A Review Of The Golden Age Of Hip Hop

By Matthew Barnes


When discussing things that transpired during the late 1980s and at the turn of the 1990s, many topics come to the fore. For those passionate about the history of music, however, the era is synonymous with the golden age of hip hop. It is well known as a time when some of the best rappers the industry has ever seen came to light.

Some albums released during the age continue to receive lots of airplay on TV and radio stations today. During the era, majority of musicians doing mainstream music were based at the heart of New York City. The diversity of the genre gave birth to a refreshing feel to modern music.

A large number of artists came into the fold at the time. They include Public Enemy, Slick Rick, Beastie Boys, the Jungle Brothers and LL Cool J among others. The albums they released remained top of the billboard charts for weeks on end and defined the way future generations embraced rap music. When the 90s drew to a close, artists like Eminem and Dr. Dre picked up the mantle.

Most enthusiasts of music credit the era for the innovative contribution it has had in mainstream music. Every hit produced back then was refreshing and offered new perspective. Unlike the lengthy periods of inactivity that many artists take their fans through today, past artists churned hits with every passing month.

The innovation brought about by the music genre also brought change to the beats and messages delivered in lyrics. Artists started to infuse faster rhymes and beats in their works. This was made possible with advancement in production technology. Many black rappers also infused anti racism messages in their hits.

A unique thing about the period is the heavy sampling that many producers did. Different types of beats, riffs and patterns were created fast. This bred music producers and DJs who could work at home with little equipment. The sampling that was prevalent in hip hop was largely dependent on rock n roll, jazz, soul and funk beats.

The high volume of beats being sampled also created rapid changes in rapping techniques. Artists like Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, KRS One and Chuck D infused new styles that gained the adoration of fans. They were later to be credited as phenomenal by leading music pundits. With enhanced creativity, fans hand virtually nothing to complain about.

As much as some artists dwelled on self gratification in their lyrics, many covered social protest. Socially contentious issues that got addressed include crime, domestic violence, politics, drug abuse, culture and religion. These messages drew the attention of the world to the genre.

The large scale sampling that producers did gradually gave rise to lawsuits. Record labels began to file copyright suits against each other. Eventually, producers embraced the spirit of uniqueness, creativity and innovation.

Most hits released nowadays can be tied to the effects of the era. Despite the messages of self gratification that artists focus on today, social issues still need to be covered. Uplifting messages can positively impact the society.




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