The origin of the phrase "hip-hop" is unknown but a very old example of the phrase appears in scene II of an anonymously written satirical play from 1671 called The Rehearsal (play) thought to be written by … See more

Musical genres from which hip hop developed include funk, blues, jazz and rhythm and blues recordings from the 1960s, 1950s, and earlier, including several records by Bo Diddley and gospel group The Jubalaires, … See more

The earliest hip hop music was performed live, at house parties and block party events, and it was not recorded. Prior to 1979, recorded hip hop music consisted mainly of PA system soundboard recordings of live part… See more

Hip hop's "golden age" (or "golden era") is a name given to a period in mainstream hip hop, produced between the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s, which is characterized by its diversity, quality, innovation and influence. There wer… See more

During the late 1990s, in the wake of the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., a new commercial sound emerged in the hip hop scene, sometimes referred to as the "bling era" (derived from Lil Wayne's "… See more