This is a term paper that describes how hip-hop came about, and goes through the 30 years of its history.

Who was the first to generate a genre of music that would form into one of today's biggest genres'? This so-called founder and "Grandfather" (1) of this new-age mix of beats was Kevin Donovan known to the Hip-Hop world and others as Afrika Bambaataa. He founded the Universal Zulu Nation. This "Zulu Nation" was originated in 1974, which was a reorganization of a group called "The Organization". This Zulu Nation was organized of collective DJ's, Break Dancers, and Graffiti Artist. Their intension was to bring social consciousness to Hip-Hop.

This be-bopping mix of beats and scratching of records was created in the early 70's by Afrika and Kool Herc. The two of them together brought in a new era of music. Afrika respectively earned the title "Grandfather" (1) of Hip-Hop because of his spreading of the Hip-Hop culture throughout the world. His use of drum machines and computer sounds was prime in changing way to R&B and other urban music.

Breaking in Ljubljana, Slovenia

DJ Kool Herc is credited as being highly influenti...

English: Photo of the front of 1520 Sedgwick Avenu...

However, while Afrika paved the way of Hip-Hop by his drum machines and new ways, Kool Herc was also teaming up with this Hip-Hop new age genre. Kool was creating a way to generate a longer break dance period in the middle of a song. Kool did this by what is called "cutting" which is switching between two record tables so that there would be an extended break dancing time (2). The two had broken pathway to a new era that will continue to grow.

As observed in the later 70's and early 80's a new way of a musical competition was created. This "free styling" or now called "battling" was "similar to what cutting contests were in jazz a generation earlier." (2) These new Hip-Hop competitions would meet in city parks or local clubs. This...