Diego Vazquez Gomez Bertelli

Prof. Fritzlyn Hector

Hip Hop History Assignment

1). List three historical facts about hip hop between 1970-1985

On August 11th, 1973, DJ Kool Herc ignites a cultural revolution by placing two copies of ​Sex
Machine​ by James Brown on the turntables and extends the break by “mixing” the two breaks
together. This event is widely considered to be the birth of Hip Hop.

On November 12th, 1977, Afrika Bambaataa officially forms his group, the Universal Zulu
Nation (now renamed the Zulu Nation), which consists of hip hop artists and influencers who
were politically and socially involved.

On September 27th, 1980, Kurtis Blow fans the flame started by Herc and Afrika as the first
rapper to perform on national television on the popular show, “Soul Train”.

2). What were the local economic and political conditions of the urban communities in New
York City during the 1970’s & 1980’s? Be specific.

During the 70’s and 80’s, New York City suffered a violent reputation and was widely
considered unsafe and dangerous. In 1975 the city underwent a fiscal crisis since NYC had run
out of money to cover norma operating expenses. In 1977, the infamous New York City
Blackout rattled Black and Hispanic communities in the city after severe looting and criminal
activity lasting over a day. The 80’s brought an era of optimism for the city as money was
invested in the city’s infrastructure, but gentrification processes began to affect minorities in
urban communities. The economic crisis finally ended in 1981 and in 1989, David Dinkins
became the first African-American mayor of New York City.

3). Who is: Clive Campbell? Keith Wiggins? Joseph Saddler? Kevin Donovan? Why are
the significant? What did they do? Include their “other” names.

Clive Campbell is also known as DJ Kool Herc and is honored with the title, “Father of Hip
Hop.” His spinning techniques layed the blueprint for Hip Hop music and dance and he coined
much of the basic terminology we still hear today.

Keith Wiggins left his imprint on Hip Hop culture by actually christening the cultural movement
“Hip Hop,” inspired by his military friend’s scatting impression of marching soldiers. He is also
known by his stage name, Keef Cowboy.
Kevin Donovan was so invested in African history and culture that he donned the name Afrika
Bambaataa Aasim, which is Zulu for “affectionate leader.” He is the founder of the Zulu Nation
and advocated hip hop culture as an alternative to gang violence, having been a member of the
Black Spades gang prior to Herc’s influence.

Joseph Saddler was better known as Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five’s iconic DJ,
G-Flash himself. He is credited for innovative DJing techniques such as scratching, backspin
technique, and punch phrasing, and his group was the first Hip Hop group to be inducted in the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

4). What is the “SOUL TRAIN”? Why was it important in black culture and how did it
contribute to hip hop dance?

“Soul Train” is a music and dance series created by Don Cornelius in the 70’s. Cornelius’
signature tagline “I’m Don Cornelius… and we wish you peace, love, and soul,” became a
popular mantra in the African American community. The show also dedicated it’s efforts to
showcasing and exposing the talent within the African American community. The show was also
known for fostering the beginnings of the Hip Hop movement on national television with guest
appearances by artists such as Kurtis Blow and the Sugarhill Gang.

5). What did the Mop Top Crew do? Why are they significant in regards to hip hop dance
and culture? Name three of the member.

The Mop Top Crew, formed in 1991, originally consisted of Link, Caleaf, Ejoe, and Stretch.
They essentially invented improvised Hip Hop dance and broadened the Hip Hop vernacular.