Origins of Hip-Hop

The Crew

The four elements of hip-hop, the DJ, the breaker, the MC, and the graffiti writer, are not only pillars of the culture but crucial components of the original hip-hop cre

Roots of the Rhyme

Hip-hop was not born in a day. In fact, its influences go way back to the first spoken word poets and original storytellers of the times. In this episode, The Godfather o

Industry Rule #4080

As hip-hop began to spread its wings in the 70s and 80s, breaking into mainstream media was the logical next step. Getting a record deal and radio play was the goal for m

The Chain

The gold chain has been a statement piece in music for decades, from the disco era to the days of funk and soul. When artists like Run DMC and Kurtis Blow started flaunti

Coast to Coast And Around The World

Hip-Hop began in the Bronx but quickly spread across the country and the world. In this episode, Davey D and Jeff Chang are back to talk about the spread of hip-hop from

Hip-Hop As Social Justice

Just as Motown influenced the Civil Rights Movement, hip-hop has been a tool for resistance against the ruling class in The Bronx and worldwide. In this episode, Dr. Ebon

The High

Mind-altering substances have always had an influence on popular culture and music, but for hip-hop it wasn’t just in the music. In the late ‘70s and ‘80s drugs were in c

Hip-Hop As Therapy

Hip-hop has been called many things: a culture, a religion, and a way of life. For the people of the Bronx in the ‘70s, hip-hop was a place to belong and a place of refug

The Turntable

In the fundamentals of hip-hop, the DJ is number one. From the first party DJ Kool Herc played in the Bronx to the innovative two-turntable genius of Grandmaster Flash, t

The OJ Car Service

In this very first episode of Origins of Hip-Hop host Grandmaster Caz sits down with legendary MC Sha Rock and renowned journalist Davey D. to talk about the influential

Introducing Origins of Hip-Hop

Hosted by renowned MC and founding father of hip-hop Grandmaster Caz, A&E’s Origins of Hip-Hop reveals the true stories of the people and places that ignited a global cul