In August 1973, the Jamaican-born Clive “DJ Kool Herc” Campbell held his first block party in the Bronx, bringing the Jamaican sound system culture to America and inadvertently providing the first ...

Hip-hop was created in 1973, and during that decade, it was a genre still in its early stages that was more DJ-centric with focuses on b-boy dances and live performances. However, by the time the ...

DJ Polo, best known as half of the prominent 1980s rap duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, died on Saturday, July 27. He was 63. “It is with a heavy heart we mourn the loss of my father, the incredible DJ Polo, ...

Mark Howard James, the beatmaker best known as the 45 King, has died, James’ manager, Paul Martinez, confirmed to Pitchfork. The Bronx native started producing in the mid-1980s as hip-hop seemed to ...

New books collecting objects central to rap’s physical history demonstrate the importance of celebrating these relics before they vanish. Credit... Supported by By Jon Caramanica For the last year, ...

Unsung on cable’s TV One will chronicle the musical contributions of Whodini, the 1980s rap group made famous for its chart-topping hit, “The Freaks Come Out at Night.” The group scored several ...

Kurtis Blow's 1984 classic "Basketball" was not just about his personal love for the game, but an expression of solidarity between the game and rap. Since hip hop came onto the scene in 1973, its ...