Graffiti art. DJ battles. This is the story of hip hop's cultural revolution. Hip-hop exploded from simmering inner-city streets into chart-topping beats and rhymes in the pivotal 1980s. Fusing raw social commentary with bold vision, rap music evolved from underground rebel to global phenomenon. In "History of Hip Hop: Volume 2", author Eric Reese chronicles the iconic artists, albums, and events that shaped rap's Golden Age. Journey through hip-hop's coming of age from old school jams to new school innovation. Learn how rap spread like wildfire from the Bronx while visionaries like Run-DMC, Public Enemy, and N.W.A created controversy by keeping it real. The book dives deep on major influences - from DJs sampling beats to MCs flowing socially-conscious lyrics...from breaking and spray can street art to fresh urban fashion and cinema...from Yo! MTV Raps to radio and vinyl spreading it worldwide. It also explores regional rivalries as hip-hop became big business on the East and West Coasts. Experience the echoes of hip-hop's boombox era firsthand. Discover how the raw roots music of marginalized communities morphed into a creative juggernaut during a decade that changed music forever. See why 80s rap still provides the blueprint for hip-hop today.