“Hip Hop does not only influence the mainstream, it IS the mainstream”

In the first episode of this docuseries, the beginning of hip hop is uncovered. The narrator goes to the sources of hip hop, Kool Herc, Afrikan Bamaataa, and Grandmaster Flash- the “Holy Trinity”. I think what stood out to me was how positive the Hip Hop movement was, they mentioned unity and during every single interview only positive things were said. I think the reason for this was why hip hop started, “…when they said the bronx was burning, the bronx was burning,” the birth of hip hop was in the upheaval of all of the chaos. The kids in the bronx searched for something different, and a way to “release all the pressure”. Something that isn’t talked about a lot is the black outs, I feel like if I did not watch the docuseries or The Get Down, I would have no idea how this tragedy influenced the Hip Hop movement.

Taking it to “the start of it all,” Kool Herc was interviewed and talked to first because according to history, he started it all. On August 11, in the “Rec Room” on 1520 Sedgwick ave in the West Bronx. “Herc, he was a revolutionary… he wanted to give us the music we grew up on… soul music” I think this is so powerful, although disco music was very big as well, Herc took a twist and he would DJ soul music in order to add it into Black culture. The episode touched upon the development of breakdancing. “Kids became break dancers because they were dancing to those breakbeats… trying to be James Brown… the fancy footwork”. I loved this quote, the former bboy had said it, showed he was proud of breaking. I feel like it digs into the quote from earlier about the kids searching to find a way to relieve them of the chaos around them.

“Herc forged the foundation of hip hop, Bam built a community around it”

Afrika Bambaataa as inspired by Herc, as a member of the Black Spades he started to influence the South Bronx. He encouraged unity, creating the Zulu Nation, he brought EVERYONE together. He implemented the mindset that we all come from the same place, no matter what shade. I think this was one of the most important things to happen in the Hip Hop movement because it encouraged everyone to fight the power and come together as one, especially because they were all fighting the same battle at the end of the day. 

Grandmaster Flash was a revolutionary addition to Hip Hop, he went against the rules- completely radical, if you ask me. I like that he is prideful in his crayon method, and even though it was basically forbidden to touch the vinyl, he did it. I feel like that showed the limitlessness of Hip Hop. 

One of the final quotes really stuck with me at the end of the first episode…

“Hip Hop comes from everything”