If the 1970s was the decade when rap music was born, then the 1980s is when it came of age. Listening to the genre through the years and you can hear it grow. If you fast-forwarded through songs from ...

The 1980s was a great decade for rap. This is no skips: three rap albums from the 1980s you'll never have to fast-forward.

DJ Polo, best known as half of the prominent 1980s rap duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, died on Saturday, July 27. He was 63. “It is with a heavy heart we mourn the loss of my father, the incredible DJ Polo, ...

Mark Howard James, the beatmaker best known as the 45 King, has died, James’ manager, Paul Martinez, confirmed to Pitchfork. The Bronx native started producing in the mid-1980s as hip-hop seemed to ...

Unsung on cable’s TV One will chronicle the musical contributions of Whodini, the 1980s rap group made famous for its chart-topping hit, “The Freaks Come Out at Night.” The group scored several ...

We need to say this, Ice-T is Hip Hop. Period. Recently, fans were taken on a trip back in time this week when vintage footage of Ice-T breakdancing in 1983 began making the rounds online. The clip, ...

Music Black Thought Names His Top 5 Rappers, Says It ‘Has Always Revolved Around My Foundation' The Roots leader looked to 1980s hip-hop pioneers as the "foundation" of his dexterous wordplay.

New books collecting objects central to rap’s physical history demonstrate the importance of celebrating these relics before they vanish. Credit... Supported by By Jon Caramanica For the last year, ...

Hip hop has never been just one sound — it’s a collection of styles that grew from the streets into global movements. From the simple rhymes of Old Skool Rap to the raw edge of Hardcore and Gangsta ...