The birthday of one of the few genres recognized and celebrated around the world is on August 11th, 2020. Hip-hop was born on this day in 1973. It would go on to impact and create an entire culture as well as a new way of thinking that drew in fans from all over the world.
Hip-hop began as a movement to aid those in need. It arose from a party hosted to collect funds for school supplies. Kool Herc, whose real name is Clive Campbell, is one of the genre’s pioneers and is committed to the cause of helping people in need and using Hip-Hop to spread happiness and positivity. He is widely credited with inventing the turntable technique that will distinguish music apart on the world stage and is to date credited as the founding father of hip hop.
The iconic emcee spoke about the current status of hip-hop and the challenges he faced when he first started creating music. Because he had so many varied styles to pick from, he regarded the early days of production as a “green pasture” for music.
Herc also talked about how he purposefully invented the “Merry Go Round” method, which allowed break-dancers to show off their skills during instrumental breaks on tracks.
He combined the breaks of two independent records into a single continuous loop using this technique.
After seeing the B-Boys and B-Girls waiting for the breakbeats on the record, DJ Kool Herc was inspired to create the Merry Go Round technique.
He said, “I decided to put those breakbeats from different songs together on both turntables and extend the breakbeats.” His unique method would later inspire some of Hip-Hop’s greatest innovators like Grandmaster Flash.
He shared that the journey has remained sentimental for him. Herc also shared some of his favorite experiences, like hearing “Bongo Rock” played in the White House for President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration.
Another favorite memory of him is getting the chance to play himself in the movie Beat Street, one of the first Hip-Hop films produced by a major Hollywood studio.
Another memory that he told was the confirmation of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue being named as the birthplace of Hip-Hop. Official Hip-Hop history records now claim that his renowned “Back to School Jam” on August 11th, 1973, with an entrance price of 25 cents for ladies and 50 cents for males, is Hip-Hop’s official birthplace and birthdate – as per the source.
It should go without saying that the genre has progressed quite a bit since its beginning. In some circles, modern-day rap is frequently criticized because of its content. Herc feels it is still evolving, and despite the harsh criticism, he believes that some innovations are still being discovered.
“As a musical person, I love all the new sounds that the artist and producers are constantly coming up with. Seeing how they’re continuing to push the culture forward. For me, music is forever changing and change is good. It’s great to see how the different styles and growth between decades open the door for more creatives to get involved and explore,” he added.
Urban Islandz reports that on Wednesday, August 11th, Herc will appear on LL Cool J’s “Rock the Bells Radio” to pay tribute to the genre we’ve all come to know and love is a part of the show called “73 To Infinity.” In addition, Rock the Bells will collaborate with the New York Edge organization to raise resources for students in underserved areas.
