EAST COAST HIP HOP

'East Coast hip hop' is a style of hip hop music that originated in New York City during the early-1970s. East Coast hip hop emerged as a definitive subgenre after artists from other regions of the United States, chiefly the West Coast and the South, emerged with different styles of hip hop. It has since grown into a major subgenre of hip hop, and has played an instrumental role in hip hop history. East Coast hip hop has developed several creative epicenters and local scenes within the Northeastern United States, most of which are primarily located within African-American and Hispanic urban centers.

Contents

Beginning stages of hip hop (1970–1980s)

1970s

1980s

The Golden Age of Hip Hop (1986–1993)

Popularization

Diversification

Modern hip hop (1993–present)

The rise of the West Coast

The East Coast Renaissance

The ''Shiny Suit'' era and mainstream pinnacle

"Second Wave" alternative hip hop

The Rise of the South

Today

Musical style & regional difference

Major Areas of Influence

NYC

New Jersey

Philadelphia

Boston

See also

References

Beginning stages of hip hop (1970–1980s)

1970s

Hip hop music emerged from block parties thrown by owners of loud and expensive stereo equipment, which they could share with the community or use to compete among ultra-competitive West Indian DJs who began isolating the percussion break from funk or disco songs. The rough economic situation of the inter-city community motivated DJs to remake, rearrange, or remix existing recordings into completely different compositions with the use of turntables. DJs would extend the ''break'' section of previously released songs by alternating between duplicate copies of a vinyl recording with the use of two turntables and a mixer. In the late 1970s, visionary DJs residing in New York City (specifically the Bronx), such as Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambataa molded this new sound into a definable genre of music, which soon evolved into a urban sub-culture, which included rapping, beatboxing, scratching, graffiti, and breakdancing. Therefore, because New York City is considered to be the birthplace of hip hop, many look to the East Coast (New York City in particular) as the prestigious capitol, or ''Mecca'', of hip hop culture.
Soon MCs entered the equation to enhance the DJ's efforts and act as a crowd moderator. Originally, early hip hop performers focused on introducing themselves and others in the audience (the origin of the still common practice of "shouting out" on hip hop records). These early performers often emceed for hours at a time, with some improvisation and a simple four-count beat, along with a basic chorus to allow the performer to gather his thoughts (such as "one, two, three, y'all, to the beat, y'all"). Later, the MCs grew more varied in their vocal and rhythmic approach, incorporating brief rhymes, often with a sexual or scatological theme, in an effort at differentiating themselves and entertaining the audience.

1980s

The techniques used in hip hop changed during the 1980s as well. Most important were the DJ records such as Grandmaster Flash's "Adventures on the Wheels of Steel" (known for pioneering use of scratching, which was invented by Grandwizard Theodore in 1977) as well as electronic recordings such as "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa and Run DMC's very basic, all electronic "Sucker MCs" and "Peter Piper" which contains genuine cutting by Run DMC member Jam Master Jay. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five released a "message rap", called "The Message", in 1982; this was one of the earliest examples of recorded hip hop with a socially aware tone. In 1984, Marley Marl accidentally caught a drum machine snare hit in the sampler; this innovation was vital in the development of electro and other later types of hip hop.
With the advent of recorded hip hop in the late 1970s, all the major elements and techniques of the genre were in place. While Kool Herc & the Herculoids were the first hip hoppers to gain major fame in New York, the public at large was first introduced to hip hop by the releases of the first two commercially issued hip hop recordings, "King Tim III" by The Fatback Band and "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang. Neither act had significant roots in the culture; the Fatback Band was primarily a funk act, while the Sugarhill Gang was the studio creation of Sugar Hill co-founder Sylvia Robinson. Nevertheless, "Rapper's Delight" became a Top 40 hit on the U.S. Billboard pop singles chart, and after the releases of follow ups by acts such as Kurtis Blow ("The Breaks"), The Sequence ("Funk You Up"), and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five ("Freedom"), hip hop was pegged as a successful, yet temporary, trend in music. During the early 1970s, breakdancing arose during block parties, as b-boys and b-girls got in front of the audience to dance in a distinctive, frenetic style. The style was documented for release to a world wide audience for the first time in ''Beat Street''.
Though not yet mainstream, it was well-known among African Americans, even outside of New York City; hip hop could be found in cities as diverse as Los Angeles, Washington, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Kansas City, Miami, Seattle, Cleveland, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Houston. In particular, Philadelphia was, for many years, the only city whose contributions to hip hop were valued as greatly as New York City's by hip hop purists and critics. Hip hop was popular there at least as far back as 1976 (first record: "Rhythm Talk", by Jocko Henderson in 1979), and the New York Times dubbed Philly the "Graffiti Capital of the World" in 1971, due to the influence of such legendary graffiti artists as Cornbread. The first female solo artist to record hip hop was Lady B. ("To the Beat Y'All", 1980), a Philly-area radio DJ.

