Presented by Lexus, proud supporter of Black Music Month, this episode concentrates on the 1990s and the rise of hip-hop as a dominant force in the music industry. We will explore the era of Golden Age Hip-Hop, the emergence of influential record labels, dance and the genre’s increasing presence on Billboard charts. From fashion to rivalries, we cover it all.
Gail Mitchell:
The ’90s represented a crucial chapter in the rise of hip-hop. A lot of people refer to it as the Golden Age of Hip-Hop.
Laurieann Gibson:
We were celebrating the art form, the dance, the fashion, the family aspect, the records. There was such a pride
Yo-Yo:
Hip-hop was really starting to make an impact. Let’s talk about the golden era, the ’90s I mean, the rise of hip-hop. Hip-hop was really starting to make an impact.
Dyana Williams:
We’re getting artists that are taking it to another level.
Catrise Johnson:
’90s hip-hop was filled with some of the most iconic East and West Coast founding fathers like Tupac, Biggie, Nas, Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre.
Trevor Anderson:
During the 1990s, some of the most popular acts, certainly Tupac and Biggie really representing that East Coast-West Coast rivalry, both of them really playing out on the rivalry in the streets and in their songs, but on the charts as well. Both of them had No. 1 hits on the Hot 100. Both of them were charting many top five, top 10 tracks. So those were definitely two of the big pillars of the 1990s. You also had artists come through like, of course, Jay Z, by the decade’s end, LL Cool J.
Duane “DaRock” Ramos:
Naughty by Nature, they had crowd participation. People wanted to be told what to do. “Put your hands in the air, say yeah,” and they do it.
