A seminal Bronx DJ during the 1970s, Afrika Bambaataa ascended to godfather status with Planet Rock, the 1982 hip-hop classic which blended the beats of hip-hop with techno-pop futurism inspired by German pioneers Kraftwerk. Even before he began recording in 1980, Bambaataa was hip-hop's foremost DJ, an organizer and promoter of the large block... [+] Read More

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A Harlem rap ensemble, the Boogie Boys scored one big hit in 1985 with "A Fly Girl," for Capitol, that peaked at number six on the R&B charts. William "Boogie Knight" Stroman, Joe "Romeo J.D." Malloy, and Rudy "Lil' Rahiem" Sheriff comprised the group. But things went downhill after that promising start, and by 1988 Sheriff had left the group.... [+] Read More

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A popular radio personality and rap archivist, Red Alert is known for breaking the careers of many in hip-hop's elite, including Boogie Down Productions, Black Sheep, A Tribe Called Quest, and the Jungle Brothers. Red Alert began his career by working for Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation. After working his way through the ranks and becoming... [+] Read More

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They never had a mainstream hit of their own, but during rap's so-called golden age in the late '80s, Eric B. & Rakim were almost universally recognized as the premier DJ/MC team in all of hip-hop. Not only was their chemistry superb, but individually, each represented the absolute state of the art in their respective skills. Eric B. was... [+] Read More

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DJ Grandmaster Flash and his group the Furious Five were hip-hop's greatest innovators, transcending the genre's party-music origins to explore the full scope of its lyrical and sonic horizons. Flash was born Joseph Saddler in Barbados on January 1, 1958; he began spinning records as teen growing up in the Bronx, performing live at area dances... [+] Read More

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A true showman, Grandmixer D.ST (also known as D.ST and D.XT) was not only one of the most precise DJs and record scratchers of the '80s, but also one of the most entertaining to watch. Re-inventing the normally static stage approach DJs took to their occupation (the job doesn't allow much movement anyway), D.ST transformed the medium with a bag... [+] Read More

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Rudy Pardee, a Cleveland native, and Los Angeles' Chris Wilson formed the L.A. Dream Team in the early '80s. The times were rife with experimentation and the dance-rap hybrid of electro was still a new form -- not yet firmly aligned with dance, with dance itself still capable of embracing hip-hop. Enterprising and resourceful, the duo formed... [+] Read More

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Best-known for his 1988 platinum hip-hop classic "It Takes Two," Rob Base (with DJ E-Z Rock) rode his hit onto R&B radio stations as well as dance clubs, providing a touchstone for the style known as hip-house. After leaping several hurdles -- vicious rumors about his personal life plus the legal action of Maze's Frankie Beverly after Base... [+] Read More

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Spoonie Gee was the nephew of veteran R&B producer Bobby Robinson and one of the earliest rap artists. He was known as the "love rapper," an image that was established by his first record, "Love Rap," released on his uncle's Enjoy label as the flip side of the Treacherous Three's "The New Rap Language." The bulk of early rap records reproduced... [+] Read More

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The forerunner to Club Nouveau, the Timex Social Club had one huge hit in 1986, the R&B chart-topper "Rumors." It peaked at number eight pop, and featured Michael Marshall's vocals. The two follow-up singles, "Thinkin' About Ya" and "Mixed Up World," both made the R&B Top 20, but producer Jay King shortly afterward formed his own band, Club... [+] Read More

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