Music and Culture

He was an artist ahead of its time when he first came out in the industry. His wordplay is incredible, and he took lyricism to the next level in hip hop music. For decades, he has expressed words about poorer communities, romance, wars, spiritual topics, and other facets of the lives of especially black Americans. He is Rakim. He was born on January 28, 1968. In my opinion, he is the greatest overall MC of all time. He worked with Eric B to create some of the greatest albums of all time involving hip hop music. Rakim was born in Wyandanch, New York. He is the nephew of the late R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown. He grew up in Long Island.  Later, he was involved in the New York City hip hop scene. Eric B. brought him to Marley Marl's home to record Eric B. is President in 1986. When he was 7, he wrote his first rhyme. Back in 1985, Rakim was known as Kid Wizard. He was called Rakim after he joined the NOI and then the 5 Percent Nation. Eric B. and Rakim were a rapping, DJ duo unprecedented in hip hop history. Eric B's friend was Marley Marl, and Marl was so influential in expanding the culture of hip hop. Hip hop wouldn't be what it is today without Marley Marl. The song of Eric B is President changed the game. It had wordplay, metaphors, and lyricism. Rakim was first signed to Island Records. Their debut album was Paid in Full from July 7, 1987. That song had many hit songs like I A'int No Joke, I know You Got Soul, Move the Crowd, and Paid in Full. Paid in Full was a benchmark album in the golden age of hip hop. Rakim pioneered internal rhymes in hip hop which is about rhymes being in the same bar plus complex rhyming. It ws one of the most influential albums of all time.

Rakim's 2nd album was Follow the Leader. It was influential and it was released in 1988. That album was highly praised. It used James Brown samples. One of the most lyrical songs in that albums were Microphone Fiend and Lyrics of Fury. The song Follow the Leader was a great song too. By 1990, Let the Rhythm Hit Em was Eric B. and Rakim's Third album. Rakim had a more aggressive tone. Its subject matter was diverse and more mature. It had a five mic rating from The Source. Their last album as a team was don't Sweat the Technique in 1992. It had a jazz influence and the song Casualties of War was an influential anti-war record. Know the Ledge was the song that was part of the Juice movie soundtrack too. Rakim had his solo career in early 1993 after breaking up with Eric B. Rakim made many songs and had his solo debut album of the 18th Letter on November of 1997. It went gold. The Master by Rakim came in 1999. He worked temporarily with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. He was on the single Addictive with the singer Truth Hurts. Rakim left Dr. Dre because of creative differences. Rakim's The Seventh Seal was created in 2009. One single of the album was the song Holy Are You. Since then, he worked with DMX on a song called Don't Call Me. Eric B. and Rakim finally reunited on October 20, 2016. Rakim's relaxed delivery made him unique from the high energy vocals of LL Cool J, KRS-One, and Rum D.M.C. The legacy of Rakim is his love of jazz as he played the saxophone and was a fan of John Coltrane. Hip hop is the modern representation of jazz in many ways. Rakim set a blueprint for a large part of hip hop music. He innovated lyricism into another level. Hip hop artists inspired by him include GZA, Rawkwon, Nas, Kool G. Rap, Tupac, Biggie, etc.



From 1986 to 1994, new forms of hip hop artistry were commonplace. In 1986, we saw Grandmaster Flash showed the Source album. Whodini, Kurtis Blow, Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew was very popular. 2 Live Crew had their debut album in 1986 too. The album had its controversy. This was the time when many Congress people and judges wanted to censor rap, rock, and other music with controversial language in it. Whether people like it or not (and I don't agree with all of the lyrics in music), Luther Campbell is the reason why artists of any genre say controversial words today. Without him, these artists wouldn't be saying the words that they are saying on records. MC Hammer made his first album of Feel My Power in 1986. LA Dream Team, Schoolly D, Stetsasonic, Warp 9, World Class Wrecking Cru (with Dr. Dre), and other groups were highly popular in the year too. 1987  was when DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Dana Dane, Too Short, LL Cool J, and other artists made albums. Public Enemy was popular with their album of Yo! bum Rush the Show. KRS One made his Criminal Minded album in 1987. McShan had his album in the year of 1987 along with Steady B., Heavy D & the Boyz, Kool Moe Dee, and other artists. N.W.A. made their debut alum of N.W.A. and the Posse. N.W.A. changed the culture of hip hop in many ways. They were right to express opposition to police brutality, standing up for their community of Compton, and standing up for self-expression. They were wrong in glamorizing misogyny, using the N word with the a at the end and claiming that is revolutionary, and having other lyrics that I don't agree with. Gangsta rap's problem was that while some of its artists claim to be of the people, the end result of their lyrics was the degradation of black people.

