How Three Cities Turned the 90s Into Rap’s Golden Age
New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta each built a sound of their own — and the friction between them made the 90s the golden age of hip-hop.
New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta each built a sound of their own — and the friction between them made the 90s the golden age of hip-hop.
Between 1990 and 1999, Golden Age hip-hop stopped bragging and started narrating — turning rappers like Nas, Biggie, and the Wu-Tang Clan into the great American storytellers of the decade.
From The Chronic to Illmatic, the Golden Age of hip-hop turned the 1990s into the most fearless decade rap ever had. Here’s how it happened.
Digital Underground hit platinum in 1990 with the Humpty Dance, launched Tupac Shakur, and pulled George Clinton into rap. Here’s the wild story behind Shock G’s Oakland crew.