The Golden Age of Hip Hop (1986–1993)

Main articles: Golden age hip hop

Old school hip hop would often sample disco, soul, and funk tracks. In the case of the Sugarhill Gang, a live band was used for samples. However, the old school sound soon became based largely on drum machines and popular ''break'' samples. Mixing and scratching techniques eventually developed along with the breaks. In contrast with the later rhymes of new school hip hop, old school rap was relatively simple in its rhythms and cadences. However, from the mid- to late 1980s, Hip hop gradually gravitated to a more sample-reliant sound, as rappers increased their technical dexterity in crafting lyrics. As time went by, a distinction appeared between the ''“old school”'' sound (defined by simplistic rhyme schemes, straightforward messages, and sparse rhythms and cadences with few samples) and the new school. Typifying this Golden Age of the East Coast sound was Eric B. & Rakim’s ''Paid in Full''. ''Paid in Full'' showcased Rakim’s multi-syllabic lyrical delivery which would be subsequently adapted by numerous rappers —introducing the idea of a rapid, continuous, free-rhythmic flow, based around deeply woven rhyme structures (incorporating internal rhymes and sophisticated metaphors). Furthermore, Eric B.'s innovative distillation of James Brown samples ushered the ''"godfather rap"'' period, which witnessed the extensive sampling of R&B and soul music as instrumentals for hip hop songs.

Popularization

While New York City would remain the center of hip hop culture for much of the 1980s, hip hop music itself was gaining mainstream success and becoming increasingly accessible within the musical fabric of pop culture. Artists such as Kurtis Blow, Run DMC, Biz Markie, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, The Fat Boys and EPMD, were considered the closest thing to superstars that hip hop had yet produced, and all were firmly rooted on the East Coast. In fact, Kurtis Blow (''Kurtis Blow''), LL Cool J (''Radio'') and especially Run-D.M.C. (''Raising Hell''), were among the first hip hop artists to legitimize the genre by gaining acceptance from the mainstream media. LL Cool J's ''Radio'' spawned a number of singles that entered the dance charts, peaking with "I Can Give You More" (#21). 1986 saw two hip hop acts in the Billboard Top Ten; Run-D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way" collaboration with Aerosmith, and the Beastie Boys "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)". The pop success of both singles was unheard of for the time. Kurtis Blow, whose appearance in a Sprite commercial made him the first hip hop musician to be considered mainstream enough to represent a major product, but also the first to be accused by the hip hop audience of selling out. Another popular performer among mainstream audiences included DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, who won rap's first Grammy award in 1988.

