January-HH50-DailyFacts BET Hip Hop 50 Daily Facts January

In 1967, The Watts Prophets, birthed from the Watts Rebellion, released The Black Voices: On the Streets in Watts 1969 and Rappin’ Black in a White World 1971—albums combining jazz and spoken-word.

JANUARY 1

The Last Poets, considered a predecessor to rap music as part of the Black Arts Movement, released their spoken word album " The Last Poets" in 1970.

JANUARY 2

In 1971, Baby Huey and The Babysitters released The Baby Huey Story. "Hard Times" on that album has been sampled by many, John Legend and The Roots covered "Hard Times" for their 2010 album Wake Up!

JANUARY 3

On August 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc and a friend hosted a back-to-school party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, New York, marking the day Hip Hop was born.

JANUARY 4

In 1973, Coke La Rock was the first rapper in hip-hop history. Coining "You rock and you don't stop" and "Hotel, motel, you don't tell, we won't tell” his raps started as shout-outs and grew into poetry.

JANUARY 5

In 1975, Grandmaster Flash invents a new method at the turn tables by connecting two songs during their beat breaks.

JANUARY 6

In 1977, New York City had a 24-hour blackout which led to looting in neglected neighborhoods—giving DJs access to equipment and enabling those who couldn’t afford turntables and mixers to become DJs.

JANUARY 8

1978-Lovebug Starski and Keith "Cowboy" Wiggins, credited with coining the term "hip-hop" at a farewell party for an Army-bound friend.

JANUARY 11

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 10

1979–The Fatback Band released "King Tim III (Personality Jock)” on March 25, before “'Rapper's Delight”, making it the first commercially released hip-hop song.

JANUARY 9

In 1979, Sugarhill Gang released hip-hop's first commercially successful hit, "Rapper's Delight".

JANUARY 12

1979-New Jersey radio station WHBI airs Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack on Saturday evenings. The late night radio show was major in establishing hip-hop in the nation’s largest media market.

JANUARY 13

In 1979, Wendy Clark also known as Lady B, one of the first prominent hip-hop rap artists, released “To the Beat, Y’all” displaying the 18-year-old's confident and slick rhymes over a slippery groove.

JANUARY 14

Funky 4+1 More, formed in 1979, was one of the first groups to sign a record deal with Enjoy Records and to have a female MC, Sha-Rock aka Sharon Green.

JANUARY 15

Zulu Nation the first hip-hop organization was founded in 1977 by Bronx DJ Afrikka Bambatta–he preached the elements of hip-hop: deejaying, graffiti, emceeing, b-boying, and knowledge.

JANUARY 16

Rock Steady Crew, one of the most influential b-boy dance groups in hip-hop histroy, present, and worldwide, was formed in 1977 in the Bronx by Jo Jo and Jimmy D–Richard “Crazy Legs” Colón joined later.

JANUARY 17

In 1975, DJ Grand Wizzard Theodore, innovator of scratching and the needle drop, lifted the needle and dropped it on other parts of a song, shifting direction and rhythm to meet the energy of the crowd.

JANUARY 18

Treacherous Three, formed in 1978 and consisting of DJ Easy Lee, Kool Moe Dee, L.A. Sunshine, Special K and Spoonie Gee, debuted an innovative fast-paced style.

JANUARY 19

In 1980, Grandwizzard Theodore & the Fantastic Five released "Can I Get A Soul Clap", where five MCs rapped to Grandwizzard Theodore's rhythm forward scratching.

JANUARY 20

In 1981, Funky 4 + 1 More was invited to perform on “SNL” by Blondie's Deborah Harry who hosted. She introduced them to America as some of "the best street rappers in the country."

JANUARY 21

In 1981, the duo Disco Daddy & Captain Rapp, considered one of the pioneering rap groups on the West Coast released “Gigolo Rapp”.

JANUARY 22

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 23

At age 14, Big Daddy Kane, already a fierce competitor, tried to go up against Kool Moe Dee who was considered the battle rap king.

JANUARY 24

Grandmaster Flash innovates “mixing”--manually installing a crossfader button that slides from side-to-side, he was able to listen to a song before playing it, allowing songs to overlap and connect.

JANUARY 27

In 1979, Grandmaster Flash recruited Keith "Cowboy" Wiggins, Melvin "Melle Mel", and Nathaniel "Kid Creole" Glover--The 3 MCs.Guy "Raheim" Williams and Eddie "Scorpio" Morris joined later, creating Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

JANUARY 26

In 1977, Russell "Rush" Simmons moved the Force to Queens and Kool DJ Kurt began rapping as “Kurtis Blow”. Simmon’s kid brother, Joey, began deejaying as “DJ Run the Son of Kurtis Blow.”

JANUARY 25

In 1986, Run DMC released "Walk this Way", reviving rock band Aerosmith's 1976 song. This genre merging hit had been long in the works, Run had been rapping over the Aerosmith track since he was 12.

JANUARY 31

In 1982, Spike Lee directed Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s music video for the single “White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It), a social commentary on cocaine addiction, it featured Larry Fishburne.

JANUARY 30

In 1982, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five released 'The Message'–expanding hip-hop's party-oriented tracks to cultural criticism with lyrics that shed light on the realities of inner-city life.

JANUARY 29

In 1980, Treacherous Three, credited with innovating intricate rhyme patterns, released the single "The New Rap Language". It incorporated a new style of rapping, dubbed "speed-rapping."

JANUARY 28

In 1975, DJ Hollywood put the lyrics of Isaac Hayes's "Good Love 6-9969" over the breakdown on MFSB's "Love is the Message". Rhyming in syncopation he connected rhyme-patterns into a continuous "flow".

JANUARY 7

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