Rise of hip hop culture

Hip hop culture arose in the Bronx, New York City, among African American, Caribbean and Latino young people in the 1970s, in neighbourhoods hit by poverty and neglect. The pioneering DJ Kool Herc, who held block parties and extended the instrumental breaks of records, is often credited with beginning it. It is usually described in terms of four elements: DJing, rapping or MCing, breakdancing and graffiti art. Artists such as Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa developed the form, and the 1979 single Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang brought rap to wide audiences. Hip hop has since become a global force in music, fashion, dance and language.

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