Diversification

During the late-1980s, Philadelphia's Schoolly D developed what became known as gangsta rap. Although Gangsta rap is usually credited as being a West Coast phenomenon (due to the mainstream success of Ice-T and N.W.A) Schoolly D and Boogie Down Productions (with the release of ''Criminal Minded'') were instrumental in pioneering hardcore hip hop, an East Coast variant of gangsta rap.
Another major influence on East Coast hip hop was the pioneering work of the politically-aware performers, Public Enemy. In the late 1980s, Public Enemy became one of the premiere acts in hip hop, both among aficionados and mainstream listeners. In 1987, Public Enemy released their debut album (''Yo! Bum Rush the Show'') on Def Jam - one of hip hop's oldest and most important labels, and Boogie Down Productions followed up in 1988 with ''By All Means Necessary''; both records pioneered wave of hard-edged politicized performers. In particular, Public Enemy's ''It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back'' became surprisingly successful, despite its militant and confrontational tone, appearing on both the club and rap charts, and peaking at #17 and #11, respectively. Aside from the lyrical innovations, Public Enemy's DJ, Terminator X, and their production team, The Bomb Squad (along with Eric B., Marley Marl, and Prince Paul among others) both pioneered new techniques in sampling and scratching that resulted in dense, multi-layered sonic collages.
Public Enemy's politically aware lyrics and militant activism served as the blueprint for groups such as X-Clan, Brand Nubian, and Native Tongues Posse (the last of which arose as a form of alternative rap with artists like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest). In 1988 and 1989, albums from the Native Tongues Posse collective such as De La Soul's ''Three Feet High and Rising'', A Tribe Called Quest's ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'', and the Jungle Brothers' ''Done by the Forces of Nature'' are usually considered the first definitive alternative rap albums, with jazz-based samples and quirky, insightful lyrics covering a diverse range of topics and strongly influenced by the Afrocentric messages of Bambaataa's Zulu Nation. This period, between 1988 and 1992, when the Native Tongues (together with other groups such as Pete Rock and CL Smooth and The Main Source) were at their creative peak, is considered the apogee of golden age of hip hop.
In addition to the Native Tongues Posse, influential singles were released in 1988 (see 1988 in music), by Gang Starr ("Words I Manifest") and Stetsasonic ("Talkin' All That Jazz"); these two singles fused hip hop with jazz in a way never done before, and helped lead to the development of jazz rap. Digable Planets also achieved phenomenal success in the early nineties with their single ''Cool Like Dat'' and the album ''Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)''. However, the alternative rap movement had largely fizzled out in the mid-1990s, with A Tribe Called Quest experiencing a career slump, and De La Soul, the Jungle Brothers, and Gang Starr retreating into the hip hop underground.

Modern hip hop (1993–present)

The rise of the West Coast

Though East Coast hip hop was dominant throughout the 1980s, N.W.A.'s ''Straight Outta Compton'' and later Dr. Dre's ''The Chronic'' would introduce
West Coast hip hop to the mainstream, and went on to supersede the East Coast's dominance. ''The Chronic'', in particular, took West Coast rap in a new direction that was strongly influenced by P-funk artists, melding the psychedelic funky beats with slowly drawled lyrics. This came to be known as G-funk, and dominated mainstream hip hop for several years through a roster of artists on Death Row Records, including most popularly, Snoop Doggy Dogg (whose debut, ''Doggystyle'', included "What's My Name" and "Gin and Juice", both Top Ten hits). Thus, for much of the mid-1990s, the West Coast hip hop scene overshadowed several East Coast rappers. Encapsulating the torrid times, Jay-Z stated that, ''"It's like New York's been soft ever since Snoop came through and crushed them buildings"'', a nod to Dogg Pound's ''"New York, New York”'' video that featured Death Row artists stepping on New York's famed skyline. East Coast hip hop appeared to be in such disarray, that in 1993, West Coast rappers sold three times as many records as their East Coast counterparts.

The East Coast Renaissance

Although G-Funk was the most popular variety of hip hop during the early-1990s, the East Coast hip hop scene remained an integral part of the music industry. Several New York City rappers rising from the local underground scene, began releasing noteworthy albums in the early and mid ninties (including Black Moon (''Enta Da Stage''), Wu-Tang Clan (''), Nas (''Illmatic''), Smif-N-Wessun (''Dah Shinin'''), Big L (''Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous''), Mobb Deep (''The Infamous''), Raekwon (''Only Built 4 Cuban Linx''), Az (''Doe or Die''), GZA (''Liquid Swords''), Jay-Z (''Reasonable Doubt''), Nas (''It Was Written''), Capone-N-Noreaga (''The War Report''),—most of them gaining outstanding critical acclaim. Gabe Gloden of Stylus Magazine wrote, ''“From my perspective in the Midwest, the market was dominated by West Coast hip hop, and these albums didn’t make much of a dent in West Coast sales, but with time, these albums filtered their way into everyone’s collections”'' [1]. The most commercially successful of these albums, ''Ready to Die'', launched Notorious B.I.G. into stardom and established Bad Boy Records (under the direction of Puff Daddy) as the main competitor of Death Row Records.
In addition to the hugely profitable and pop-accessible Bad Boy label, the East Coast produced its share of varied, highly acclaimed artists that included Az and Nas, the influential hardcore groups Wu-Tang Clan, Boot Camp Clik, and Mobb Deep, and artists such as Onyx (''Bacdafucup, All We Got Iz Us)'', Lost Boyz (''Legal Drug Money''), Ghostface Killah ''(Ironman''), Das EFX (Hold It Down''), Jeru the Damaja (''The Sun Rises in the East'', ''Wrath of the Math''), Originoo Gunn Clappaz (O. G. C.) (''Da Storm''), Group Home (''Livin' Proof''), O.C. (''Word...Life''), Mic Geronimo (''The Natural''), Artifacts (''Between a Rock & a Hard Place''), Method Man (''Tical''), Redman (''Dare Iz a Darkside'', ''Muddy Waters''), Ol' Dirty Bastard (''), Mobb Deep (''Hell on Earth''), GangStarr (''Hard to Earn''), Keith Murray (''The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World'', Enigma), Kool G. Rap (''4,5,6), Big Noyd (''Episodes of a Hustla''), Organized Konfusion (''), Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth (''The Main Ingredient''), The Fugees (''Blunted on Reality'',''The Score'') , and Smoothe Da Hustler (''Once Upon a Time in America''). This wave of new artists signaled what many hip hop purists have since coined as the ''"East Coast Renaissance"''.

