Origins of Hip-Hop

Fat Joe's authenticity helped him gain respect from all angles as he pushed to break boundaries as one of hip-hop's only Latino rappers while also forming a reputable crew of rappers and producers, famously known as The Terror Squad.

From his eccentric style, booming voice, and explosive career, Busta Rhymes changed the landscape of Hip Hop forever. After the heart wrenching breakup of his group, Leaders of The New School, Busta Rhymes had to forge his own path as a solo artist to keep himself and his dream alive.

Ja Rule ruled the airwaves in the late 90s and early 2000s, deeming him the king of Hip Hop anthems. With some of the biggest collaborations the industry has seen, Ja was reigning the charts until it all crumbled.

Eve's rise to fame and success as one of rap's most successful female artists is one worth a celebration, but the path to get there was less than ideal. After struggling to be noticed, she finally catches the break of a lifetime and gets signed by Dr. Dre.

Hip Hop was birthed from the Bronx but to New York's surprise, a harsh reality also lived on the West Coast. From "Cop Killer" to playing America's favorite cop on television, Ice-T's career has paved the way for artists to emulate his path.

Growing up in an upper-middle-class family in the suburbs of Atlanta, Jon Smith began to find his way in music early on. Forming his supergroup Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz, Jon continued to make his mark across genres.

Emerging from the South Bronx in the 1970's, Grandmaster Flash and his innovation helped create the most widespread movement in popular culture: Hip-Hop.

2 Live Crew frontman and controversial Hip Hop pioneer, Luther Campbell, rose to fame as he single-handedly changed the face of music two fold: fathering the birth of Southern Hip Hop, and fighting for musicians' first amendment rights.