The Golden age of rap and hip-hop is a name that was bestowed unto mainstream music, between the late 1980’s and the early 1990’s. This time period was shaped by popular figures such as Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, NWA (Niggas with Attitude), Rakim, Slick Rick and MC Hammer. This era revolutionized “gangsta rap”, changing it from sub-conscience music to pro-violence music; however political issues and criticism of the African-American community was still prevalent in their music. Between the 1980’s and 1990’s, the most influential rappers were Tupac Shakur and Christopher George Latore Wallace (Biggie Smalls), due to their leadership role on the streets and outstanding rapping skills, they earned respect from the rap/urban community. Although
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He introduced a new style of rap that was influenced by jazz, this made upcoming rappers look up to him and idolize his work, he was considered to be one of the most skillful and diverse rappers to ever live. He loved talking about his own untimely demise, on his 1994 debut Ready To Die, the Brooklyn rapper insisted in song after song that his days were numbered: "I don 't wanna live no more/ Sometimes I hear death knocking at my front door." (Sexton). And the premonition of death didn 't end there. In the opening of his second CD, Life After Death, Biggie flat-lines but is revived by the persuading words of his producer and record-label head, Puff Daddy ("I know you can hear me, nigga … You got too much livin ' to do, too much unfinished business"). He punctually rises from his hospital bed to rap more death-haunted songs: "Long Kiss Goodnight," "My Downfall," "You 're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)," and so on. However his art imitated reality as Biggie was shot to death March 9, 1997, only 6 months after Tupac Shakur was murdered (September 13, 1996). The two rappers had been friends, and there 's a lot of speculation that their killings were connected …show more content…
This time period is between 2000 and 2015; giving us iconic figures such as 50 Cent, Ja rule, Eminem, Jay-Z (Shawn Carter), Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Drake. Of course out of a generation of rap, there is always extremely influential rappers that has revolutionized the “game” for everyone. For the early 2000’s that person would Jay Z, one of the singles from Jay-Z 's now classic debut album, Reasonable Doubt, was a song called "Can 't Knock The Hustle." Though there are many interpretations about the precise meaning of the song, I have always felt that the phrase "can 't knock the hustle" means that there is no substitute for hard work: that hard work always harvests respect and success. To me, this is why Jay-Z is great. He is a hustler in the truest sense of the word, and his hardcore work ethic has brought him success in every area in which he has applied himself (White). He was an early business acumen, Jay-Z described a “real hustler” as someone who can learn alternative ways of doing things. When Jay-Z was an unsigned rapper, he sold his tapes from the trunk of his car while trying to get a record deal. All of the major labels refused to sign him. He finally scored a deal with Payday Records, but after seeing how poorly they operated, he realized something that became very critical to his success: they didn 't do anything for him that he couldn 't do
He introduced a new style of rap that was influenced by jazz, this made upcoming rappers look up to him and idolize his work, he was considered to be one of the most skillful and diverse rappers to ever live. He loved talking about his own untimely demise, on his 1994 debut Ready To Die, the Brooklyn rapper insisted in song after song that his days were numbered: "I don 't wanna live no more/ Sometimes I hear death knocking at my front door." (Sexton). And the premonition of death didn 't end there. In the opening of his second CD, Life After Death, Biggie flat-lines but is revived by the persuading words of his producer and record-label head, Puff Daddy ("I know you can hear me, nigga … You got too much livin ' to do, too much unfinished business"). He punctually rises from his hospital bed to rap more death-haunted songs: "Long Kiss Goodnight," "My Downfall," "You 're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)," and so on. However his art imitated reality as Biggie was shot to death March 9, 1997, only 6 months after Tupac Shakur was murdered (September 13, 1996). The two rappers had been friends, and there 's a lot of speculation that their killings were connected …show more content…
This time period is between 2000 and 2015; giving us iconic figures such as 50 Cent, Ja rule, Eminem, Jay-Z (Shawn Carter), Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Drake. Of course out of a generation of rap, there is always extremely influential rappers that has revolutionized the “game” for everyone. For the early 2000’s that person would Jay Z, one of the singles from Jay-Z 's now classic debut album, Reasonable Doubt, was a song called "Can 't Knock The Hustle." Though there are many interpretations about the precise meaning of the song, I have always felt that the phrase "can 't knock the hustle" means that there is no substitute for hard work: that hard work always harvests respect and success. To me, this is why Jay-Z is great. He is a hustler in the truest sense of the word, and his hardcore work ethic has brought him success in every area in which he has applied himself (White). He was an early business acumen, Jay-Z described a “real hustler” as someone who can learn alternative ways of doing things. When Jay-Z was an unsigned rapper, he sold his tapes from the trunk of his car while trying to get a record deal. All of the major labels refused to sign him. He finally scored a deal with Payday Records, but after seeing how poorly they operated, he realized something that became very critical to his success: they didn 't do anything for him that he couldn 't do