Hip-Hop Evolution

I really enjoyed this series documenting different periods in the formation of hip-hop. Although I feel like it didn't necessarily do enough to describe the anger and philosophy that was a huge part of hip-hop (except during its parts about the Message and gangsta rap), it provided a fairly well-rounded historical analysis of the musical interplay that allowed the form to progress, to grow richer and more varied, and to move beyond the party music of the late 70s to a more socially conscious art-form.

The most important and enriching aspect of this show is the commentary provided by hip-hop legends and people who were there, as well as how it shines light on some unsung heroes of early rap music. It was extremely watchable and interesting, and I can't wait until Season 2 when it delves into the 90s and hip-hop explodes and becomes the cultural juggernaut that it is today.

This show is a fantastic look at Hip Hop with the same character flaw suffered by every bit of media on the subject - the prevailing thought that all roads lead back to New York.

Just call it what it is for a change, please.

The Evolution Of NEW YORK Hip Hop (and a smattering of other Hip-Hop hubs as long as they're not LA)

This series is now 8 episodes deep and yet only ONE episode gives attention to LA. Hell even the episode they did on the Bay Area kept insisting on how they owed their roots to New York. East coast hip hop culturalists and journalists will never miss an opportunity to make every other hip hop epicenter seem like a pale comparison of NY, just a bunch of people who appropriated the culture from the true artists in the five boroughs. Houston, LA, Seattle, St Lou, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte...they're all just imitators. Some better than others but imitators nonetheless.

As an example, in episode 8, they spend the entire episode talking about the rise of Nas, Wu-Tang, and Biggie at a time when West Coast Hip Hop was CLEANING UP on the charts. They even admit that New York was struggling trying to reinvent themselves after their short-lived Afro-Centric movement burned bright and died quickly. But when they mention that the West Coast was on top, it's only to set the stage as to why Biggie became the savior of New York Hip Hop.

And THAT is why west coast hip hop fans dislike east coast hip hop so much. It's not the music. It's the attitude. New Yorkers are so busy telling everyone else how great they are that they can't spare the time to admit how great west coast rap was. It's as if they're feeling forced to defend how bad east coast rap got before west coast rap forced them to step up their game.

Truth?? This is a great documentary. But it's a great documentary about east coast hip hop. So much of what's a part of the fabric of hip hop is now tied up all over this country, from St. Louis and Atlanta to Miami, Chicago and Detroit to Houston, and yes New York to Los Angeles, that making a doc called the "Evolution" of hip hop without admitting that the current incarnation is a product of ALL points is just flat disingenuous. It smacks of a group still hanging their hat on some great thing they did in high school that still makes them cool at 50. Hey New York. Don't be like Melle Mel, old as hell and still claiming that you deserve respect for starting something that has long since outgrown you. Accept the praise graciously as the progenitors for a change and start talking up those who've taken it farther than you ever dreamed...no matter which borough or major city they come from.

But yeah, give it a watch. You'll learn more about a bunch of marginal New York rappers than you ever thought you would or even wanted to know.

So far, I love this documentary, but I'm literally just waiting for them to feature Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony! Seriously, when they came out, it was a sound like nothing I ever heard before. The flow of these guys was incredible! They really didn't play them on MTV, so as a kid I would watch the JukeBox channel to see if people would order it and try to listen to it over and over and over again. It was the most ordered video at the time, all day, everyday! I just can't understand how this group could have been overlooked! Total injustice to the world of hip-hop! They keep saying..."Ain't nobody ever heard a sound like that before!" While this is true with so many groups, this could not be more true about Bone for sure! Very disappointed they didn't get the props they so rightfully deserved!

Hip-hop was my life growing up, as it was the life of so many around me. My earliest memories were Run DMC, Kurtis Blow and the Beastie Boys. In fact, I remember trying to "scratch" on my mom's record player because of hip-hop. So to see this four part tribute to its origins was just magnificent.

The team that put this together went back to the genesis: Bronx, New York. They started with the underground parties of Kool Herc and progressed through the timeline from there stopping at the contributions of Afrika Bambata, The Furious Five, The Sugarhill Gang, Run DMC and others.

What cannot be overlooked is the contribution of Grandmaster Flash. What he did for hip-hop was nothing short of wizardry. He was a scientist when it came to mixing and spinning two turntables. I was floored to hear about how he started and what he started with. It was amazing to hear about a music style that blossomed in the 80's but can really be traced to a time period well before that.

I think anyone that has a serious interest in hip-hop should watch this documentary. It was somewhat nostalgic for me because many of the artists mentioned and interviewed were artists I enjoyed as a kid. I was slightly disappointed that some--what I consider pioneers--were not mentioned. Those like KRS One, Fat Boys, Doug E Fresh, Whodini, Salt-N-Pepa, Slick Rick and more. I also would have liked to see hip-hop's first entry into movies as I remember Krush Groove, Breakin' and Beat Street.

Even with those absences I was impressed. There's only so much you can cover anyway and I know they tried to hit the highlights. It is still a seminal work that has paved the way for even broader endeavors. This was an essential lesson in hip-hop 101 that has no substitute at this time.

Based on the first season, I love this series... It's just so entertaining! I'm sure some stuff is being fast forwarded and glossed over, but for what it is... I am thoroughly entertained and informed...

My only gripe is that when Shad roll up and meets one of the OGs, I wish there was some teeny, tiny way to infer a small passage of time, because he rolls up, shakes hands, says hi, then immediately goes, "Let's start with when you got together with so and so.."

It's minor, I know, and I know it's (probably) not the reality of the meetings/interviews, but it's playing like he says hi and hits them with the question - so cold.

Does that make sense?? Like, am I the only one who's taking it like that??