History of hip-hop/rap 50 years & before

[krtek a houby]

Inspired by the 1973 thread.

A thread for the proto rap/roots of, features documentaries and early days of.

Eight forgotten forerunners of hip-hop, from jazz 'hep cat' Slim Gaillard to 'dirty blues' singer Lucille Bogan

As hip-hop turns 50, Arwa Haider traces the verbal pioneers who forged a path long before 1973, from jazz "hep cat" Slim Gaillard to "dirty blues" singer Lucille Bogan.

www.bbc.com

The Last Poets and Watts Prophets: The radical hip-hop pioneers 'written out of history'

Largely remembered as forerunners of hip-hop, the Last Poets, Watts Prophets and Gil Scott-Heron were radical artists who deserve recognition in their own right, writes Dorian Lynskey.

www.bbc.com

 

[krtek a houby]

And due to drop on well known streaming giant...

Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop review – a joyous, painstaking attempt to set the record straight

The sisterhood of female rappers is wonderfully celebrated in Hannah Beachler’s star-studded documentary. But glossing over the industry’s much darker side is a missed opportunity

www.theguardian.com

 

[ska invita]

I think the 50 years of hip hop start date is 13 August 1973 for Kool Herc DJing his first block party
some great footage

 

[Jeff Robinson]

Speaking of Hip Hop pioneers, former Furious Five member Melle Mel has just thoroughly embarrassed himself by putting out this early 80s flow diss track:



Though to be fair this interview where he's totally blasé about his brother murdering a homeless man is more embarrassing:

 

[ska invita]

1970 - first track with "rap" in the title supposedly

 

[Buddy Bradley]

I think the 50 years of hip hop start date is 13 August 1973 for Kool Herc DJing his first block party

 

[Orang Utan]

 

[Mattym]

And due to drop on well known streaming giant...

Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop review – a joyous, painstaking attempt to set the record straight

The sisterhood of female rappers is wonderfully celebrated in Hannah Beachler’s star-studded documentary. But glossing over the industry’s much darker side is a missed opportunity

www.theguardian.com

Is great!

 

[krtek a houby]

Is great!

Still on another Netflix series about the history of hip-hop, but looking forward to this one.

 

[stavros]

Fight the Power, a four-part history of hip hop, shown on the Beeb earlier this year.

 

[Steel Icarus]

This is a great book

 

[ska invita]

 

[skyscraper101]

 

[Indeliblelink]

The production values for this documentary aren't great but it's an interesting watch and talks about a load of people who you rarely hear about that were doing parties at the same time as, or even before, Kool Herc. Comments section is worth a read too.

Founding Fathers; The Untold Story of Hip Hop is a fascinating and at times controversial documentary of unsung DJs who contributed to the foundational principals of the music known today as Hip Hop. This documentary transports you back to the early underground disco days of the streets and parks throughout New York City. Narrated by Chuck D, with plenty of primary interviews and slammin' beats.
feat. Grandmaster Flowers, Pete DJ Jones Nu Sounds, Master D aka DJ Lance, Infinity Machine, DJ Hollywood.

Article about Grandmaster Flowers - Grandmaster Flowers, The First Grandmaster — Claymore Sound

Also watched the recent documentary about Biz Markie which is great, also covers the start of the careers of Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Marley Marl, Master Ace.

 

[ska invita]

Foundation!!

 

[ska invita]

Foundation!!

the abiltiy to loop breakbeats by grandwizard theodore on this is just unbelievable...seamless, sounds like its sampled

 

[ska invita]

youve got to check this - original hip hop dj GW Theodore, inventor of the scratch...
okay the bulk of his routine isnt as good as many who have followed in his footsteps, BUT the last section with needle drops is just unparalleled
8mins 15 on to the end - and right up to the end - what a finale - never seen anything like it

 

[rutabowa]

youve got to check this - original hip hop dj GW Theodore, inventor of the scratch...
okay the bulk of his routine isnt as good as many who have followed in his footsteps, BUT the last section with needle drops is just unparalleled
8mins 15 on to the end - and right up to the end - what a finale - never seen anything like it

this video of q tip doing needle dropping is awesome

 

[ska invita]

sweet!
in the theodore video from 9.38 i cant work out how each different break starts from the top...I wonder if its a specially made record even....even if so, its wild

 

[danski]

sweet!
in the theodore video from 9.38 i cant work out how each different break starts from the top...I wonder if it’s a specially made record even....even if so, it’s wild

I wonder if the track is pressed at the optimum bpm for this, in that one revolution plays one bar, or something ?

Or at least that part of the track as the length will vary depending how close/far you are from the centre

 

[ska invita]

I wonder if the track is pressed at the optimum bpm for this, in that one revolution plays one bar, or something ?

Or at least that part of the track as the length will vary depending how close/far you are from the centre

yeah exactly.... but then each groove runs shorter and shorter as the record progresses....would take some genius to work that out! but surely must be something like that

 

[danski]

yeah exactly.... but then each groove runs shorter and shorter as the record progresses....would take some genius to work that out! but surely must be something like that

Might be of interest but reckon you probably know all this anyway

DIY: Battle Records

With the advent of “controllerism” and the meteoric rise of DJ software, some may assume that the art of turntablism

djtechtools.com

 

[ska invita]

Might be of interest but reckon you probably know all this anyway

DIY: Battle Records

With the advent of “controllerism” and the meteoric rise of DJ software, some may assume that the art of turntablism

djtechtools.com

i didnt know about skipless endless 1.8 second loop records - that must be it
i knew of battle plates with your own beats and samples on it, but not that loop skip thing

 

[rutabowa]

the qtip one hes just playing an original 7" tho I think?

 

[danski]

the qtip one hes just playing an original 7" tho I think?

Yes, true

 

[ska invita]

yeah i guess once in a while you just find a record that loops nicely...still an art to catching a groove

 

[stethoscope]

Remember this when it first aired, still an excellent doc presented by Normski..



(also, a new series 'Battle for Black Music' has just started on BBC 2)

 

[Sweet FA]

Years ago, Numbers posted this: IT'S THE RUB!

(Scroll to the bottom for the first mix from 1979)

I've probably still got the mp3s on a hard drive somewhere but the links are all dead now I think.

 

[Numbers]

Blast from the past that Sweet FA
I too have all the MP3s somewhere, might try and find them and have a Hip Hop weekend.

The 89/90 mixes were and are still my fav’s cos it was when I was proper into Hip Hop.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]