Bom of African-American frustrations in the 1970s, rap music first came to prominence with the Sugar Hill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight' (1979). Since then, rap and the hip-hop culture that surrounds it have pervaded all our lives. The History of Rap Music examines rap through three decades, from the impact of ground-breaking rappers like Kurtis Blow, Run-DMC, and Public Enemy, to successful contemporary artists such as Lauryn Hill, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and will Smith. It also looks at the rap world's influence on language, dance, and fashion. Plus a chronology of rap, some classic rap albums, suggested books, and morel