CONNECT Magazine Volume 1 - Issue 6 | Page 13

Hip Hop Through the Ages “Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge, I'm trying not to lose my head, Hahahaha.” One of the most memorable rap songs of all time from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was released in 1982 and was known to be the first dominant rap group to talk about life in inner-city America. This groundbreaking song sparks a movement that has been forever changing and has become the most popular music genre of all time, Hip Hop. With many major sub music genres such as Melodic Rap, Alternative Rap, Gangsta Rap, Trap, Boom-bap, and R&B, it begs to question how hip hop came to be the most dominant force of music on the planet. Well, lucky for Connect readers, we are about to take a history lesson as we go through the ages of Hip Hop. 1925 Yes, you read that right. We will start our history lesson all the way back in 1925 with a young dancer called Earl Tucker, also known as Snake Hips. Why start with a dancer, you ask? Well, it is important to understand that Hip Hop isn’t just about music. It’s a culture that combines the music, dance, and lifestyle of the oftentimes suppressed African American community. Back in 1925, Earl Tucker was a performer at the famous Cotton Club in New York City where his style of floats and slides into his hips is what later inspired breakdancing. Check out the video reference for yourself! Click Here for Video 13