The ''Shiny Suit'' era and mainstream pinnacle

The revival of the East Coast hip hop scene as a reemerging identity soon spawned an inter-coastal confrontation. West Coast rapper Tupac Shakur was shot outside of a recording studio in New York in late 1994, an event he would later claim was orchestrated by The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy. Tupac proceeded to sign with Death Row Records, and the personal rivalry would grow into both a feud between the Bad Boy and Death Row labels. Due to Biggie and Tupac's prominence on their respective coasts, the rivalry is often referred to as the East Coast/West Coast feud. It would culminate into the murders of both rappers in the mid-1990s. In the wake of the deaths of both artists, Biggie's certified-diamond double album, ''Life After Death'', became a huge posthumous success in 1997. Whereas West Coast dominance soon crumbled after the death of Tupac, as Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg left Death Row Records and Suge Knight was jailed over illegal business practices.
This spelled an end to the West Coast’s four year reign —which was soon to be superseded to the East. Bad Boy Records went on to further dominate the charts upon the release of Puffy's and Ma$e's respective multi-platinum albums: ''No Way Out'' and ''Harlem World''. However, this commercial success came at the detriment of critical acclaim (due to the perceived over-reliance on sampling). Generally, the period in which this sound prospered (1997—1998) is mockingly called the ''"Shiny Suit Era"'', due to Puffy and Ma$e's tendencies to wear expensive clothing that would literally shine.
Hip hop had reached it's mainstream pinnacle, with albums like Wu-Tang Clan's street-directed double disk Wu-Tang Forever reaching 8x Platinum worldwide certification. The chart-topping phenomenon made CNN for the massive sales the group achieved without any mainstream or pop sound and appeal. Its first single, "Triumph," was over five minutes long, had nine full-length verses, and no hook.
Afterwards, during the remainder of the late-1990s and into the early 2000s, a new breed of hard-edged East Coast rappers soon emerged, who began topping the charts once again. These rappers included Big Pun, DMX, Ja Rule, and Jay-Z, who all rose to mainstream prominence with their multi-platinum releases:''Capital Punishment'', ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'', '', and ''.

"Second Wave" alternative hip hop

Just as Hardcore rap and pop-rap was beginning to achieve incredible mainstream and crossover success, hip hop's alternative side experienced a resurgence. The Afrocentric neo-soul movement was heavily influenced by the Native Tongues and artists such as Mos Def (''Black on Both Sides''), Talib Kweli (''Train of Thought''), The Fugees (''The Score''), Common (''One Day It'll All Make Sense'' and ''Like Water for Chocolate''), Erykah Badu (''Baduizm''), and Slum Village (''Fantastic, Vol. 2'') achieved great success at the close of the decade. The Rawkus record label, home to Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Company Flow as well as Pharoahe Monch is largely credited with aiding the late 1990s resurgence of alternative rap.
Mos Def and Talib Kweli's 1998 release, ''Black Star'' (largely produced by Hi-Tek) also contributed greatly to this evolution, with its return to Native Tongues-style old school hip hop. Mos Def's solo debut, ''Black on Both Sides'' (1999), quickly established him as a darling of alternative media for its incendiary politics. Kweli's solo career, however, took some time to get off the ground; as he did not release his debut, ''Train of Thought'' until 2000. Pharaohe Monch's ''Internal Affairs'', his 1999 solo debut after leaving Organized Konfusion, also added more pop and hardcore hip hop elements to the mix. The hip hop band, The Roots were among the leaders of the second alternative hip hop wave, dropping several critically acclaimed albums in the mid-to-late 1990s, including ''Do You Want More?!!!??!'' (1995), ''Illadelph Halflife'' (1996), and the breakthrough, ''Things Fall Apart'' in 1999.

