ALL: Hip-Hop 1980s

1986: Year of the Crack Raps

August 16, 2026

In 1986, the rap underground teemed with warnings about the drug’s disastrous effects on the Black community.

The 75 Best Rap Singles of 1986

August 16, 2026

Thanks to Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C., rap finally went mainstream. But decoding the freshest Black sound in decades would take much longer.

Black History Through Rap

February 27, 2025

Before she became a “gangsta rap” antagonist, C. Delores Tucker helped assemble a 1985 rap compilation with Philadelphia youth.

The 75 Best Rap Singles of 1985

February 8, 2025

Thanks to stars like Run-D.M.C. and Roxanne Shanté, rap grew fitfully into a pop culture fixture. But respect for the art remained elusive.

The 60 Best Rap Singles of 1984

March 24, 2024

Hip-hop in 1984 brought Fresh Fest superstars Run-DMC and Whodini, Melle Mel’s breakout year, and the beginning of the Roxanne wars.

Best Rap Singles: Class of 1983

November 7, 2023

These nine artists were early sprouts of what would soon be called the “new school,” a generation of musicians who’d remake hip-hop culture.

The 60 Best Rap Singles of 1983

October 23, 2023

In a year defined by electro kingdoms and fresh wild styles, Run-D.M.C., Afrika Bambaataa and others sought to explore rap’s future.

The 50 Best Rap Singles of 1981

September 22, 2023

Most of the best hip-hop of 1981 didn’t appear on rap records — with Grandmaster Flash’s “Wheels of Steel” a gloriously historic exception.

Wham!

September 4, 2023

More than just a doc of an indestructible pop act, Wham! offers an instructive look at how early rap penetrated the mainstream.

The 50 Best Rap Singles of 1982

December 18, 2022

The year brought classics like “Planet Rock” and “The Message,” and hip-hop seemed to grow out of its prepubescent phase overnight.