Like with any break-up, when it first occurs the fresh wound stings, but as time passes we learn to accept fate. Over the past few decades, exceptional hip-hop groups have come and gone. Some of them stopped producing music together due to nasty feuds, lawsuits and others decided to split because they knew their music had run its course.
Groups such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five helped to bring what is now called “old school” hip-hop to the forefront of mainstream music. Acts like this one paved the way for all hip-hop artists that have come after them. Other groups like Run D.M.C. and Leaders of the New School, who represented “new school” hip-hop, ended their reigns, although they still serve as significant influences for hip-hop and rap artists of today as well.
Even though the hip-hop community may have been disappointed to hear the news of these groups disbanding, it also resulted in members of these crews pursuing solo careers. Rappers like Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Lauryn Hill and Q-Tip were given the freedom to explore themselves as individual artists. This ended up being beneficial for them because it allowed them to transform as artists, but also gave their audience something new and fresh to absorb.
Out of all the break-ups on the list, N.W.A. and Run D.M.C. were the most upsetting to fans by far. Ice Cube left N.W.A. due to royalty disputes in 1989. After that N.W.A. released diss tracks directed towards Cube, which resulted in Cube hitting back at the group with diss tracks of his own. Run D.M.C. called it quits after Joseph Simmons had openly become tired of hip-hop, leading him to announce his resignation in the group. The next year Jam Master Jay was shot outside his recording studio, which ended the group indefinitely.
Not all of these groups produced a string of albums, but each one of them made a noteworthy impact on hip-hop music. Just like any real relationship, we’ll always remember the fond memories and hold them dear in our hearts.