| Hip Hop The Early Years 1979 - 1986 Link to the Official Old School Hip Hop page on facebook: www.facebook.com Old school hip hop (also spelled "old skool") describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music (approximately from 1979--1984), and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended (see Roots of hip hop). Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run--DMC, the first new school hip hop group. The image, styles and sounds of the old school were exemplified by figures like Afrika Bambaataa, The Sugarhill Gang, Spoonie Gee, Treacherous Three, Funky Four Plus One, Kurtis Blow, Fab Five Freddy, Busy Bee Starski, Lovebug Starski, Doug E. Fresh, LL Cool J, The Fat Boys, The Cold Crush Brothers, Kool Kyle, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. It is characterized by the simpler rapping techniques of the time and the general focus on party related subject matter. Old school hip hop is noted for its relatively simple rapping techniques compared to later hip-hop music. Artists such as Melle Mel would use relatively few syllables per bar of music, with relatively simple rhythms. Much of the subject matter of old school hip hop centers around partying and having a good time. One notable exception is the song "The Message", which was written by Melle Mel for his hip hop group, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. Immortal Technique explains how party content played a big part in old school hip hop, in ... |
