-DJ named Afrika Bambaataa meets a young grafitti artist named Fab 5 Freddy; a regular on the burgeoning hip-hop scene. Soon after, Bambaataa forms the Zulu Nation and catagorizes what he calls the 'Four Elements' of hip-hop: DJing, Breaking, Graf Artists and MCing
  

1975  

• DJ Kool Herc coins the term break-boy to describe dancers that would dance during his extended breaks in the music. Soon, the term is shortened to b-boy and the style is called 'breakdancing.' Herc also takes an up-and-coming DJ named Grandmaster Flash under his wings.
  
• Grandmaster Flash begins working on a new, revolutionary technique of DJing: In addition to extending the break of a song, he begins mixing bits of two different songs together. Using headphones, he's able to get the songs to overlap and connect. His new 'mixing' technique would be adopted by every hip-hop DJ to follow.
  
• Flash's partner, Mean Gene, has a thirteen-year-old-brother named Theodore that is also beginning to DJ at local parties. After accidently sliding the record under the needle; a young Grand Wizard Theodore takes DJing a step forward by pushing the record back and forth lightly under the needle during breaks. He calls his new technique 'scratching.'
  

1976  

• A group of party promoters called the Force stumble across a young DJ named Kool DJ Kurt. One particularly bold and aggressive member of the Force is a young man named Russell Simmons.
  

1977  

• The legendary Rock Steady Crew of breakdancers is founded in the Bronx.

The Crash Crew, one of the first recorded MC crews, forms in Harlem.

• Russell "Rush" Simmons moves the Force to Queens and convinces Kool DJ Kurt to begin rapping. Simmons decides to change Kurt's name to Kurtis Blow and enlists his kid brother, Joey, to be Kurt's DJ. Joey changes his name to 'DJ Run.'
  

1978  

• DJing, up to this point the primary force in hip-hop, begins to take a backseat to MCing.
  

1979  The Cold Crush Brothers form after Almight KG meets DJ Charlie Chase. 

• Wendy Clark aka 'Lady B' begins spinning hip-hop records on WHAT 1340 AM in Philadelphia;furthering hip-hop's expansion outside of New York. Later that year, she also becomes one of hip-hop's first female artists when she releases "To the Beat Y'all."
  
• The Funky Four+One is forms with one of hip-hop's first female MCs, Sha Rock.
  
• The funk band Fatback releases 'King Tim III (Personality Jock).' Though it doesn't gain much attention, it is the first mainstream rap single.
  
• Under manager Russell Simmons, Kurtis Blow becomes the first rapper to sign a record deal with a major label.
  
• Sylvia Robinson founds Sugarhill Records and, after hearing a bootleg of The Cold Crush Brothers, decides to put together a rap group called 'The Sugarhill Gang.'
  
• The Sugarhill Gang releases 'Rapper's Delight.' Built on a sample of Chic's disco hit 'Good Times' and written by Grandmaster Caz of the Cold Crush Brothers, it goes on to become hip-hop's first hit and mainstream America's first exposure to rap music.
  
• In order to capitalize on the growth of MCing in hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash recruits three of his friends, Keith "Cowboy" Wiggins, Melvin "Melle Mel" and Nathaniel "Kid Creole" Glover, who perform as The 3 MCs. Soon, they add Guy "Raheim" Williams and Eddie "Scorpio" Morris and change their name to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
  

1980  

• The new wave band Blondie releases the single 'Rapture'. It features a rapping vocal by lead singer Debbie Harry and mentions Fab 5 Freddy and Grandmaster Flash, furthering hip-hop's push into the mainstream.
  
• With "Rapper's Delight" still riding the charts, Kurtis Blow releases his first single, "Christmas Rappin'". Blow's second single, "The Breaks," is a hit; and becomes hip-hop's first gold single. In his shows, Blow now sometimes allows DJ Run to rhyme with him.
  
• At a DJ battle in Two-Fifths Park in Hollis, Queens; DJ Run and his friend, Darryl "Easy Dee" McDaniels, meet a young DJ named Jason "Jazzy Jase" Mizell.
  
• Treacherous Three release "The New Rap Language" as a single. It incorporates a new style of rapping, dubbed "speed-rapping."
  

1981  

• Grandmaster Flash releases "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash On the Wheels of Steel", the first record to only showcase turntablism.
  
• Russell Simmons helps his little brother, Run, record a song called "Street Kid." It goes nowhere, but Run still wants to record. After hearing Run's friend, Darryl (now calling himself "D"), Russell begrudgingly makes Run and D a duo.
  
