August 11, 1973. This is the day that is considered, in popular culture, as the day that hip-hop was born. Clive Campbell, aka DJ Kool Herc, hosts a back-to-school party for his sister at his apartment building on Sedgwick Avenue in New York’s Bronx. “What was special: it was the first time that a DJ played with two turntables at the same time,” notes Christophe Jbeili, a journalist specializing in hip-hop. The sound and technique were still rudimentary, but the foundations were laid.
Grandmaster Flash, one of the pioneers of hip-hop, invents the quick mix technique. The DJ “started to isolate very short sequences from a vinyl and to repeat them so that these moments are longer and that they can make people dance”, explains Christophe Jbeili. Then, in 1982, he released the song The Message on a self-titled album with The Furious Five. This is the first occurrence of a “conscious and sociopolitically charged” hip-hop piece, adds the man who is also a master’s student in political science at UQAM.
Formation of the legendary group Run-DMC in the borough of Queens, New York. Its members were the first to proudly sport elements of streetwear, and “didn’t dress like working-class guys.” They are also inevitably associated with the Adidas brand, which was new for the time. The trio was active until 2002.
Roxanne Shanté, a native of Queens in New York, released the track Roxanne’s Revenge. This is a response to the song Roxanne, Roxanne by hip-hop group UTFO, which is from the previous year. Roxanne’s Revenge is considered by many connoisseurs to be “the first and best diss track in the history of American rap”, according to Christophe Jbeili. She was only 14 at the time.
Arrival of Rakim, active until 1993 in the duo Eric B.
Rappers Queen Latifah (from Newark, NJ) and Monie Love (from London, UK) of the collective Native Tongues have released the single Ladies First. The track is considered “the first feminist anthem in rap history”. Natives Tongues, which deals in particular with spirituality, sex and fun in a committed and sometimes jazzy rap, is still musically active.
The Wu-Tang Clan is formed. “It’s the first time, in my opinion, that we have a marketing plan that is thought out from A to Z: from the aesthetics in terms of the image to the style of music through the references to kung-fu films, lists Christophe Jbeili. It was a religion that they had developed. Made up of 10 members from Staten Island and Brooklyn, it is the first group to be promoted “both as a group and as a collection of individuals”. His clothing brand, even today, is iconic. And as for the music, “there was nothing else that sounded like it.”
Nas, also a rapper from New York, released his debut album, Illmatic. This is the first occasion where several beatmakers appear on the same disc. “Before, there was this idea that the DJ should have more shine than the rapper. Nas completely deconstructed that – he became the headliner of his own album and all his projects,” says Christophe Jbeili.
Rapper Skandal gets a verse on Rainmen’s song No Chilling. This verse has the reputation of being one of the best featuring collaborations in the history of hip-hop in the province, and also represents “one of the rare occurrences where a woman has been so spotlighted in rap. Quebec”. Along with J. Kyll of the group Muzion, Skandal is one of those who you think of first when you hear the expression “best rapper in Quebec”.
Without Pressure, a true pillar of the movement for the development of Quebec hip-hop, is launching its album 514-50 in my network. The following year, Yvon Krevé released his first album, L’accent grave. Together, they can be considered essentials of Quebec rap. “They are the ones who made Quebecers uninhibited about their accent in their music,” reports Christophe Jbeili. Before, most rappers did it with a French accent. »
Dr. Dre releases his second career album. The disc, which also bears the same name, became a “barometer for all engineers who wanted to sound professional” in rap, since the audio was expertly compressed. The Compton, Calif. producer is also one of the first artists in the West to deliberately choose to make peace with those on the East Coast. One of the most influential figures in the history of rap, he is still today an essential reference for his versatility.
Eminem releases his fourth studio album, The Eminem Show. For the first time, part of white America feels represented in rap and no longer sees it as mere entertainment. “The majority of the rap audience has been white people, so the genre has shaped itself to appeal to a white audience, points out Christophe Jbeili. In the sociology of hip-hop, this is something that is emphasized a lot. Artists had no choice but to conform to the expectations of white audiences to sell records. Eminem was a bit of a game-changer, even though he came from the working-class neighborhoods of Detroit. »
The 83 collective interrupts the ADISQ Gala, hosted by Guy A. Lepage. Francis Belleau, of the duo La Constellation, respectfully takes the floor for a short minute to protest against the non-representation of rap and hip-hop in the mainstream music sphere, and asks that the hip-hop category be presented ” on the air”, at the same time as the others. However, it will be necessary to wait until 2017 for this to be part of the main gala.
The collective Alaclair Ensemble released the album 4.99, which, according to many, changed the way of doing rap in Quebec. There was “humor, then a crazy and explosive side”, which changed from what we had heard so far. “The guys from LLA or Dead Obies would all tell you that this album is essential for Quebec rap, illustrates Christophe Jbeili. It opened the door for other rappers – who are not from Saint-Michel or Montreal North – to participate. »
ASAP Rocky started wearing haute couture in his music videos, which was “revolutionary for the time because, clearly, it broke a glass ceiling for rappers, according to Christophe Jbeili. Afterwards, partnerships with luxury brands multiplied. Strikingly authentic, the New York native is also the first to “talk about his hard drug use so openly” and “completely assume he has influences that don’t come from his hometown.” origin”, namely Memphis and Houston.
Kendrick Lamar releases his second album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. This disc brought forward the idea of the “concept album”, the principle that there is a logical sequence from one song to another when you listen to it, something that had lost over time. “The idea of the album, it was made a pretext for marketing, but the album as such did not necessarily have coherence. From Kendrick Lamar, sure, people started to take it seriously. Without him, we wouldn’t have such good music today. »
Rapper Lost publishes his project Bonhomme pendu (Chapter 2). Shortly after, he became known with the collective 5sang14, at a time when a new wave splashed the local scene. “It changed the way hip-hop is represented across Quebec. We know very well which rappers are put forward in festivals or the media, says Christophe Jbeili, without naming them. With 5sang14, with Izzy-S, this is the first time that rappers from working-class neighborhoods have reached such a large audience without the white audience. »
Rapper Loud, previously known for his work with the Loud trio Lary Ajust, launches his solo career with the song 56K. “This is the first organic success that has crossed the borders of Quebec. And by organic, I mean that there was no deliberate thought to make it work in France, “says Christophe Jbeili. A big snowball effect followed, allowing it to fill theaters in Europe. “We can say what we want about him, but he remains the first who achieved this dream of conquering France for real. »
