The Hip Hop Years

Explores the birth of hip-hop and its roots in the 1970's NYC block parties organised by DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa.

Documents the rising popularity of hip-hop through the 1980's and the controversy surrounding the explicit lyrical content of gangsta rap.

The final episode in the series looks at the mid 1990's east coast vs west coast rivalry, the growing commercialisation of hip-hop, and its place at the close of the 20th century as the biggest selling music genre in the United States.