Summary
Hip-hop, a musical movement started by inner-city teens and young people, began in the Bronx, New York, more than 50 years ago. During that time, the South Bronx was ravaged by poverty and years of raging fires. But nothing could extinguish the creativity and will of the people. Follow hip-hop’s humble beginnings at a 1973 back-to-school party to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry, influencing popular culture around the world. Four elements have formed the foundation of hip-hop—rapping, DJing, breakdancing, and graffiti. Pioneering DJs like Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Marley Marl informed, changed, and expanded the culture through their expansive innovations. Find out what “the break” is, what sampling is, and how both helped hip-hop to explode. So put on your Adidas, enter the 36 chambers, and press “play”!
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Hip-Hop and Rap:
- What is one new thing you learned about hip-hop and rap?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining hip-hop and rap.
- Draw or give one example of your own.