Celebrate 50 Years of Hip-Hop With DJ Kool Herc

Let’s Celebrate 50 Years of Hip-Hop Together - The Story of What Started It All!

Yo!, let's take it back to 1973 – a year that gave birth to somethin special.

Imagine this: it's '73, and things are buzzing with excitement, a new chapter unfolding before our eyes.

We're in the heart of the South Bronx, Morris Heights, where a cool young lady named Cindy Campbell and a jive young cat named Clive Campbell throw a birthday bash in the rec room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue.

But this isn’t just any party – it's back-to-school vibes with a twist that'll shape history and set the stage for something bigger than anyone could've imagined.

The main act? None other than Clive, known to us as DJ Kool Herc. At just 18, he's already making waves, and his roots run deep in Jamaica's beats.

Credit: DAVID BROWNE

Herc invented a game-changer technique that flipped the script. Having two of the same record and switching between those beats back-and-forth on the “break down” of one of his favorite songs. This moved he titled "the “Merry-go-round”.

Breakdancers, known as B-boys and B-girls, ran the dance party with their crazy sporadic moves.

So as we hit the 50th anniversary, remember you're standing on shoulders that carried dreams, beats, and black culture. Embrace it, own it, and know that you are carrying a gem in your system.

Here's to 50 years of breaking barriers, making art, and owning your spot on the stage.

That's the essence of hip-hop, and you're writing the next chapter.

Read more on DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell’s story below.

Credit: TOM BREIHAN