• Whodini becomes the first rap group to shoot an official video for their song "Magic's Wand."
  

1982  

• The film "Wild Style" is released. Showcasing DJs, graf artists, breakdancing and MC battles, it is Hollywood's first foray into hip-hop culture and begins a small "rapsploitation" period on film.
  
• After Run and D graduate from high school, they enlist Jazzy Jase, their DJ friend from Hollis; who now calls himself 'Jam Master Jay'. Russell Simmons decides to change the group's name to Run DMC and begins work on a single. Simmons also lands the group a deal with Profile Records.
  

1983  

• Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five release 'The Message.' Moving away from hip-hop's party-oriented singles and focusing on the realities of inner-city poverty; it is a landmark moment for hip-hop.
  
• Run-D.M.C. release their first single, "Sucker MCs/It's Like That." With it's spare beats and hard, aggressive rhymes, it signals the beginning of the end for "Old School" hip-hop artists.
  
• A New York post-punk band called the Beastie Boys decides to switch their sound from punk to rap after attending a party thrown by Fab 5 Freddy.
  
• Run DMC release their eponymous debut on Profile Records. It becomes a hit and introduces the 'new school' approach to hip-hop music: Hardcore, aggressive street rhymes over spare, funky beats with a heavy metal twist. Run DMC also become the first rap group to get consistent airplay on MTV and Top 40 rock radio.
  

1984  

• The film "Breakin" is released; with "Beat Street" coming soon after; continuing the hip-hop push into Hollywood." Beat Street" also showcases a young performer named Doug E. Fresh, who has the uncanny ability to 'beatbox' - mimic musical effects using only his mouth.
  
• Russell Simmons meets a young college kid named Rick Rubin, an avid fan of rap music. Together, Simmons and Rubin found a small record label and run it out of Rubin's college dormroom at NYU. They name their new label Def Jam.
  
• U.T.F.O.; (formerly the backup dancers for Whodini), release "Roxanne, Roxanne." It goes on to become one of the most popular rap songs of all-time and spawns more than two dozen 'response' songs, including "Roxanne, You're Through," "The Real Roxanne," "Roxanne's Mother," and most notably, "Roxanne's Revenge" by 13-year-old Roxanne Shante.
  
• After hearing an underground single called "Public Enemy #1" by a college radio DJ named Chuck D.; Rick Rubin tries to recruit the reluctant rapper for his new label.
  
• Def Jam issues it's first single, "It's Yours," by T La Rock and Jazzy Jay.
  

1985  

• A young former delinquint-turned-rap-hopeful named Kris Parker meets social worker-and-sometimes-DJ Scott Sterling (aka Scott La Rock) at a Bronx homeless shelter. The two decide to form a rap group called Boogie Down Productions.
  
• Doug E. Fresh records his classic single, "The Show," with the Get Fresh Crew and his new partner, MC Ricky D (aka Slick Rick.)
  
• Run DMC release their second album, 'King of Rock.' Like their debut, it is a hit; and furthers the combination of rap and hard rock.
  
• A 16-year-old LL Cool J releases his debut album, "Radio." It is the first album to be released by up-and-coming rap label, Def Jam.
  
• Def Jam finances and releases it's own rap movie, "Krush Groove". Based on Russell Simmons life and starring Blair Underwood (as Russell), Run DMC, Kurtis Blow, the Fat Boys and the newly-signed Beastie Boys; the film becomes a hit.
  

1986  

• Queens native MC Shan and his superproducer cousin, Marley Marl, release the single 'The Bridge.' Though virtually unnoticed by the mainstream press, the song is an instant classic in hip-hop circles. Featuring steller 'new-school' production from Marl and clever lyrics in which Shan arrogantly announts his home, the Queensbridge Projects, hip-hop's new homebase; the song raised the ire of the newly-formed, South Bronx-based Boogie Down Productions. BDP's KRS-One disses Shan, Marl and Queens equally in the hard-hitting single, 'The Bridge Is Over;' igniting hip-hop's first major rivalry and leaving fans eagerly awaiting Boogie Down Production's first full-length album.
  
• Run DMC release their third album, "Raising Hell." Sparked by the Aerosmith collaboration, "Walk This Way," it is an instant hit. It is a cultural milestone for hip-hop, spawning four hit singles and becoming the first multi-platinum rap album. "Raising Hell" cements Run-D.M.C.'s place as the kings of the rap world, and kick-starts hip-hop's 'Golden Age,' bringing the final curtain down on the 'Old School.'
  