UTFO, Just Ice, and other men and women of hip hop expanded their voices. In 1988, KRS One, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run D.M.C., Geto Boys, Biz Markie, Sir Mix A Lot, Bid Daddy Kane, J.J. Fad, Stesasonic, Mc Lyte, Marley Marl, and other artists expressed albums. King T, Kurtis Blow, Busy Bee Starski, and tons of artists made noise. 1989 saw the growth of alternative hip hop. Today, we call this backpack rap or a soulful type of hip hop. Such groups like De La Soul, EPMD, TufF Crew, Young MC, Kane, Mc Lyte continued to prosper. Ice T, Freedie Foxx, Roxanne Shane, the Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah, 3rd Bass, Willie D, LA Dream Team, Mac Dre, and other artists were diverse in content but unified in showing hip hop culture globally. By 1990, hip hop saw innovative songs and new styles. Finese made his music in the year along with MC Hammer (who responded to his critics with his album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em). Salt-n-Pepa, A Tribe Called Quest, Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Public Enemy, Mc Shan, Ice Cube, K-Solo, Poor Righteous Teachers, Antoinette, Kid Frost, D-Nice, Masta Ace, N.W.A., Vanilla Ice, King T, Brand Nubian, and other MCs either made debut albums or explored with their newer albums. 1991 saw soul, diversity and maturity in hip hop. Gang Starr made his jazz inspired album Step in the Arena. DJ Quik increased the power of the DJ component of music. Stetsasonic made their Blood, Sweat, and No tears album. Master P made his debut album in 1991 called Get Away Clean. Whodini, Craig G, Kool Moe Dee, Pete Rock and CL Smmoth, Heavy D and the Boyz, Slick Rick, P.M. Dawn, Tupac, Black Sheep, Del the Funky Homosapien, Kane, Tone Loc, Oaktown's 357 made albums that inspired society.

1992 was the year in my view that the 1990's especially itself as a different decade than the 1980's. It saw hip hop grow into a more 90's cultural force. Chubb Rock, Bushwick Bill, Willie D, JT the Bigga Figga, Redman, Compton's Most Wanted, Common, ICP, Grand Puba, Positive K, Cube, The Pharcyde, Dr. Dre, Easy E, Grandmaster Caz, UGK, DJ Quik, Too Short, MC Ren, Yo-Yo, Rakim, Twista, Breed, Esham, Spice 1, and other artists have shown their talents. 1993 was a year of balance. It saw hip hop have a hardcore section of music and the more conscious section of music. Arrested Development was popular. Brand Nubian was popular. The debut album of the group Digable Planets were out called Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space). Digable Planets had artists whose named are Ishmael Butler, Craig Irving, and Mariana Vieira (Ladybug Mecca). Butler was from Seattle, Irving was from Philadelphia, and Vieira was from Silver Springs, Maryland. K-Rino, Tim Dog, MC Breed, Run-D.MC. Masta Ace, The Beanuts, Mobb Deep, the Roots, Mac Dre, Bone, Scarfare, De La Soul, etc. had music that were expressed in 1993. By the end of the Golden Age of hip hop in 1994, hip hop music was global, many corporations funded it, and it wasn't in its infancy anymore. We're grown now, and hip hop in 1994 was 21 years old. It reached its adulthood. In 1994, the Fugees had their debut album. Nefertiti, Original Flavor, Kool G. Rap, The Roots, M.O.P, Nas, OutKast, Heavy D and the Boyz, Beastie Boyz, Warren G, Bone, Da Brat, Coolio, MC Euht, Organized Konfusion, Public Enemy, Kane, Biggie, Craig Mack, UGK, Tupac, Scarface, Willie D, Shaq, Method Man, and other musicians had their music shown all over the world in 1994.

 

