Ok, listen up Hip Hop experts.

With VH-1 doing all this hip-hop history as of late, I've been learning more about the evolution of the genre (I've never really followed hip-hop although it seems inescapable.)

Anyway, some DJs and rappers were referred to as Old-school in many of the documentaries. And I know if they came out in the 80's they're old school and the contemporary artists would be new school.

But aside from the obvious, what cultural event or album release is regarded as the true end of old school and the start of new school.

Thanks.

When NWA came out, it was a direct change from what was previously established as the base of Rap music. Other groups like De La Soul and Digital Underground were also pretty different from the norm.

Personaly, lyricaly, it was Tupac who made a big change in Hip Hop for me. We went from Shock Value and Party Time to this is some real shit happenin here. Let's talk about where our CULTURE is right now.

Also, I can't place it, but I remember a time where it really broke down to West Coast bump music and East Coast Metaphor Steelo. Sometime just before the Dr. Dre/Snoop Dogg albums.

Thanks, Dauphin.

1983: Run-D.M.C. releases "It's Like That" b/w "Sucker MC's", making all those Sugarhill-type groups that came before them old school.

The mid 80s were ruled by mostly drum-machine propelled tracks and especially the first generation roster on Def Jam.

But I think by 1987, with Public Enemy, Eric B & Rakim, Ultramagnetic MCs, when alot of the James Brown samples became most popular, was the wave of the new school. I consider the late 80s to be hip-hop's golden age.

CinisterCee said:

OKay! That's the type of explanation I looking for. I can see how these dividing lines make sense.
Thanks!