• Hip-hop's first White rap group, the Beastie Boys, release their debut album, "Licensed to Ill," on Def Jam Records. It goes on to become the best-selling rap album of the decade.
  
• LL Cool J's debut, "Radio," becomes certified platinum as Def Jam Records becomes the premiere label in hip-hop.
  
• A new hip-hop duo named Eric B. & Rakim release their first single, "Eric B. Is President." It is another benchmark moment in hip-hop; as Rakim's clever wordplay and complex rhyme schemes usher in a new era of MCing as an artform.
  
• Run-D.M.C. becomes the first rap group nominated for a Grammy; for best "R&B Vocal Performance."
  
• Salt-N-Pepa; a new female rap group; release their debut album, "Hot, Cool & Vicious." It becomes a moderate hit.
  
• Rick Rubin signs Chuck D. and his newly-formed group, Public Enemy, to Def Jam.
  

1987  

• Boogie Down Productions releases their debut album, "Criminal Minded." Building on Run-D.M.C.'s hardcore, minimalist approach and focusing more on the harsh realities of ghetto life; it becomes an instant classic among hip-hop fans. Lead MC, KRS-One; becomes an especially respected rapper among culture aficionados.
  
• Public Enemy release their debut album, "Yo! Bum Rush the Show," on Def Jam. While it is praised by critics, it fails to make an impression on the charts.
  
• Cameron Paul, a San Francisco DJ; remixes 'Push It,' a tune from Salt-N-Pepa's (year-old) album, "Hot, Cool & Vicious." The single is released nationally and becomes a hit; hitting number 19 on the pop charts and is nominated for a Grammy.
  
• A former L.A. drug dealer named Eazy-E (born Eric Wright) uses his money to finance a small indie rap label called Ruthless Records. He signs a local group called H.B.O. as his first act. He also recruits Andre 'Dr. Dre' Young-- a DJ/Producer from the R&B group World Class Wreckin' Cru; and Oshea Jackson, an up-and-coming MC who calls himself Ice Cube.
  
• Eric B. & Rakim release their debut album, "Paid In Full," kick-starting hip-hop's love affair with James Brown samples. The emergence of Rakim, in particular, heralds the dawn of the modern MC.
  
• L.A. rapper, Ice-T, releases his debut album, "Rhyme Pays," and becomes one of the first West Coast MCs to garner national attention. His single, 'Six In the Morning," is groundbreaking in it's harsh and explicit depiction of street hustling and the criminal lifestyle.
  
• Philadelphia duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince debut with "Rock the House." With their fun, good-natured rhymes and humorous videos; the twosome become a favorite on MTV and the album goes gold.
  
• After H.B.O. fails to make an impression on the L.A. rap scene; Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and DJ Yella, (also from the World Class Wreckin' Cru), form a new group called N.W.A (Niggaz With Attitudes). They rush-release an EP for fledgling Ruthless Records called "N.W.A. and the Posse." It goes nowhere. Eazy then recruits Lorenzo 'M.C. Ren' Wright, a young rapper from South Central, to join them as they go back into the studio to revamp their sound.
  
• MC Hammer, an Oakland-based dancer-turned-rapper releases his debut album, "Let's Get It Started." It generates a few moderate hits, and Hammer gains attention for his exuberant dance moves and simple party raps.
  
• After their show in Los Angeles ends in violence, Run-D.M.C. is blamed in the press for inciting the riot. The group calls a press conference to defend itself, and hip-hop is immediately thrust under a microscope by moral watchdogs and right-wing politicians.
  

1988  

• Erick Sermon and Parish Smith, collectively known as EPMD, release their debut album, "Strictly Business." The pair become one of the most celebrated duos in the hip-hop underground and shun the spotlight in the wake of rap music's exploding popularity.
  
• As Boogie Down Productions begins production on their second album; DJ Scott La Rock is gunned down following an altercation. Stunned by the sudden death of his partner, KRS-One soldiers on, and as 'The Teacha,' promotes a more educated and socially aware approach to hardcore hip-hop.
  
• MC Lyte; a brash, young 'female' MC, becomes the first female hardcore rapper signed to a major label and releases her debut album, "Lyte As A Rock."
  
• Public Enemy release their second album, "It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." With it's use of dense, layered sampling, hard funk, and politically incendiary rhymes; it is hailed by rap and rock critics alike as a landmark recording. Public Enemy skyrockets toward the forefront of popular music.
  
• Ice-T's second album, "Power," becomes the first rap album to carry a Parental Advisory warning label.
  
