That wasn't hip-hop blowing up though. That's like saying "Wild Thing" made it blow up. You could tune into Top 40 radio and hear Hammer or Tone Loc and know nothing about any other rapper that existed.
Fred.
Old heads who lived in the 90s, what was the exact year hiphop/rap became mainstream and blew up?
- Thread starter timothy_strickland
- Start date
That wasn't hip-hop blowing up though. That's like saying "Wild Thing" made it blow up. You could tune into Top 40 radio and hear Hammer or Tone Loc and know nothing about any other rapper that existed.
Fred.
Pit Bull
GATOR
I think op means when did rock music die and rap took over as the default genre for mainstream white America instead of it being confined to black Americans.
And if that's the case I'd say some time in the 00s. The late 90s definitely had to Be a big part of it with TRL and shyt. Nu Metal didn't hurt the crossover appeal either.
And if that's the case I'd say some time in the 00s. The late 90s definitely had to Be a big part of it with TRL and shyt. Nu Metal didn't hurt the crossover appeal either.
Hip hop had a few mainstream breakouts in the 80's. And of course in 1990, MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice opened doors to those white suburbs to hip hop despite them doing a watered down version.
The TRUE turn was the end of 1992 with THE CHRONIC. It was the 1st hardcore rap album that had crossover appeal.
This introduced the West Coast as a WHOLE to dominate the mainstream and radio until READY TO DIE, by Biggie's own account was the East coast version of The Chronic (or he wanted it to be) which pushed the East Coast to join the mainstream affair.
To put it shortly, the transformation of mostly underground to mainstream was between 1992-1994.
The TRUE turn was the end of 1992 with THE CHRONIC. It was the 1st hardcore rap album that had crossover appeal.
This introduced the West Coast as a WHOLE to dominate the mainstream and radio until READY TO DIE, by Biggie's own account was the East coast version of The Chronic (or he wanted it to be) which pushed the East Coast to join the mainstream affair.
To put it shortly, the transformation of mostly underground to mainstream was between 1992-1994.
NWA had no radio or sponsored marketing. They were word of mouth. MTV banned their video. They sold million, but it wasn't sue to any sort of mainstream appeal. More of underground controversy. You did not hear NWA on the radio.
In fact, back then...you BARELY heard rap on the radio unless it was late nights and on the weekends. What helped make it nationally appealing was You! MTV Raps.
To be fair both you are both right. Everything you said is 100% on point but NWA did make hip-hop more mainstream just by existing. From the FBI trying to ban their music to politicians name dropping them in press conferences....people who had no interest in/knowledge of hip-hop got a window into it via those things.
Fred.
all this says is the radio was out of touch with what was really hot.
NWA moved UNITS.
= mainstream.
Eh....nah man. I gotta disagree.
"Straight Outta Compton" went plat but literally nobody outside of rap fans copped that shyt. It was a badge of honor to move units like that back then because there was no crossing over yet....not for straight rap music. It's why Cube said "platinum bytch, and I didn't have to sell out".
Fred.
IllmaticDelta
Veteran
nwa was underground and mainstream at the same time. Their biggest consumers were white suburbanites even when they weren't on the radio
IllmaticDelta
Veteran
Radio being out of touch. White America being out of touch. The fact that it sold UNDERGROUND (emphasis) by way of word of mouth IS EXACTLYEXACTLY why it wasn't mainstream.
NWA at that time were known for their controversy.... NOT because their music was dope. Not because of any single to which NONE hit the charts. But because they shocked White America with their fukk the Police anthem.
Hip hop, back in THOSE DAYS were rebellious from the mainstream. And part of it was on purpose.
it wasnt dope but yet it shocked white America enough to sell over a million copies
ok breh
it wasnt dope but yet it shocked white America enough to sell over a million copies
ok breh
You CLEARLY was either too young or not even born in 1988.
In 1988, nobody in hip hop period would of imagine hip hop 29 years later will be at the position that hip hop's biggest star is from Compton. Doing interviews with Apple, having his instrumentals played on NBA playoff games as well as many hip hop instrumentals. Or it's hood culture bleeding into everyday life.
In 1988, nobody outside of Cali, shyt not in white suburbia IN Cali ever heard of a blood or a crip. Now you got muthafukkaz claiming sets. All sorts of things makes it mainstream that DIDNOT EXIST 30 years ago.