Early 1970's R&B music during its beginning had a influence from the late 1960's. By the end of the early 1970's, disco-like music was starting to erupt. To understand this period, you have to look at things chronologically. On January 14, 1970, Diana Ross and the Supreme preformed for the last time together at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. Diana Ross soon expanded her solo career as a singer and actress. Miles Davis made an album in 1970 called Circle in the Round. 1970 was also a sad year for music as Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin passed away at age 27 in 1970. Marvin Gaye with his album of That's the Way Love It had classic music along with Aretha Franklin's This Girl's In Love with You. Funkadelic is group with George Clinton that showed proto funk music during 1970. The Temptations' Psychedelic Shack was released in 1970. The Supremes showed music all over the early 1970's. Their album of Right On was released in 1970. Up the Ladder to the Roof was a classic Supremes song featuring Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson, and Cindy Birdsong. Many of the songs were recorded in mid 1969. McLemore Avenue was an album made by Booker T. & the M.G.s in 1970. Ray Charles, the 5th Dimension, James Brown, and the Jackson 5 exploded in 1970. The Jackson 5 was lead by a then young Michael Jackson who would go on to be one of the greatest entertainers in human history. ABC was a childhood anthem of the Jackson 5. Diana Ross made her solo album called Diana Ross in the same year too. Diana Ross is just Dianna Ross being one of the greatest artists of all time. 1970 saw great music from Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Little Richard, The Four Tops, Sly and the Family Stone, Isaac Hayes, and the Chi-Lites. 1971 saw more conscious music in the R&B world. The Soul to Soul concert took place in Accra, Ghana headlined by Wilson Pickett. The 5th Dimension released more music. Earth, Wind, and Fire released their album in 1971. It was their first debut album. Miles Davis, The Jackson 5, and Stevie Wonder continued to make classic music along with the Temptations. One of the great albums of 1971 was Marvin Gaye's What's Going on. It was an album after the death of Tammi Terrell. Marvin Gaye poured his heart and soul to talk about ecology, racism, the Vietnam War, romance, and urban conditions.

It was one of his best work. Curtis Mayfield, Ike and Tina Turner, Al Green, Jimi Henrix, The Stylistics, the Jackson 5, and other artists dominated music. 1972 saw international music grow. Hugh Maskela had his album. Michael Jackson made his solo album of Got to Be There. Aretha Franklin music of Young Black and Gifted was a classic. Al Green, Quincy Jones, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and other artists shown the world that R&B is here to stay. Stevie Wonder's Music of My Mind in 1972 was one of the greatest albums of all time. The Chi-Lites continued to amaze crowds with their alum of A Lonely Man. Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway had an amazing duet album. The Isley Brothes made a huge comeback. Bobby Womack and Funkadelic made soulful music. The Supremes and The Delfonics had songs that stirred up the human soul. Bill Withers inspired people. Music from Curtis Mayfield, Ella Fitzgerald, Gil Scott Heron, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, and Diana's Ross Lady Sings the Blues Soundtrack were filled with an all star array of talent. In 1973, rumbles of disco grew. Times have changed. The 1970's established itself culturally. James Brown made the soundtrack of Black Caesar in 1973. Herbie Hancock made an album. Gladys Knight and the Pips, Sylvester, Michael Jackson, Al Green, The Spinners, Earth Wind, and Fire, and other groups improved upon their sounds. Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin talked about more topics relevant to grown folks. Rufus was growing with Chaka Khan being a leading performer of the group. Labelle, Roberta Flack and Stevie Wonder's Innversions were just all-star creativity. Marvin Gaye wanted to touch on more romantic subjects with his album Let's Get It On. The Jackson 5, the Ch-Lites, Ike and Tina Turner, Kool and the Gang, Bob Marley and the Wailers, and Quincy Jones were popular. The O'Jays were on the scene in 1973. 1974 saw the growth of disco and powerful ballads come alive from Bobby Womack and other people. Donna Summer made her album Lady of the Night in 1974. She would be the Queen of disco. Aretha Franklin continued strong. Smokey Robinson's comeback album in 1974 was great. The Delfonics, Earth, Wind, and Fire were greatly respected. New groups like the Ohio Players, and others were shown. Ashford and Simpson promoted love and music in their album. Minnie Ripteron released Perfect Angel with some of the greatest sensitive voices of all time. Parliament, the Commodores, Sly and the family Stone, and Isaac Hayes were still on the scene. Tina Turner, the Isley Brothers, and the Jackson 5 rose to the occasion. By this time, the Jackson 5 popularized the robot dance routine. Disco saw its growth with Kool and the Gang and other people. By the end of 1974, the Ohio Players, Blue Magic, Rufus, and other bands like the Spinners dominated the music industry.



Her legacy is extensive. One part of her legacy is the love for her child. Also, Dorothy Dandridge sacrificed her life in order for future African American actresses to achieve their dreams. When she lived, sexism and racism harmed her life. Today, these same problems exist. Yet, Dandridge inspired our people to see that we have the right to show our greatness irrespective of obstacles.  She helped to promote a non-stereotypical image  of African Americans in film. Many actresses have praised Dorothy Dandridge's courage and inspiration like Cicely Tyson, Jada Pinkett Smith, Halle Berry, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Kimberly Elise, Loretta Devine, Tasha Smith, and Angela Bassett. Halle Berry in 1999 produced and starred in the HBO movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. I have watched the movie before on VHS before. Halle Berry won the Prime time Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award. It was an excellent movie. She later won an Academy Award for Best Actress. She praised Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, and Diahann Carroll after receiving her award. We celebrate Dorothy Dandridge's legacy and life as a way for us to do our part in making the world better.

By Timothy