Family is everything. The odds are uncontrollable, and blood binds a family together, creating an inseparable bond. Hip-hop artists are no different than the rest of us when it comes to family, and entire waves of cousins, brothers, sisters, and parents have shared success in the rap game. Sometimes it’s difficult to discern who’s related for real, and who’s just a close friend or mentor that has earned the title of “cousin” or “uncle.” For the purpose of this family tree, blood or marriage are the only determining factors of relation.
The Golden Era of hip-hop came to a close following the deaths of Biggie Smalls and 2Pac. The two hip-hop legends missed The New Millennium by just a few years. Imagine what ‘Pac could’ve done with the internet at his fingertips, we would have had a new album every week. The year 2000 was fabled to usher in the end of the world. The apocalypse theory centered around the idea that computers were unable to process the numerical representation of 2-0-0-0. As the fairytale goes, all the computers were supposed to malfunction, causing all types of chaos from nuclear missile launches to electrical grid failures. While none of those apocalyptic events happened on Earth, one cataclysmic event shifted the direction of the music industry for eternity. The creation of digital music.
Bootlegging was the biggest threat to album security in the 90’s, but with the creation of mp3’s, rappers found themselves losing millions of sales to illegal sharing sites like Napster. Families that dominated the 90’s, like the Millers, saw their empires lose steam and fade into the background. For the first time in hip-hop history, artist were putting themselves on. Although the family hook-up was still an important device, the internet became the most monumental tool for up and coming stars. Independence became the name of the game after the 90’s offered several lessons in ownership and contractual obligations to musicians who were not business savvy. The independent route of the industry also led to the spread of talent. Aspiring artist’s who had no relatives in the industry were making a name for themselves on Myspace and YouTube.
The least amount of relatives flourished during The New Millennium. It was a rare moment where the floodgates were opened, and everyone who was smart enough to take advantage of the internet while it was growing gained success. The gates are completely saturated at this point, but there once was a time where gaining plays and likes were actual hustles. - nnow you can gather both for $10.99 with a simple Google search. Although this segment may be the smallest of the four-part series, there are five prominent families that helped define a generation. During rap’s digital evolution, these are the relatives that rocked the game.
Solange & Beyoncé Knowles
Relation: Sisters
Everyone knows Beyoncé Knowles. She first gained the nation's attention as the lead singer of Destiny’s Child. Originally named “Girl’s Tyme,” DC’s first album landed in 1998. Four years later Solange, Bey’s little sister, would release her debut album Solo Star. Although the sisters have shared many legendary moments together, the infamous elevator fight will remain the most memorable sister moment of Knowles history.
Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith/ Jaden Smith & Willow Smith
Relation: Husband & Wife/ Son & Daughter
What a power family. Jada Pinkett Smith inadvertently assisted several young boys through puberty through-out the 90’s. The sexy and strong Pinkett captivated the nation with roles in Set It Off, Menace II Society, Jason’s Lyric, and The Nutty Professor. She was able to lure Will, another 90’s icon, into her nest, and the two produced two of the most talented children in Hollywood. Both children got their starts very early. Willow Smith released her platinum single “Whip My Hair” in 2010, and Jaden Smith starred alongside his father in The Pursuit of Happyness in 2006 and just recently released his project SYRE. Time flies.
Berry Gordy & Redfoo
Relation: Father & Son
If you don’t know who Berry Gordy is, you may need to take a second to research the legendary mogul. Before Diddy and Jay-Z were the top Black music moguls in the country, there was Gordy. He founded Motown Records and created the most monumental hub of Black music in American history. Many moons later Berry’s son Stefan Gordy, also known as Redfoo from LMFAO, would create massive hip-hop/electronic crossovers that took the charts by storm.
Rev Run & Justine Simmons/ Diggy Simmons, Vanessa Simmons, Angela Simmons, JoJo Simmons, Russy Simmons
Relation: Husband & Wife/ Siblings
Joseph Simmons, aka Rev Run, was married twice, which led to the births of two separate groups of children. Valerie Vaughn gave birth to Vanessa, Angela, and JoJo, while Justine gave birth to Diggy and Russy. United as a big happy family, Rev Run enjoyed a six-season run of his family-based reality series Run’s House, which highlighted family interaction in a wealthy Black home. It was the first time millions of Americans were able to witness Black wealth in a family setting that was neither toxic nor sensational. With God as the centre piece, Rev Run navigated his way through reality television with his family in a relatively drama-free setting. Beautiful.
Bob Marley & Damian Marley
Relation: Father & Son
Robert Nesta Marley is the most legendary reggae artists and one the most influential musicians of all time. He was selling out stadiums and smashing the charts decades before hip-hop would take root in the American mainstream market. Although the legend passed away in 1981, he procreated enough to create an army of Marleys. Damian is the youngest of the Marley children, which may explain his fascination with hip-hop music. In 2002, Damian won a Grammy for “Best Reggae Album,” and four years later he shook-up the hip-hop world with the release of his album Welcome To Jamrock. His single “Road to Zion” featuring Nas was the catalyst for the duo to create the joint project Distant Relatives, which was released in 2010.