Hip Hop music has been around for decades and is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. This legendary genre has been the driving force of popular music culture for years. It has become a significant influence and source of inspiration worldwide - lyrically, musically & visually.

Early Hip Hop music saw its roots in the 1970s in the New York City borough of the Bronx. It started as a collaboration among intersecting groups of Black, Latinx, and Caribbean American youth at block parties - community gatherings that featured DJs playing soul and funk music. NYC DJs like DJ Kool Herc, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa began to experiment with different techniques during parties, including longer percussive breaks (called "breakbeats" or simply "the breaks"), turntable techniques, scratching, freestyle, and improvised vocals based on Jamaican "toasting." They're often credited as pioneers of modern Hip Hop and Rap music.

One example is “Rapper’s Delight” by Sugar Hill Gang, a song that came to heavily influence mainstream hip-hop today.

In 1984, several Hip Hop albums - especially from artists Run-DMC, LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys - introduced what became called "new school Hip-Hop." This style emphasized drum machine beats, minimalism, shorter songs (which were more radio-friendly), and socio-political commentary. These artists shifted away from the party rhymes and funk influences of "old-school Hip Hop."

The late 1980s and early 1990s were the golden age of Hip Hop, in which many performers enjoyed huge mainstream success while introducing major innovations with each new record. The era also saw the rise of gangsta rap, a subgenre that emphasized the lifestyle of inner-city youth and was characterized by artists like Schoolly D, Ice-T, and NWA.

By the late 1990s, Hip Hop was a major mainstream genre and created many high-profile artists, including Lil Wayne, Timbaland, Nelly, Puff Daddy, Jay-Z, Ja Rule, D.M.X., Eminem, and 50 Cent. In 1995, the Grammys added a new award category for Best Rap Album; it was awarded for the first time to Naughty by Nature.

In the 2000s, many artists incorporated heavier influences from punk, jazz, indie rock, and electronic genres. The rise of internet distribution and streaming services at the turn of the century and into the modern day created an explosion of artists, mixtapes, and experimentation.

Twins Sarah J. and Sally A. Edwards have captured moments of some of the biggest names in Hip Hop, from J. Dilla to Questlove. In celebration of Hip Hop's 50th anniversary, we are honoured to showcase some of the photography that captures the rawness and beauty of Hip Hop legends.

“Rap is something you do. Hip Hop is something you live.” ~ KRS-One