• Afrika Bambaataa froms the Native Tongues crew and, (after hearing an underground single called 'Wrath of My Madness'); recruits a young female MC from New Jersey named Queen Latifah.
  
• N.W.A. releases their first full-fledged album, "Straight Outta Compton." Taking the hardcore sonic attack of Public Enemy and merging it with brutally explicit tales of the crime-ridden streets of South Central Los Angeles; it becomes a watershed moment for 'gangsta rap' and fully opens the door for West Coast rappers to gain national attention.
  
• Run D.M.C. finally release their follow-up to 'Raising Hell;' called 'Tougher Than Leather,' and star in a movie of the same name. The movie bombs at the box office and though the album goes platinum and is praised by critics; it is considered a commercial disappointment for the group.
  
• DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince release their second album, a double-set called "He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper." Boosted by the immensely popular single, 'Parents Just Don't Understand;' the album is a smash--selling 2.5 million copies.
  
• N.W.A.'s song, 'Fuck the Police,' incites controversy for it's lyrics and leads the F.B.I. to issue a formal warning to the group, Ruthless Records, and it's parent-label, Priority. This starts a long-standing battle between the powers-that-be and gangsta rap.
  
• A trio of friends from Harlem NY, the Jungle Brothers, release their debut album, 'Straight Out The Jungle' on the small Idler label. Though the album doesn't gain much attention, it does provide a new slant on hip-hop that is neither 'gangsta' nor overtly political. Joining up with Afrika Bambaataa's "Native Tongues' crew, and incorporating elements of jazz and house music and using Afrocentric themes, the Jungles Brothers introduce a new subgenre that would later be dubbed 'alternative' rap.
  

1989  

• Public Enemy release their much-anticipated third album, "Fear of A Black Planet" to strong sales and reviews despite controversy over anti-Semitic remarks made by group member Professor Griff in an interview. Chuck D formally dismisses Griff from group.
  
• The Grammy committee announces that rap will be given it's own official Grammy catagory. The news is bittersweet, however, after it is announced that the presentation will not be televised. As a result, many of the most prominent rappers, (including Salt-N-Pepa, Public Enemy, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Ice-T and more), host a Boycott-The-Grammys Party on MTV the night of the broadcast. DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince go on to win the award.
  
• After a year of buzz surrounding her underground singles, Queen Latifah releases her debut album, "All Hail the Queen." It is praised immensely by the hip-hop community for it's positive outlook and strong feminist overtones.
  
• In an effort to quell the surge of Black-On-Black crime in New York (and as tribute to Scott La Rock); KRS-One organizes the Stop the Violence movement with several New York rappers. Soon, the Movement goes national as West Coast MCs get involved as well. The result is two public-service singles denouncing violence, 'Self Destruction' in New York, and 'We're All In the Same Gang' in Los Angeles.
  
• Doug E. Fresh's former partner, MC Ricky D--now calling himself 'Slick Rick'--releases his solo debut, "The Great Adventures of Slick Rick" on Def Jam Records. With a gift for clever, laid-back rhymes and vivid storytelling, Rick is immediately elevated to the top-tier of MCs.
  
• After a controversial tour promoting 'Straight Outta Compton' with N.W.A, Ice Cube announces he's leaving the group after a financial dispute with Eazy-E and manager, Jerry Heller.
  
• De La Soul, a young rap group from Long Island, New York (and also affiliated with the Native Tongues collective), release their debut, "3 Feet High & Rising" on Tommy Boy Records. Building on quirky samples from rock, funk, folk, country and soul and using wordplay that ranged from psychadelic musings to outright jibberish, the group is immediately hailed as the 'future of hip-hop music.'
  
• MC Hammer releases his sophomore effort, "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em." The album is bashed by critics and scoffed at by hip-hop purists, but becomes a mammoth hit. Spurred by the wildly popular single, 'U Can't Touch This,' and heavy video rotation on MTV, the album sells ten million copies- and with his flashy dancing and trademark baggy pants, MC Hammer becomes an international superstar.
  
• The Beastie Boys, after a long and bitter exit from Def Jam Records, finally release their second album, "Paul's Boutique." Trading the frat-boy humor of their debut in favor of dense samples, sprawling sound collages and abstract lyrical themes, the album flops as most fans and critics don't know what to make of the record.
  
• 2 Live Crew, a Florida-based party-rap group, releases their third album, "As Nasty As They Wanna Be." It is an extremely explicit and sexually provocative--(with the lyrics reaching near-pornographic proportions), and is banned from sale in the state of Florida. The group themselves are arrested for lewdness after performing a concert in Miami. After going to court for the right to perform and write music as they want to, the group is found not guilty in what becomes a heated debate over decency and the First Amendment.
  
