To celebrate Black History Month 2025, let's explore the origins of Hip-Hop. In the 1970s, the Bronx streets were alive with a new, unnamed sound waiting to be discovered. It all began with a party called "Back to School Jam.” DJ Kool Herc who was throwing an event for his sister would unknowingly create a cultural revolution. Born in Jamaica, Herc embraced Black American music. As James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and the Isley Brothers blasted through the speakers, young people danced with pure joy, not knowing they were witnessing the birth of something extraordinary.

As a former City of New York (CUNY) professor, I often had conversations with my students who loved Hip-Hop. I learned about DJ Kool Herc's new style of playing records. He'd lift the needle and manipulate the record with his finger to create unique sounds. DJs across New York City quickly copied this way of playing records. This moment—August 11, 1973—marked the birth of hip-hop. While the genre started as entertainment, it evolved into something more profound: a powerful voice advocating for justice, inclusion, and equality for African Americans.

Hip-Hop has touched all our lives, whether we actively listened to the music or not. Young people carried their boomboxes through the streets, filling grocery stores and sidewalks with these new sounds. Older generations, raised on Doo-Wop, Motown, Memphis's Stax, Blues, Jazz, and Gospel, would often say, "That's young people's music. I can't understand what they're saying." This new style, also known as "rapping," found its voice through youth who performed at parties, on street corners, and at school dances.

You could see these young rappers dancing in the streets. Even today, in 2025, young men still bring their boomboxes onto the subway, break dancing on poles for passengers. Break dancing, a key element of hip-hop culture, involves impressive physical feats like back spins and synchronized jumps that match the beat pumping from a boombox or DJ's speakers. Another vital component, "DJing," showcases performers trying to outdo each other through verses and storytelling. When two rappers face off in this verbal sparring, it's known as "battling."

The younger generation viewed their parents' music as disconnected from contemporary social injustices. In major cities across America, Black teenagers faced constant harassment from aggressive police officers. Policies like “Stop and Frisk” disproportionately targeted Black neighborhoods, leading to far more searches than in white communities. This excessive policing primarily caught young marijuana users, contributing to what became known as mass incarceration. Those caught with marijuana often faced harsh seven-year prison sentences.

When New York State Governor Cuomo held a public meeting at Borough of Manhattan Community College CUNY campus to discuss marijuana legalization, parents stepped up to the microphone with their stories. Many spoke of sons serving lengthy prison terms for selling marijuana. One mother's words particularly resonated with the audience: "Smoking marijuana and listening to rap music are just part of being young today. Rap is their freedom song."

Some young people labeled their elders as "Uncle Toms" for accepting racial injustices like "Stop and Frisk." Our generation found its voice through music, particularly Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," which became an anthem protesting the Vietnam War. We channeled our activism through organizations like the NAACP and rallied behind civil rights leaders such as Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The movement's spirit lived in songs like "We Shall Overcome" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

When Hip-Hop emerged, its composers emphasized what they termed "Knowledge" – the belief that rap lyrics could both educate and entertain. This philosophy resonated deeply with the dissatisfied youth of the 1970s, who found inspiration in works like “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.”

Hip-Hop's influence extended far beyond music into the realm of fashion. The culture popularized distinctive clothing and jewelry styles, eventually leading to dedicated stores selling these Hip-Hop-inspired looks. Performers became known for their bold fashion statements: long chains draped around their necks, rings adorning every finger, and luxury timepieces like Rolex watches. 

Music videos further amplified this aesthetic, showcasing artists in elaborate jewelry and designer clothes. It created an interesting contrast - while many performers came from humble beginnings in city neighborhoods, their stage presence projected an image of wealth and success.

Another defining element of Hip-Hop culture was graffiti art. Artists proudly tagged their signatures on subway cars and building walls, transforming urban spaces into canvases for their creative expression.

Before 1979, Hip-Hop remained on the fringes of popular music. That changed when the Sugarhill Gang released "Rapper's Delight," a breakthrough hit that introduced Hip-Hop to mainstream audiences.

However, Hip-hop didn't exactly get a warm welcome from everyone. Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis criticized the genre, comparing Hip-Hop performers to minstrel shows. The genre's explicit content drew criticism, particularly from religious communities. Many took issue with its liberal use of racial slurs and derogatory terms. African American men were called the “N” word and women were referred to as the “B” word.

Meanwhile, jazz drummer Max Roach took a different view, arguing that Hip-Hop records belonged alongside Shakespeare and spoken word poetry. "It is poetry," Roach insisted.

Yet, Hip-Hop represents the latest chapter in African American musical innovation, following a rich legacy that includes spirituals, blues, R&B, work songs, chain gang songs, and rock and roll. Unlike earlier eras when artists like Michael Jackson and Prince fought for fair compensation from record labels - even for massively successful albums like "Thriller" and "Purple Rain" - many Hip-Hop artists have managed to build substantial wealth.

Hip-Hop has even transcended fashion and made its way into the boardroom. Take Kanye West's collaboration with Adidas, for instance. When the sportswear giant faced financial troubles, West's involvement helped transform the company's fortunes. His influence drove teenagers to collect dozens of sneakers as fashion statements, turning Adidas into a market leader and making West a multi-millionaire in the process.

This is the first part of a two-part series about Hip-Hop's far-reaching influence.