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According to a recent edition of Webster’s Dictionary, hip-hop is “the popular subculture of usually black urban youth, especially as characterized by rap music” (313). Furthermore, it defines rap as “a kind of popular music marked by the rhythmical intoning of rhymed verses to an insistent beat” (Webster’s Dictionary, 547). It is amazing to see how far this fairly new genre of music has grown and developed, from its humble beginnings in the south Bronx to its widespread popularity today. During its thirty years of existence, the rap industry has continually changed, morphing its various styles, forms, and subjects. Even to this day, the world of hip-hop is evolving. Therefore, it is easy to see why the history of this music is already filled with many significant events and figures, able to fill countless pages with rich information. When looking at these important people and moments, the record of rap is most easily analyzed when it is broken down into the three decades it covers. The 1970’s – The Beginnings In the early seventies, “rap” was virtually non-existent. The decade was dominated by clubs infected with the glitzy beats and tunes of artists such Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summers, and the Bee-