• Rick Rubin leaves Def Jam and forms a new label, dubbed Def American.
  
• Yo! MTV Raps makes it's debut, with host Fab 5 Freddy. For the first time, the entire country has a platform to watch the latest music videos by all of the top rap artists.

Old School Hip Hop

This section is dedicated to people that had an impact on Old School Hip Hop, but don't fit as easily into the main categories.

BLONDIE

This is an example of non-hip hop group that produced a song that became part of the hip hop heritage.  
The group's song "Rapture" from the 1980 album "Autoamerican" featured a rap from lead singer Debbie Harry where she mentions both Fab 5 Freddy and Grandmaster Flash.  
Fab 5 shows up in the video doing some fake graffiti in the background.  The song was hugely successful in both the US and UK.

FAB 5 FREDDY

Like you don't know who this guy is....

Fred Brathwaite was born in 1959.

He has grown up to be one of hip hop's most popular figures and he's never had a hit single.

F5F's first exposure to hip hop culture was as a graffiti artist in the 70's.  He studied painting in college.

He is responsible for introducing Afrika Bambaataa to the uptown hip hop scene.

Freddy was also featured in name and in person in Blondie's 1981 hit "Rapture."  Not only does she mention his name in the lyrics, but if you catch the video, you'll see him in the background painting on the wall.  Actually he wasn't really painting, but then again, it wasn't a real building anyway.

In 1982, he was part of the first hip hop tour to Europe with Afrika Bambaataa, Rammellzee, Grand Mixer D.ST. & The Infinity Rappers, Rock Steady Crew, the Double Dutch Girls, and graffiti artists Phase 2, Futura, and Dondi.

One of his biggest early achievements was his collaboration with Charlie Ahearn that resulted in the monumental hip hop film Wild Style.  Freddy was musical director of the film as well as starring in it himself.  It stands as one of the earliest video recording of the hip hop culture as it was developing in the early 80's.

He has a  cameo on graf artist Futura 2000's single "Escapades of Futura 2000" on Celluloid 1983.

In 1985, he unsuccessfully auditioned for the roll of Russell in Krush Groove.

He went on to direct several hip hop videos in the mid 80's.

And, of course, in the late 80's Ted Demme of MTV approached him to host Yo! MTV Raps.  This exposure launched him into the forefathers of the culture as he was part of the group that introduced hip hop to much of the world.

He also appeared on the song "Change the Beat" on an album by Bill Laswell who also worked with Afrika Bambaataa.

FATBACK

Fatback was basically a funk band that recorded in the 1970's and 80's.
As far as this site is concerned, however, it is one track in particular that lands it a place on this site.
The track is called "King Time III (Personality Jock)".  It was released in 1979 and is considered by many to be the first hip hop song in history.
The song  was  released just before a certain other tune called "Rapper's Delight".
It appears on their 1979 album "XII".
    

http://www.fatbackband.com/

HERBIE HANCOCK

Okay, so maybe he isn't exactly well known for his forays into hip hop, but in 1983 his song "Rockit" from the "Future Shock" album took scratching into the mainstream.
With the help of Grand Mixer D.ST., Hancock fused hip hop and jazz into a new sound.  Many groups today have experimented with the a similar theme.  Herbie and D.ST help start it all.

MICHAEL HOLMAN

An often forgotten behind the scenes player in the early days of hip hop, Michael Holman may be remembered best for being "The Host With The Most".
That line is in reference to perhaps his most well known contribution to hip hop - the television pilot "Graffiti Rock."
While it was the only episode every aired, it has found its place in the history of the music to the point where twenty years after its initial run, it was released on DVD.  How many so called "failed" tv pilots can claim that?
But this was not his only contribution.  He also ran a club called the Negril in the Bronx.  He had the Rock Steady Crew perform regularly on Thursday nights.  After growing tired of just the RSC, he heard about these b-boy battles taking place.  The first battle he hosted pitted the Rock Steady Crew against the Floormasters.  He liked the athleticism of the Floormasters and signed on to be their manager, changing their name to The New York City Breakers (hence the reason they were featured on "Graffiti Rock").
He also worked hard to bring graffiti artists together with the main stream art world including working with Fab 5 Freddy.
Michael Holman also wrote a book called "Breaking and the New York City Breakers."
Not bad for a guy who worked on Wall Street as a banker.

http://www.michaelholman.com/