The Rise of the South

Main articles: Southern rap

However, for much of the early 2000s, the East Coast chart-dominance began losing its momentum to the then growing Dirty South. Particularly, in the year 2003 (a year which coincided with the retirements of Jay-Z and DMX, and the decline of Ja Rule's popularity), Southern rap experienced an unprecedented degree of mainstream popularity with several hit singles, including ''Never Scared'' by Bone Crusher, featuring Killer Mike and T.I., ''Damn!'' by Youngbloodz, and especially ''Get Low'' (produced by Lil' Jon and featuring the Ying Yang Twins). Rap News Network summed up this phenomenon when it stated, ''"This year's hottest hip hop artists are from the Midwest and the South, from Atlanta or St. Louis or Chicago. Anywhere, it seems, but here [New York]."'' [2] Since then, 50 Cent and G-Unit remain the only multi-platinum selling East Coast artists to top the charts. From the aforementioned mass appeal of Lil' Jon and the Ying Yang Twins to the meteoric rise of Missy Elliot, T.I., Ludacris, Outkast and Houston rappers such as Z-Ro, Scarface, Lil' Flip, Paul Wall, and Chamillionaire, the East Coast has struggled to retain its former status in the mainstream. However, In November 2006 East Coast rap superstar Jay-Z, released his much-anticipated new album ''Kingdom Come'' which became the highest selling rap album of the year at almost 700,000 copies in its first week. Jay-Z speaks on the state of hip hop in the albums intro entitled "The Prelude." The album received 4 1/2 out of 5 mics from Source magazine; Nas also has his first Def Jam release ''Hip Hop Is Dead'' released December 19 2006 Scored big by debuting at No.1 on the billboard. The album is a very upfront showcase in Nas' distaste for what hip hop has become and receives mass critical praise as well as controversy.
Seemingly as of the start of 2007, a tide has turned with many hip hop websites and radio stations fueling the movement and the ongoing prediction of history repeating itself, the lyricism appreciation returning signifies an apparent sense of the audience finally after almost four years, becoming tired of the more relaxed style of Southern artists and deem that the East and/or more lyrical MC's will become mainstream once again like they did the west in the East coast risings the East will call it deja vu.

Today

In 2003, 50 Cent debuted his first album Get Rich or Die Tryin, which was noted as a classic and was a large reason for the sudden decline in popularity of Ja Rule. The album earned 50 Cent the title King of New York.Bronx legend Fat Joe became a bonafide star. Rap legend Jay-Z retired with his critically acclaimed album The Black Album, DMX would also retire after his 2003 album Grand Champ, Ja Rule fell from popularity after his album Blood In My Eye only went gold. This left plenty of space for 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks to dominate the charts from 2003 into 2004.
After a Southern hip hop dominating the charts for nearly the whole year, Ja Rule released a platinum album in 2004 named R.U.L.E.. In 2005, 50 Cent came back with his album The Massacre which would go 5x platinum. Together they would dominate the charts from November to May. Then Fat Joe would have a hit in June. In April 2006 DMX would return to hip hop with his new single Lord Give Me a Sign off of his August album Year of the Dog...Again.
On November 21, 2006, New York rapper Jay-Z returned to the hip hop scene with his multi-platinum Kingdom Come LP. The album would mark a return by New York to the top of the charts. In December 2006, Jay-Z rival turned friend Nas would see his album Hip Hop Is Dead debut at #1 on the charts. Now in 2007, there seems to be more people that are wanting New York to retake the crown from the south. And it does seem like New York is in that process. Producers like Swiss Beats and supergroup Wu Tang Clan are having highly anticipated albums coming out before the years end. There also seems to be more unity between the 5 boroughs of New York. You see that with more cameos in videos like the song, I Get Money by 50 cent. DJ Kay Slay blessed 50 with a cameo. There is also a lot of buzz with the Swiss Beats project and his new single Money in the Bank that is starting to blow up. Mims and Faboulous both have two of the biggest singles of the year with This Is Why I'm Hot and Make Me Better. Despite the fact that people think that New York doesn't get along, there happens to be more unity than the disharmony portrayed. Future New York albums to look out for include a new Nas Album, Jay Z, Tribe Called Quest and EPMD. People beilieve that New York fell off of thier game because of the south's "dominance" With songs lik New York Shit from Busta Rhymes and Where It Started At with New Yorkers such as Talib Kweli and Raekwon, it is better to just say that it is just the south's time.

