Shoutout to Grandmaster Flash! Another reputable founding father of Hip-Hop. He and his group Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five are the first Hip-Hop act to be inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame. He created a DJ technique that provided a seamless loop of the drum breaks on records. This technique also gave birth to cutting and scratching. It’s called the Grandmaster Flash Quick Mix Theory. This is where you use two turntables with identical records and rapidly switch between them to extend the rhythmic break.
Black History 365 | #13 - Kool Herc
What do you know about Kool Herc? Kool Herc and his sister are credited for throwing the first party thst essentially birthed Hip-Hop. DJ Afrika Bambaata, and DJ Grandmaster Flash are also synonymous with the birth of the culture. Definitely the founding fathers of Hip-Hop. “MC’s never showed loyalty yet. Kool Herc ain’t never get a royalty check.”
Black History 365 | #12 - 1520 Sedgwick Avenue
Did you know 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx, New York is credited as the birthplace of Hip-Hop? August 11th, 1939 to be precise. Yep, a 102-unit building built for working classes families was where it all started. Humble beginnings for the 50 year old art form. Now, in 2022 Hip-Hop generated $15.9 billion off of music streams and purchases alone, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Across the globe, it's changed how businesses outside the culture/genre of Hip-Hop now market their products even if they’re not directly using an artist to market their products. This culture is huge business now. Where’s those royalty checks for the founders?
Black History 365 | #31 - MANSA MUSA
Did you know Mansa Abubakari II, the mariner King of Mali ruled one of the largest and richest empires on earth covering nearly all of West Africa? With his ambitions to explore he gave up all his power and gold in 1311 to his brother Kankou Moussa to pursue knowledge and to discover more of the world. He left with 2000 boats loaded with men, women, livestock, food, and drinking water and made trades with indigenous people. He landed in America nearly 200 years before Christopher Columbus. And never claimed to discover it because of the indigenous people he met there. Respectful, and player-like. ✨
Black History 365 | #10 - Madam C.J. Walker
Did you know Madam CJ Walker was one of the first self-made American woman millionaires? She developed a formula that contained Sulphur and the Sulphur healed her scalp. When other women saw the results of her creation she went into business. She set her sights on expanding her market. She began “branding” herself…which is wild given the context. She went door to door with fliers, and business cards. She advertised in black newspapers using before and after photos and testimonials. She built a factory, a laboratory and a beauty school. She employed other women who would become sales agents. This is in the early 1900s! Get that bag!