Today we celebrate one of the most influential genres to ever grace the world of music-- Hip-Hop. Born at a birthday party in the rec room of an apartment building in The Bronx, New York City on August 11, 1973 -- Hip-Hop's cultural impact is still growing and rising to new heights as one of the most influential musical art forms.
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From the music, to the clothes, to the way we talk, Hip-Hop has single handedly influenced every part of our culture.
Hip-Hop was more than just scratching records on a turntable and controlling the crowd. "Think about those who didn't have access to turntables or didn't know how to MC but still wanted to be a part of the Hip-Hop culture that was suddenly developing, they had to forge their path somehow," Grandwizard Theodore once said.
As we celebrate today, it's important to remember how far Hip-Hop has come, when you couldn't just turn on your radio to listen to a Hip-Hop record, you had to get ahold of someone's cassette tape. Until "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang hit the mainstream and the game had been changed forever. "'Rapper's Delight,' pushed an underground culture into a commercial art," Master Gee , of The Sugarhill Gang said.
But where did the term Hip-Hop come from? Hip-Hop historian Rich Nice explained it as this: "The beginning of the term Hip-Hop, Lovebug Startski and Keef Cowboy and part of the conversation is, they had a friend that was leaving for the services," mocking the historical military marching song and mirroring the "left-left-left-right-left" cadence they came up with hip-hop-hip and it eventually took off.
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The term became recognized in 1982 when the Village Voice published an article using Hip-Hop, this was "the first time Hip-Hop was used in a major media publication."
Yet, it was in 1981 that an MC would perform on national television on Saturday Night Live. The group was Funky Four Plus One and a part of this group was one of the first female MCs– Sha-Rock, only 19 at the time she was considered the "mother of the mic."
Keeping with the theme of firsts, McDaniels spoke on the formation of the rap group, Run DMC and being one of the first rap groups to secure an endorsement deal with a major brand.
After performing their legendary song, "My Adidas," an Adidas executive realized the potential and Run DMC secured a $1 million deal. "We fought so hard to get any kind of recognition from big corporations back then. There is no artist-sneaker deal without Run DMC," Big Tigger said, recalling this monumental event.
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Also sharing his own memorable Hip-Hop moment, Big Tigger recalled his favorite concert experience — Run-D.M.C.'s Raising Hell Tour. "I remember I danced the whole time, I partied the whole time, I rapped along the whole time… The entire time there was no sitting, there was dancing and rapping, that's all there was to it the entire show, and yelling, it was amazing."
Big Tigger is among many of those we consider Hip-Hop Historians, aside from being the host of The Big Tigger Morning Show, he got his start as an intern for WPGC-FM in 1993. The very next year he landed his first radio show. His hard work and extensive career landed him the host position of 106 & Park and Rap City, the longest-running national Hip-Hop television show.
In addition to Tigger, we also have to recognize Greg Street. A true neighborhood hero, through his impact on Hip-Hop and his philanthropic efforts to every community he's worked in Greg Street is Hip-Hop. He once said "I didn't fall in love with Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop fell in love with me." Greg has been credited for coming up with the idea of Outkast's double solo album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. He has been named BET's Power 30, XXL Magazine's Top 50 Greatest DJs, and Complex's Top 20 Celebrity Sneakerheads.
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Make sure to join us today and tomorrow for a special countdown on air of the Top 50 Hip-Hop Songs of All Time.
