Some of your fave artists today wouldn't be making the music you love if it weren't for some pioneering musicians before them. Eminem's controversial rap lyrics wouldn't have a home in the music industry without these peeps. Check 'em out!
*Heads Up* If you plan on picking up a few of these albums you should know that some of the songs, on a few of the albums, may contain the occasional naughty word. We're not talking about their generation, maybe it'll help! Also, some of these discs are available in clean versions.
Pioneers of Hip Hop - Grandmaster Flash 512l6a
In the late '70s, a teenager growing up in the Bronx started to develop a brand new genre of music. He would soon become known as Grandmaster Flash like The Message, White Lines and The Roof is on Fire.
Pioneers of Hip Hop - Run-D.M.C. 4870r
Before they had even graduated high school, Joseph Simmons (AKA Run) and Darryl McDaniels (AKA D.M.C.), were on their way to becoming some of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time. When they graduated Aerosmith's Walk This Way. Along with Run's brother, Russell Simmons (who co-founded Def Jam Records), Run-D.M.C. helped to pave the way for many hip-hop artists to come. Unfortunately for hip hop fans everywhere, Jam Master Jay was shot and killed in a recording studio in Queens in 2002.
Pioneers of Hip Hop - Public Enemy 3v556x
Following in the footsteps of Run-D.M.C., Public Enemy was formed by rapper and DJ, Chuck D in 1982. Tired of not being represented by the media, Chuck D and his sidekick Flava Flav, used their music to bring awareness to issues in powerful lyrics, where as Flava Flav is probably best known for wearing a giant clock around his neck at all times.
Keep reading about the Pioneers of Hip Hop right here!