THE GOLDEN AGE OF

RAP (1986-1996)

After hip-hop’s “old school era” (1979 to 1985), rap moved into the “golden age” (from 1986 to 1996).

HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM

The golden era of rap had many contradictions (political messages, gangsta’ rap, degrading to women, feminist, homophobic, materialistic).

HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM

The first women rappers to achieve success were Salt N’ Pepa who went double platinum (2 million sold) in 1986.

HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM

MTV initially refused to feature black artists, but began to broadcast rap music, including the show “Yo! MTV Raps!” in 1989.

HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM

HIP-HOP and RAP GO MAINSTREAM AZ 2 Live Crew 3rd Bass Above the Law A Tribe Called Quest Beastie Boys Big Daddy Kane Big L Biz Markie Black Sheep Bone Thugs-n-

Harmony Boogie Down

Productions Boot Camp Clik Brand Nubian Common Cypress Hill Das EFX De La Soul Digable Planets Digital Underground The D.O.C. Doug E. Fresh Dr. Dre DJ Jazzy Jeff & The

Fresh Prince DJ Quik

Eazy-E EPMD Eric B. & Rakim Gang Starr Geto Boys Heavy D & The

Boyz Ice Cube Ice T Jungle Brothers Kid Frost Kool G Rap & DJ

Polo Kool Moe Dee KRS-One LL Cool J Lord Finesse Lords of the

Underground Main Source Masta Ace Mobb Deep

MC Lyte MC Ren MC Shan Nas Naughty by Nature The Notorious B.I.G. N.W.A. Onyx Organized

Konfusion Pete Rock & CL

Smooth Public Enemy Queen Latifah Redman Rob Base and DJ E-Z

Rock Run-D.M.C. Salt-N-Pepa Slick Rick Special Ed Stetsasonic The Pharcyde Too $hort Tupac Shakur Ultramagnetic MCs Wu-Tang Clan

Los Angeles joined New York City as a major source of rap.

Artists like N.W.A. (Niggaz Wit’ Attitude) and Run DMZ made records documenting life in the ‘hood and saw themselves as “underground reporters.”

THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP

West Coast rappers specialized in criminal-minded, violence, and woman-beating, earning the name of “gangsta’ rap.”

In 1986, Ice-T released "6 in the Mornin”, which is often regarded as the first gangsta rap song.

THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP

N.W.A released their debut studio album, Straight Outta Compton, in 1988.

THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP

Their songs "Straight Outta Compton,” “Fuck tha Police,” and “Gangsta Gangsta" painted the view of inner-city youth and protested against police brutality.

THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP

THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP

“Straight Outta’ Compton”

Movies about inner-city life in the ‘hood such as New Jack City, Boyz in the Hood, and Menace to Society appealed to black, Latino, and whites.

THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP

“Menace to Society”

THE BIRTH of GANGSTA RAP

In the mid-1990s, the competition between East Coast and West Coast rap turned violent with fights and murders.

THE DEATH of the GOLDEN AGE

The 1996 drive-by shooting death of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. in 1997, ended rap’s golden age.

THE DEATH of the GOLDEN AGE

As gangsta rap’s most influential star, Tupac symbolized the many contradictions of hip-hop culture (thug life, sexual abuse of women, and awareness to black issues).

THE DEATH of the GOLDEN AGE

Billboard Magazine found that since 2000, rap sales dropped 44%. Some argue that young people are fed up with the violence, degrading imagery and lyrics.

THE DEATH of the GOLDEN AGE