Β “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang is the song that took rap from being an obscure genre to being a mainstream music form. Β But wow, has it changed. Β And today marks the end of an era.
Henry Jackson, better known as Big Bank Hank, passed away today, after complications from cancer. Β He was 57. Β But his song, and the genre it inspired, will live on. Β That one song has become part of Americana, a favorite for 35 years. Β But in that time, a lot has changed in rap.
Rap has evolved from a disco-inspired way to let DJ’s tell a story, to something, well, different. Β A lot of the time, we hear about the negatives in rap and hip-hop. Β Like Nicki Minaj’s new video that uses Nazi images, although she says she has a Jewish boyfriend, so it’s cool. Β And she actually did apologize. Β Also, Eminem is taking heat for his new song in which he raps about punching singer Lana Del Rey, like Janay Rice. Β It goes to underscore an impression of a genre that many people criticize for violence and sexism.
But it still sells. Β Which means that somebody has to like it. Β So our Man on the Edge, Robert Wilder, hit the streets asking if rap has gotten better or worse over the years…
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