What’s good, Hip Hop History community: HP here with a hefty challenge today! Back when hip-hop was in its infancy, it wasn’t about the MC, but the DJ. They were the crate diggers, the beat makers, the innovators- unmatched on … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 14:Endtroducing..

Hey there! So here it is, Monday- a new week, new challenges, new convos, new discoveries, etc. Let’s go ahead and get this part over with- of COURSE Sean ‘Puff Daddy/P Diddy/w/e’ Combs did not invent the remix! Did he … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 13: You’re all I need to get by

Hello, Hip Hip History Month readers/contributors/community members/interested lurkers! A dozen days, a dozen and more ways to pay tribute to a cultural force that has shaped popular culture around the world for half a damn century! In a way, today … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 12: Who but us, to supply ya with the fire

Good morning, good afternoon, happy weekend, etc! HP in the building, sipping coffee and thinking about another element of hip hop music that is integral to our enjoyment of the genre, to the culture, and to the artistry of the … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 11: La-di-da-di, we like to party

Here we are, Hip Hop fans, neophytes, and everyone in between- Day 10! I hope you all have been as excited and moved as I’ve been at this challenge thus far. Big up to everyone reading, everyone posting, and everyone … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 10: I let my tape rock ’til my tape popped

What’s good, Hip Hip History fans/community! Today we’re here to celebrate one of the foundational aspects of hip hop music- the sample. Now, we’ve talked about beats, and producers, but today is for the sample. Of course many beats *are* … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 9: Funky Drummer

Hello Hip Hop enthusiasts, neophytes, and everything in between! HP here with more of a question than a theme/topic/category today. I’m sure that for most of us, music occupies an important space in our lives. A lot of us have … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 8: All I need is one mic

Hey there, Hip Hop Challengers! Today is beat day. Take it from me, a non-expert- many of the legendary hip hop DJs who were true pioneers of the genre crafted beats for MCs with drum machines, or by skillfully manipulating … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 6: Bring that beat back!

What’s good Hip Hop Challengers! Today’s challenge acknowledges the global reach of rap and hip hop. We know that hip hop started as a way to give voice to the voiceless in a Bronx neighborhood that struggled in the midst … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 5: East Coast, West Coast, worldwide

What’s good, Avocado Hip Hop challengers! Today is TURN UP TIME *airhorn noises* Many of us have heard hip hop and rap songs over the years that have amped up the energy, motivated us, got our heads nodding, made us … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 4: Shake what ya mama gave ya

Ok, Hip Hop History Month Avocado community, it’s Day 3! Today, we want…Beat Switches! What’s a beat switch? For many hip hop fans, it’s a ‘I know when I hear it’ kind of thing. They aren’t native to rap/hip hop … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 3: Now the question I ask you is, ‘How bad you wanna know?’

Hi Avocado community! Today’s challenge-hit us with a posse cut! Now, just so we’re all on the same page about what a ‘posse cut’ is, the quick definition is that it’s a popular ‘form’ of song in hip hop. A … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 2: Here we go, yo/Here we go, yo

What’s good, Avocados? HP here at the beginning of a 30 day journey that will hopefully bring out a lot of the amazing positivity that went around this summer during our celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop, found … Continue reading 30 Day National Hip Hop History Month Challenge Day 1: We shall..Proceed, and continue to rock the mic