Musical style & regional difference

The stand-out point of East Coast hip hop from other regional forms (in general) is the intricate and multi-threaded lyrics and delivery of this sub-genre. East coast artists tend to be more complex, witty, and versatile (depending on the artist). As a general rule, East Coast rap artists tend to emphasize lyricism coupled with production centered on the frenetic use of a drum machine.Big Pun,Nas,Kool G Rap,Big Daddy Kane and Rakim are among the many East Coast artists considered to be among Hip Hop's greatest lyricist.
East coast hip hop also tends to be the only form which still emphasizes the role of the DJ in production, still employing the original techniques of scratching, sampling, and blending (transforming). Producers such as DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and the RZA are well known for their rare and unique sounds and techniques.
Critically-acclaimed East Coast artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Nas have a wide margin of subject matter thus appealing to a wider audience, particularly when they address social issues in their communities. Alternative styles usually develop in this region with groups such as A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Gang Starr, and De La Soul, and Common; who blend jazz or abstract production with socially-conscious raps.
A huge number of East-Coast rappers such as DMX, Jadakiss, and Prodigy or groups such as Wu-Tang Clan, and Black Moon have adopted hardcore hip hop personas which typically glorify violence, drugs, mafioso or gang affiliation.
East Coast hip hop also tends to have a slower pace (90-120 Beats Per Minute) than its Southern and West Coast counterparts.
The beats of East Coast rap tend to be more sparse than those of Southern or West Coast rappers, such as the G-Funk beats of Dr. Dre or the pounding clubbish beats of artists like Lil' Jon. For example, Nas's New York State of Mind features a beat with only drums and a piano riff, with some turntable scratching in the chorus. Another example of this is the Wu-Tang Clan's Rza.

Major Areas of Influence

NYC

Since hip hop has expanded nationally and globally, New York City has become more or less synonymous with "East Coast hip hop", becoming the de facto representative of the region, from the pioneers of hip-hop music such as Kool Herc , Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambataa, to golden era artists such as Run-DMC, KRS-One, Rakim, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, to more recent artists such as Nas, The Diplomats, DMX, Busta Rhymes, The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, 50 Cent, Fat Joe,Big Pun and Jay-Z.

New Jersey

Having historically played second violin to New York, New Jersey's musical circles have nonetheless produced several high-profile artists, such as Queen Latifah, Naughty By Nature, Poor Righteous Teachers, Redman, The Fugees, The Outlawz, Miilkbone and Joe Budden. Some rappers also have little-known ties with the state, such as Ice T and Scarface, who were born in New Jersey but later moved away.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia has long had a presence in hip hop since the early 80's with Schooly D, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Cool C, Steady B, Three Times Dope and DJ Cash Money N Marvelous, with a strong contribution to the history of turntablism. In the late 90s, the area has come to national attention through the success of The Roots, Eve, and Beanie Sigel (who would help usher in Freeway and Peedi Crakk), as well as the more underground sensations of Bahamadia, Jedi Mind Tricks and The Last Emperor. In more recent years, Cassidy has become popular, one again bringing mainstream focus to Philly.

Boston

Though not very widely recognized, Boston has had a long history of hip hop. Some of its acclaimed acts include Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, music producer Clinton Sparks, Krumbsnatcha, Big Shug, Ed O.G., and 7L & Esoteric[3]; it has also spawned artists who have gone on to impact Hip Hop majorly, such as Guru (who moved to New York to become one half of Gang Starr). A recent notable to emerge from Boston has been Slaine.

See also

★ List of East Coast hip hop artists

★ Music of New York City

★ Culture of New York City

References