In 1982, Grandmaster Flash, a DJ who was instrumental in the development of rap in the 1970s, released a record titled "The Message." This song transcended rap's party roots, addressing poverty, drug addiction, urban decay, and their psychological effects on largely black inner-city populations. Later generations of rappers would use the form to write songs protesting police brutality, politics, and the troubled history of black America. This tendency resulted eventually in the idiom known as "gangsta rap," an aggressive and outspoken music that became a political lightning rod in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In the late 1980s, artists such as Terminator X (of Public Enemy) and Eric B. (of Eric B. and Rakim) began to use digital sampling technology along with their turntables and drum machines to create dense, multilayered works of sonic collage, an approach that has not only influenced popular music but has also found a voice in avant-garde and experimental music around the world.

Rap and the related contemporary musics influenced by these styles combine the global history of black musical culture with political and social concerns. Consequently, these styles have become fertile ground for critics and authors. The CBMR possesses numerous reference works, articles, and periodicals on rap, hip-hop, and other contemporary black musics and encourages further inquiry into these still-evolving styles.

The most popular new music to emerge from the 1980's was rap music. Rap music is a form of popular music that is generally spoken or chanted at a fast pace rather than sung. Rap is performed over musical accompaniment that emphasizes rhythm rather than melody. Often this accompaniment consists of short segments of earlier recorded music combined in new patterns.

Rap music first developed in the mid 1970's in New York City, and soon in other urban areas, primarily among African American teen-agers. The style soon spread throughout the United States and much of the world. Some critics believe rap replaced rock music as the creative force in music of the 1980's and 1990's. But the lyrics of some rap songs have caused controversy. Critics have charged that such lyrics promote racism and violence and show contempt for women.

Roots of rap

The biggest inspiration for rap came from disc jockeys in Jamaica who would talk, or toast, over recorded music they played in clubs. The style, known as dub, produced popular records that featured disc jockeys talking over instrumental backing and electronic effects. A Jamaican-born disc jockey known as DJ Kool Herc is often credited with introducing rap into New York City. He and other disc jockeys used records playing on two turntables, switching rapidly from one to the other to mix and match beats between two songs.

The first rap hit was "Rapper's Delight" (1979) by the Sugar Hill Gang. "The Breaks" (1980) by Kurtis Blow helped to spread rap's popularity among a wider audience. Much early rap was primarily concerned with a dance and party spirit. However, "The Message" (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five took a harder look at social issues in its portrayal of black inner-city life. Acts such as Public Enemy and Ice Cube have popularized styles of rap that are even more militant and radical. A style known as gangster rap or gangsta rap has emphasized gunplay and other outlaw aspects of urban life. Popular rappers have included Hammer, Dr. Dre, Ice-T, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, and Arrested Development.

Information provided by The Center for Black Music Research