Impact of Rap Music
This is a glimpse into a phenomenon that was once panned as a passing fad, but has since become one of the most lucrative art forms in entertainment history.
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'Rapper's Delight' and its Impact
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In 1980 the raw emotion of hip-hop caught the attention of Sylvia Robinson, a fledgling record label owner. She saw the potential for universal appeal and created Sugar Hill Gang to record the first widely commercial rap record, "Rapper's Delight".
The unprecedented success of "Rapper's Delight" didn't go unnoticed. 1981's "Rapture" saw Blondie's Debbie Harry "busting a rhyme," becoming the first rap-influenced song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
1986 saw the fusion of rap and rock with a remake of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," melding Run DMC's rap style with Steven Tyler's rock vocals.
My Adidas
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Run DMC's trademark black fedoras, gold chains and shell-toe Adidas hit the fashion world with great ferocity. The popularity of rap from the mid-80s to the mid-90s sparked waves of fashion, even from the catwalk--in 1991, Chanel produced a line inspired by hip-hop artists.
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'Yo! MTV Raps'
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In 1988, MTV introduced "Yo! MTV Raps," a weekly show that introduced rap artists and videos to all of mainstream America.
First Rap Grammy
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At the 1989 Grammy Awards, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince won the first Grammy award for a rap song for "Parents Just Don't Understand."
Hip-Hop Today
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Rap's come a long way from its Bronx roots, infiltrating music, TV and fashion, across the racial and economic spectrum. Not bad considering that MTV refused to air Michael Jackson videos soon after its launch because it didn't believe suburban white kids would watch black musicians on TV.
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