50 Years of Hip-Hop: A History of the Genre’s Evolution

1979 – 1983

The
old school

“When it came out, nothing was the same afterwards.”
— Journalist Harry Allen on “Rapper’s Delight,” NPR

Throughout the late 1970s and early ’80s, artists and DJs solidified hip-hop’s major elements — rapping, beatboxing, scratching, and sampling — and refined their techniques as advances in recording technology made sampling easier.

The old-school hip-hop era represented a lot of firsts for the genre. Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” is recognized as the first hip-hop record and was the first hip-hop recording to gain widespread popularity. The song, which samples Chic’s “Good Times,” became a Top 40 hit in the US and saw even more success internationally, charting in the UK and Canada. The embodiment of old-school hip-hop, the track served as a sort of prototype for future rap releases.

Most old-school hip-hop was characterized by its funk and disco influence, simplistic rapping techniques, and light, party-centric lyrics. However, exceptions like Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five’s “The Message” showed that hip-hop was also capable of delivering social commentary.

By the mid-1980s, artists began to draw inspiration from other musical styles including electronic and rock music. Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock,” which samples Kraftwerk’s “Trans-Europe Express” and “Numbers,” signaled a shift toward diversification and experimentation within hip hop.

1983 – 1997

The
golden age

“…mic prodigies were literally creating themselves and their art form at the same time.”
— Author William Jelani Cobb, To the Break of Dawn

The early to mid-1980s gave rise to hip-hop’s second wave, also known as new school hip-hop, which saw a departure from many of the old school’s traits. New school artists made shorter songs with minimalist, drum machine-led production that often sampled from rock, and party rhymes were replaced with rapped braggadocio and a greater emphasis on socio-political commentary.

New school group Run-D.M.C.’s early records were released during this period. Their self-titled debut album became the first hip hop record to earn an RIAA Gold certification and the music video for the album’s third single, “Rock Box,” was the first rap video played on MTV. The group’s popularity and commercial appeal helped to spur the shift away from the genre’s previous influences and opened the door for further experimentation during the 1980s and ’90s that would characterize an era known as the golden age of hip-hop.

The golden age is recognized for its innovation and diversity of sound, and overall influence on hip-hop. During this period, rappers’ wordplay became more complex and songs tackled everything from self-praise and Afrocentricity to crime, the economy, and other modern struggles. Samples, often from eclectic sources such as world music and film, were also heavily used in golden age hip-hop production — so much so that albums from this era likely wouldn’t receive legal clearance for release today. Golden age icons De La Soul borrowed from The Turtles and Steely Dan while A Tribe Called Quest sought inspiration from jazz styles.

1983 – 2000

the Conscious Wave

“What I really wanted to do was…something that would expand hip-hop and not limit it.”
— Common, MTV

While new school and golden era hip hop artists savored their mainstream successes, conscious rappers worked on a style that was counter to the genre’s more commercially popular forms. Continuing to experiment with sampling and other production techniques, these artists used music to express their views on a wide variety of topics including race, politics, poverty, and the environment.

Nas’ Illmatic and Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt are personal narratives about growing up in and hustling out of poverty-stricken urban neighborhoods, while Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s collaborative Black Star forgoes ’90s gangsta rap tropes and dives into a celebration and examination of Blackness.

In contrast to mainstream hip hop’s tendency toward materialistic or violent subject matter, conscious rap was often seen as a more positive form of the genre aimed toward the overall maturation of hip hop’s music and lyrics that encouraged listeners to think critically about the world.

1991 – 1997

The east vs. west

“Whatever your commitment to this music and culture was, somebody has sacrificed their life for it.”
— Journalist Rob Marriott, The Ringer

New York originated the east coast hip-hop style, which is known for its complex, multisyllabic rhymes and hard-hitting beats that call for active listening over dancing. California is the birthplace of West coast hip-hop, which is known for its laid-back, psychedelic G-funk sound. The ’90s saw the release of landmark albums for east and west coast artists, including Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle.

Gangsta rap emerged from the East and West coasts during the latter portion of hip-hop’s golden age. Music from this period was characterized by aggressive, hardcore rap performances and politically charged lyrics that attacked social and racial injustices. Though the style generated plenty of controversy for its artists, gangsta rap was the most lucrative form of hip-hop during the mid-to-late 1990s.

New York and California gave rise to several of hip hop’s most popular and most respected artists, including The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac. But by 1994, the two coasts were locked in a bitter rivalry for stylistic dominance and respect that ultimately culminated in the shooting deaths of Tupac in 1996 and Biggie in 1997.

1990 – 2005

The Rise of Southern Rap

“But it’s like this: the South got something to say, that’s all I got to say.”
— André 3000 at the 1995 Source Awards

Hip-hop’s popularity continued to grow throughout the ’90s and regional styles, particularly southern rap, began to make waves nationally. Southern hip-hop originated from four key cities — Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Memphis.

Houston’s Geto Boys were the first southern hip-hop group to gain mainstream popularity due in part to their hit “Mind Playing Tricks on Me,” which was featured on their 1991 album We Can’t Be Stopped. Texas-bred rappers Pimp C and Bun B of UGK furthered southern rap’s influence in the mainstream through the smash hit “Big Pimpin’” with Jay-Z in 2000.

