New York City is the birthplace of hip hop. Well, the Bronx is, to be even more specific. Since its inception in the 1970s, hip hop has spread all over the world to become a dominating genre of music. It all started from the humble beginnings of inner-city block parties where MCs would kick a couple rhymes over the DJ's beats. Just yesterday we celebrated the anniversary of DJ Kool Herc's infamous block party, his "back to school jam," which is credited as the birth of hip-hop, if you want to widdle it down to a specific date.
If you fast-forward to 2015, each borough has released a number of classic hip hop records that would make a valid case that it is the best of New York City's five boroughs, but we were wondering which is the favorite of our readers. Throughout the next five slides, we highlight each borough's contributions to the culture. On the final gallery, you'll be able vote on your favorite borough. Let's get started.
The Bronx
We have to start where hip hop started too: The Bronx. When block parties rose to prominence amongst the African American youth in the 1970s, the culture was born. DJs would cut a popular track's breaks to make way for a master of ceremony to kick a few rhymes, in a similar way that the Jamaicans used to do it (in Jamaica, they call it toasting).
The Bronx is credited with producing these essential artists, among others:
Grandmaster Caz, Melle Mel, Busy Bee, Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Wizard Theodore and the Fantastic Five, Treacherous Three, Slick Rick, CL Smooth, Kurtis Blow, KRS One, Inspectah Deck, Canibus, Camp Lo, Lord Finesse, Big Pun, Fat Joe, Grandmaster Flash, Hell Rell, and Kool Keith.
Brooklyn
With artists like Jay Z and Notorious B.I.G., Brooklyn might have done the most to transition hip hop into pop music in the '90s. As the most populated borough of NYC, it's no wonder that Brooklyn produced a ton of great artists, with neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy producing Biggie, Mos Def, Lil Kim, and more...and that's just one neighborhood.
These days, Brooklyn is best known as home to cats like Joey Bada$$ and his Pro Era squad, who carry on the tradition of '90s-sounding rap with their boom-bap style. Flatbush Zombies, Your Old Droog, and Underachievers are a couple other young stars in the Brooklyn hip hop scene.
Brooklyn produced these mainstays, and more:
Notorious B.I.G., Jay Z, Gang Starr, Dead Prez, Ol' Dirty Bastard, MCA (Beastie Boys), GZA, Fugees, Lil Kim, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Busta Rhymes, Big Daddy Kane, El-P, Fabolous, Foxy Brown, M.O.P., OC, Joey Bada$$, Pro Era, and Flatbush Zombies.
Manhattan
"New York City" can refer to any of the five boroughs, but if you're in one of those boroughs and someone says "the City," they're talking about Manhattan. It's the centerpiece of the city, so to speak. Without Manhattan, none of the other boroughs would even exist.
In terms of hip hop, Manhattan has produced some gems, but due to its small size and lack of affordable residential areas, it might be less than you think. Hip hop doesn't exactly have a place in the financial district in south Manhattan. Of course, Manhattan's saving grace (as far as hip hop is concerned) is Harlem, a neighborhood that has single handedly birthed legends like Puff Daddy, Big L, Cam'ron, and even Tupac Shakur.
More recently, the A$AP Mob has put Harlem on the map, reppin' the neighborhood to the fullest. Artists like Ratking, Azealie Banks, and Smoke DZA are also amongst the new school rappers from the north Manhattan area.
Manhattan lays claim to these artists, and more:
Big L, Puff Daddy, Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, Tupac, Biz Markie, Mike D (Beastie Boys), Kool Moe Dee, Doug E. Fresh, Jim Jones, Mase, A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, Azealia Banks, Ratking, Smoke DZA, and Immortal Technique.
Staten Island
Aside from the Wu-Tang Clan, Staten Island hasn't produced a whole bunch of hip hop music. As sort of the step-child borough, Staten Island isn't connected via metro, and you have to take a ferry to get there from Manhattan. If you want to visit from Queens or the Bronx, it's quite the hike. (Althought Nas used to go visit Raekwon there back in the day...)
Although Staten Island doesn't thrive in quantity, the quality is on point. The borough has produced these artists, and more:
RZA, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Method Man, Cappadonna, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Shyheim, The Force MDs, All in Together Now Crew, The UMCs, and Your Old Droog.
Queens
Out of all the NYC boroughs, Queens has produced the most variation in its hip hop. From A Tribe Called Quest to Nas to Kool G Rap to Run DMC, there's definitely some unique flavors coming out of this borough. It's also a relatively huge plot of land, with tons of residential areas, including Queens Bridge (which birthed Nas and Mobb Deep), St. Albans (A Tribe Called Quest, Run DMC and LL Cool J), and Jamaica (50 Cent, Nicki Minaj, Pharoahe Monch).
Whether it's the old school of Kool G Rap, the golden era of A Tribe Called Quest or the new school of Action Bronson, Queens has been representing throughout hip hop's 40-or-so years of existence.
Queens has produced these artists, and more:
Nas, Mobb Deep, Cormega, Big Noyd, Capone, Noreaga, Kool G Rap, Salt-N-Pepa, Action Bronson, Run DMC, Ja Rule, LL Cool J, A Tribe Called Quest (Q-Tip and Phife Dawg), Large Professor, Beatnuts, 50 Cent, Nicki Minaj, Onyx, and Pharoahe Monch.
Which borough produces the best hip-hop? Cast your vote below.