

Tearjerker “1977,” ostensibly named for the author’s year of birth, was recorded one year after The-Dream’s highly publicized marriage to actress/singer Christina Milian ended in divorce. Innovators explode out of the South: Houston's DJ Screw slows hip-hop down, Memphis's Three 6 Mafia goes dark, and Atlanta's Lil Jon brings the 'crunk'.
HIP HOP EVOLUTION FULL
As a solo artist, the North Carolinian’s unique brand of R&B was on full display across five albums for Def Jam/Radio Killa between 20. Terius Youngdell Nash, aka The-Dream, has experienced massive success as a songwriter for pop artists Britney Spears, Ciara, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Justin Bieber. Listen to best Def Jam songs on Apple Music and Spotify. There is a strong chance you remember where you were when you first heard the lines “LL Cool J is hard as hell!”, “Bass! How low can you go?” and “Regulators! Mount up.” The best Def Jam songs provide a snapshot of the label’s enormous legacy, but they are but a sampling (no pun intended) of label’s legacy. Starting in the late 1980s, some artists like De La Soul began creating hip hop tracks influenced by a wider variety of music than their contemporaries. But more important than the countless gold and platinum plaques produced by this continually evolving company is the cultural impact of the songs, which take us back to specific times and places in our lives. Evolution of Alternative Hip Hop Recording Arts Canada History Alternative hip hop artists presented a new musical front during the golden age of hip hop. For a genre where tastes can (and do) change like the wind, this is an unparalleled accomplishment.įrom the drum machine-and-scratching sound of mid-80s New York, through the sampled-based golden era, to west coast G-Funk, Dirty South, trap, and beyond, Def Jam has been there, churning out the hits. Def Jam Recordings has been the preeminent hip-hop label for the better part of the last three and a half decades, and the best Def Jam songs define hip-hop’s evolution over that period. The early 1980s was a vital turning point for hip hop and music production. However, the most notable pioneers are DJ Kool. Several people were influential in creating hip hop.

There’s a kind of magic about coming across the Def Jam 12” sleeve at a record store: that Gretchen Viehmann-designed logo depicting the control arm of a record player against that specific shade of maroon is synonymous with excellence and quality to any hip-hop fan. Hip Hop Culture Origins Hip Hop Pioneers.