New Orleans was the birthplace of Master P’s No Limit Records, as well as Ronald “Slim” Williams and Bryan “Birdman” Williams’ Cash Money Records. Throughout the ’90s and ’00s, the labels released records by influential southern artists such as C-Murder, Juvenile, Mystikal, 504 Boyz, and Lil Wayne.

While Atlanta is regarded as hip hop’s current cultural center, this wasn’t always the case. The city’s artists had to fight for recognition from industry heavyweights on both the East and West coasts. When OutKast won the 1995 Source Award for Best New Artist after the release of their debut, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, they were booed during their acceptance speech. Atlanta rapper T.I. later noted that André 3000’s response to this moment was when “the industry began to take southern rap seriously.”

1997 – 2006

The
Bling Era

“Bling bling, I know / And did you know I’m the creator of the term?”
— Lil Wayne on OutKast’s “Hollywood Divorce”

Hip hop’s bling era brought forth a regression of sorts to the genre’s old school forms. Music from this era placed a greater emphasis on beats rather than lyrics, and lyrics from bling-era songs often focused on braggadocio and materialism. Bling era production was more sophisticated, however, and included tight, R&B-styled hooks delivered by popular singers Ashanti, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez, as well as pop and soul samples from the ’70s and ’80s.

This era marked a time of great commercial success for rap and its artists, many of whom found themselves topping the charts throughout the decade. Golden era artists remained important figures in hip-hop during this period such as Dr. Dre, who went on to executive produce 50 Cent’s debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

The advent of alternative distribution channels and rise of online piracy led to a decline in album sales, effectively ending hip-hop’s album era and ushering in the beginning of digital downloads and music streaming.

2004 – Present

The Conscious Resurgence

“It’s got to be real, it’s got to be my story. It’s got to be some s**t that not only I feel, but everybody else can feel.”
— Kendrick Lamar, Billboard

Conscious hip-hop reared its head again in the mid-2000s, this time in response to the materialism that defined the bling era. Rappers looking to return to the tradition of rhyming about emotions and personal life experiences gained traction with new audiences who had a renewed interest in independent artists. Those operating in this niche also benefited from the use of the internet for music consumption and promotion during this period.

Although conscious hip-hop’s pioneers made it possible for artists to craft identities around socially conscious themes, some of the subgenre’s artists are the biggest names in hip-hop today. Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City chronicles his experience growing up in Compton, California against a backdrop of disenfranchisement, violence, and brutality.

2006 – 2014

The
Blog Era

“We were just going to put out music we enjoy…the next month we got 25,000 hits.”
— 2DopeBoyz co-founder Meka Udoh, Revolt

As the internet created new music distribution channels and record sales began to decline, emerging artists started using new tools to promote their releases and find new audiences for their music. At the start of what came to be known as the blog era, Atlanta-based rapper Soulja Boy became one of the first artists to harness the power of the internet for music promotion. Using social media sites like MySpace and online video services like YouTube and UStream, Soulja Boy effectively marketed his way into a viral hit with “Crank That (Soulja Boy).”

During the blog era, music blogs and social media became crucial pathways that allowed artists to reach newer, younger, and wider audiences. Musically, hip-hop began to take a more melodic direction during this period.

The blog era removed barriers to entry into the music industry for many new artists at the start of their careers, including Drake, J. Cole, and Nicki Minaj, by allowing them to self-publish their songs and offer their projects as free digital downloads.

2006 – Present

The Alternative Revival

“I know you’re seething and angry. ‘Ugh, no one listens to that album.’ These arena tours that are selling out says different.”
— Tyler, the Creator on winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Billboard

While hip-hop artists have always worked in a range of styles that didn’t fit the mainstream, alternative hip-hop reached a critical mass of practitioners in the wake of the blog era. Alternative artists pushed hip hop’s boundaries, shrugging off the genre’s traditional forms and blurring the lines between funk, pop, rock, jazz, soul, and reggae styles. Fueled by listeners’ interest in independent artists and the diversification of music distribution channels, alternative hip-hop became increasingly experimental.

Despite this, artists and albums from this era have found acceptance and acclaim from far-reaching audiences, including Tyler, the Creator’s horrorcore debut Goblin and Tierra Whack’s offbeat collection of one-minute tracks on her debut project Whack World.

2014 – Present

The Rise of Trap

“We’re the pop stars. Trap rap is pop now.”
— 2 Chainz, Rolling Stone

Trap music originated in Atlanta, and since the early 2000s, has grown to become a global phenomenon. Trap’s production style uses synthesized drums, complex hi-hat patterns, and very few instruments to create its distinctive sound. Since 2014, trap has dominated the Billboard charts and a range of artists working in the style — Fetty Wap, Rae Sremmurd, Cardi B, and more — have released chart-topping singles. Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” spent 30 weeks at No 1. on the Hot 100, becoming the first hip hop song to top the chart for such a long period.

Trap has influenced other genres, including pop, K-pop, contemporary R&B, reggaeton, and música urbana. Throughout the 2010s, pop singers Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and Ariana Grande utilized trap production in their releases. Trap music’s popularity led to continued growth for the genre and in 2018, hip-hop surpassed rock as the most popular form of music for the first time.