New School Hip-Hop
tagStarted 1983Peak 1984-1987Last big hit 1988
Located in 1 route
Stripped, hard-hitting minimalism: a loud, dry drum machine (often Oberheim DMX), sparse scratches and little else, with aggressive, self-assertive rhymes shouted in tag-team cadence. Frequently rock-tinged with guitar riffs, it traded disco bands and party synths for stark beats and a tougher, b-boy street attitude.
History
Launched by Run-DMC's 1983 single 'It's Like That'/'Sucker M.C.'s' — just a booming DMX, a few cuts and harsh boasts. Def Jam's LL Cool J ('I Need a Beat,' 1984) and the rock-leaning Beastie Boys extended the template. This mid-'80s movement broke sharply from early-'80s disco-funk and novelty rap, modernizing hip-hop's sound and image.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New-school_hip-hop
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-DMC
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/old-school-rap-ma0000004449