THE HIPSTORY OF HIP HOP

The story of American rap, from hip to Pop

This long article or mini-book is an attempt to sweep the history of rap from its beginnings in the Bronx during the late ‘70s, through its golden age in the ‘90s, through the mogul era of rap dominating pop charts and money, to today’s Tiktok-dance-led phenomena. It focuses exclusively on the US. It has a bit more than hundred songs (seven and a half hours for a full listen), with information (sometimes fun gossip) on the song’s and the artist’s impact on hip hop. As I explain each song in the context of its era, we will cover all the biggest trends and see how patterns evolved over decades.

Feel free to jump into this history wherever you’d like on the timeline. The songs are numbered, so it should be fairly easy to find your place. Let’s enjoy this over there, by the mixtapes, where it belongs!