I've always been a hip hop fan. It's been well documented that hip hop started in the Bronx in 1973 but where did it move from there? Did it move to the rest of the 5 boroughs, then jersey and then Pennsylvania etc.? Or maybe it even hit jersey or Pennsylvania before it became known in all 5 boroughs. When year was it that you guys first heard hip hop?

Rapper's Delight by Sugarhill Gang is probably the first time "hip hop" was played on the radio airwaves. Before then I'd say that it was just heard locally at parties and talent shows in the Bronx,Harlem, and Brooklyn.

Disco was still big at the time...so that overshadowed everything else...remember..the track for Rapper's Delight was a hit disco song that was still being played "Good Times" by Chic.

Sounds like Rapper's delight was what brought hip hop to the light. I'm from Jersey city originally and from what I hear, hip hop became pretty big there really early. JC and Harlem I believe very well could've been the 2nd places to introduce hip hop after the Bronx.

'82 Kurtis Blow~~Christmas Rappin'

The greatest and most illustrious rappers, IMO, hail from the borough of Queens.

Revis,
The story about JC and hiphop is sort of a dirty little secret. LOT of people in early hip hop culture were from NJ, but downplayed it because if you weren't from NY, you weren't official.

Specifically about JC, the Awesome 2....Teddy Ted and Special K....credited with the first hiphop radio show on earth, were from JC....but the show was based in NY.

I never knew they were Jersey guys until a few years back. ..and I can count on 4 fingers the acts from JC that have ever come out(saying they were from Jersey), so I'm probably wrong about JC's hip hop roots.

That's a good call,Revis...gonna look that up. As a guy from Newark, I didn't associate Jersey with hip hop really until the Flavor Unit came about.

It's hard for me to recall the first hip hop song I heard but most likely whoever was the most popular between 95-97. Hip Hop made it way into my city's ears in 1986. There were different local rappers and rap groups from the Northside & Southside.

Newark used to be rough. So was JC. I remember hearing horror stories about the curries woods projects. My cousin was a cop and he said the most dangerous neighborhoods he has been in are Greenville in JC(curries woods projects area) and East New York, Brooklyn. I didn't know that those guys were from jersey though that's news to me. I don't understand why people had to say they were from NY. North Jersey might as well be a 6th borough of sorts because of the proximity and similarities in culture, slang etc.

I first heard hip hop sometime in the 80s too but I really started to become a big fan around the time KRS-One, Kane and Rakim came along. Then the guys in the 90s really elevated the game. I think hip hop must've hit JC in 73'(the yer hip hop began).

On a side note, for the longest time I thought your pic was bubba from Forrest Gump but since I've been watching the wire a lot I now know that it's Marlo haha

@Revis,

that's hilarious!!!!

You can't tell me that at first glance that doesn't look like bubba hahahahaha

I don't know when it reached the South, but some of the first albums I can remember hitting here and hitting big were:

Eric B. and Rakim: Paid In Full (87 or 88)
NWA: Straight Outta Compton (88)
Eazy E: Eazy Duz It (88)
Cypress Hill: Cypress Hill (91)

Then the South got real heavy once we had our own in it:

Geto Boys: The Geto Boys (90)
UGK: Too Hard To Swallow (92), Super Tight (93)
Outkast: I'm not typing the whole album name (94)

But that Eric B. and Rakim and NWA was the first rap songs I can really remember off the top of my head right now as being the "first". I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting. While The Geto Boys had my attention, none of them hit me as hard as Super Tight did by UGK. They put the South on the map in terms of mainstream and I remember EVERYBODY was wanting to borrow Super Tight as it was really the first CD I ever bought. All the others were on bootleg cassette tape.

good one,Dixie

I forgot he had a low haircut in that role. I know who the actor is, so at first I didn't think so...but I can see it.

That's why I could never enter a life of crime though. I'd get railroaded in court. A guy who looks like LL Cool J would do something and Revis as the eyewitness would swear that it was me.

@Dixie

Southernplayasticcadillacmusik

David Banner: Baptised in Dirty Water 2 my first rap CD. Southern Rap wise from school days was : Triple Six Mafia, Swishahouse & S.U.C Rappers, David Banner, Geto Boys, Trae the Truth.

What about Slick Rick's album did you guys get that?

The first rap song I heard was probably "Rapper's Delight," but the funny thing is that the credited rap song, "King Tim III" sounds less dated. It's got some good R&B and funk mixed in with the rap, although some of the rapping reminds me of country square dancing "rap".

Down South we didn't Revis.

Yea Gets I wound up typing more letters than just typing it all out Go figure

I know Illmatic was huge when it dropped but what was the impact like down south?

one of my favorite songs....not really relevant to the topic, but good rundown of early history of hip hop within NY.

Bothers me that they never interview Just when they do documentaries about hip hop. This was the first song to really pay homage and detail old school hip hop history.

Nas was well liked in the South but he wasn't huge yet to us when Illmatic came out. He kind of grew a following, and I would say when "I Am..." came out is when he really got big, then of course he topped it off when Stillmatic came out and he nailed Jay Z's ass.

Had the pleasure of meeting KRS One at Rock the Bells 2009 he could tell I was nervous/timid when I walked up to him he was really nice guy asked me if I wanted a picture with him, really down the earth guy. Great show as well Damien Marley was the highlight for me.

Damien Marley sounds just like his Dad, more so than any of the others. I still listen to "Welcome To Jamrock" and "Road To Zion"

@Dude,

KRS is my favorite rapper ever(along with Mr.Scarface).Was he really tall? We ran into his brother ,Kenny Parker, years ago and dude had to have been 6' 5" and 270.


@Dixie,

Damien was nicknamed "junior gong" because he is a true tough guy, just like his father "tuff gong" Bob Marley. I like his music, he did an album with Nas a while back,which was decent.

Yeah KRS was great. Never really got into him as much as others but definitely a pioneer. And unlike a lot of old school rappers he actually embraces the new school. I think Jay and Nas are the best I've heard from my experience. But there's so many other great rappers out there

My favorite old school song was "I Go To Work" by Kool Moe Dee. Didn't even know about this James Bond-style video before, but the song has a positive message about having future job goals.

Can't believe I didn't list Scarface's first album. It was pretty big here too.

Regional difference is always interesting to know as well. I want to say that down south ( mainly the Sipp) the radio will play Nas " If I rule the world (original)", " I know I can ( one of his best works)", & once in a blue moon " Made you look". Jay-Z , B.I.G ( of course), & French Montana are the reoccurring NYC rappers that get airplay. Mainly who's single is popular out the NY gets played but many regional popular acts don't get played. I don't understand Boosie's popularity in my state nor Kevin Gates. A damn shame since Big Krit doesn't get equal or more support.

@Gets

Yes he was tall.

Damien Marley and Nas performed together during part of Marley's set, this was before the the album was recorded if I am remembering correctly

A old school Memphis video : G Style- Gangsta Walk

http://youtu.be/NCaajwgFr6M