With the official 50th anniversary of hip-hop on Aug. 11, the music industry worldwide is vaunting this quintessential American artform.

In honor of hip-hop's golden anniversary, a global community has given the culture's leading lights their flowers, unpacked its regional sounds, and debated its most important releases.

Throughout, the genre's fans have marveled how it blossomed throughout the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s and into present day, permeating absolutely everything.

“It has become a lifestyle. It has simply become part of the air,” Andrew Barber, a hip-hop writer who founded the blog Fake Shore Drive, tells GRAMMY.com. “From sneakers to fashion to slang — even how records outside of the genre are promoted and created draw from hip-hop.

“It's such a force of nature,” Barber continues, “I'm not sure people even realize it's everywhere we look now.”

But as far as it’s come, it might be just getting started. After all, it’s unfathomable how far hip-hop’s come since the days of “Rapper’s Delight”; where it could propagate and flourish into the next half-century is anyone’s guess.

Obviously, nobody can predict exactly how this will happen. But by examining the first 50 years of hip-hop, one can ascertain a few clues as to where this cultural juggernaut is headed.

Read on for a roundtable discussion with creators, movers and shakers in the music industry, who offer insight as to how hip-hop will continue to resonate decades from now.

Kathy Iandoli

Photo: Krista Schlueter

Hip-hop journalist, author of 2022’s God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

I would say that as the tax bracket of hip-hop has changed, so has everything else. From the subject matter to notoriety, to fashion, to even geotags where it's thriving — everything has shifted in waves.

In many ways, it's definitely progressed and improved — especially as it pertains to the prominence of women. Considering hip-hop has always remained on the pulse of nearly everything, it's also always ahead of the trends. We witness that in real time when it comes to platforms like TikTok, and even the adoption of AI.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

I would give the most credit to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill for expanding the parameters of what is categorically considered hip-hop — since half of the album is sung, which has lent itself to the ever-evolving trend of rappers also singing.

I would even throw the Fugees' The Score in there, as an album that showed just how far hip-hop can go when truly allowed to swim in the mainstream.

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

I think we will see this continuation of experimentation with other genres, while at the same time witnessing artists return to the purity of the art form.

The younger generations of hip-hop artists are now finally learning about the legends and the music they created, so there will be a group of artists who will want to tinker with that sound, similar to when rock musicians of the early 2000s adopted a '70s vintage/punk rock sound. Everything happens in cycles.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

The essential component for any long-term growth is acknowledging the power of hip-hop and its impact on a global level. If at any point that needs to be re-stated, then the message was already lost in translation and won't contribute to the growth of the genre as a whole. 

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

Coi Leray, hands down. Not only does Coi acknowledge, respect, and collaborate with the legends; she constantly innovates, while working not only on the music, but also the fashion and visuals. She embodies her moniker of Trendsetter. I hope other artists of her generation do the same.

Kid Kenn

Photo: Rueguh

Chicago-based rapper

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years?

Hip-hop has come a long way in the past 50 years! It's a whole new game. It's not just the guys spitting bars anymore. We got badass female artists and gay artists representing. There’s more variety in the industry than ever!

What has changed, progressed or improved?

You can create your own lane. We got the internet and social media. Anybody with a dream and a mic can blow up! It's opened doors for all kinds of talent.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider essential to the genre's evolution?

I have to give props to The Pinkprint; that’s prime Nicki Minaj. And "Busy Being Bad," my upcoming project — it’s coming out soon and I’m excited!

Can you predictwhere hip-hop's gonna be in the next 50 years?

Hip-hop will become even more free. Artists will be able to express themselves in ways nobody has thought of, and it will be exciting. 

What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Sounds, styles and visuals that'll blow your mind. Artists like me will be pushing the envelope. There won’t be any holding back and we'll be rocking to beats we ain't even imagined yet.

What's needed for hip-hop to keep growing internationally and staying lit for years to come?

It's all about staying true to who we are. You have to be authentic. We gotta keep telling our stories and collaborating. Hip-hop is going to keep blazing trails worldwide.

Who's leading the charge into hip-hop's next 50 years in your book?

I'm ready to tear it up and redefine the industry. There's a whole new wave of artists who are pushing boundaries. We're the ones who are going to keep hip-hop fresh and unforgettable.

Peter $un

Photo courtesy of the artist

L.A.-based rapper

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

The styles, melodies and cadences have changed for sure. There’s different rhythms and rhyme schemes always, and it’s exciting. The beats have improved and there’s a lot of innovation in the way things are sampled/flipped. There are artists like Knxwledge and Terrace Martin who are innovators progressing the genre, and so many others.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

There’s a lot [laughs]. Of course, Nas’ Illmatic, everything by Jay-Z basically, DMX’s Hell Is Hot, Goodie Mob’s Soul Food, Outkast’s whole discography, Lil Wayne’s The Dedication, “Run,” and Tha Carter, and more recently, Drake.

Then, you’ve got DJ Harrison’s Tales From The Old Dominion, JID’s The Never Story, Kendrick Lamar’s Damn., and J Cole… Like I said, there are a lot!

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

I believe hip-hop is always evolving, but there’s a lot of golden-era rap that seems like it will forever be here. People will always love a fire sample with some hard bars over it. 

But I feel like there’s a space opening in alternative rap with songs genre-blending, so I think in 50 years it will be a mix of those two areas.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

Support and good music. Good music is always undeniable regardless, and can stand the test of time. I believe we also need the artists, DJs, etc. in the genre to usher in the new acts and put on artists that have something to say.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop?

Honestly, besides me, Tyler, the Creator has always pushed it. Liv.e, Knxwledge, Pink Siifu, Jordan Ward, Young Nudy, Larry June, Smino, Flo Milli, Gwen Bunn, and Kamaiyah are just a few others, and more. 

I think there’s a lot of innovation in the genre and things will become more blended between R&B and rap. But samples will forever be the core of hip-hop and I think diggers will dig harder and there’s always going to be a space for that for sure.

Andrew Barber

Photo: David Cabrera

Hip-hop writer, founder of Chicago hip-hop blog Fake Shore Drive

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

It has become a lifestyle. It has simply become part of the air. From sneakers to fashion to slang — even how records outside of the genre are promoted and created draw from hip-hop. It's such a force of nature, I'm not sure people even realize it's everywhere we look now. 

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

Hip-hop is so vast and music taste is subjective so this is a tough one to answer. It's kind of a choose-your-own-adventure situation. Different ages and different regions will have different answers.

But one thing I can say for sure: Album or single sales aren't the end-all, be-all. Sales never tell the full story.

MF DOOM never really charted or sold much while he was alive — especially when he was at this output peak in the mid-2000s. But now many of his songs have hundreds of millions of streams. 

Sometimes it takes years for artists to get the respect and accolades they deserve, while albums that were multi-platinum upon release are now forgotten punchlines. 

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Songs will get shorter and the lines between genres will continue to blur. Also, smaller regional markets who aren't traditionally known for breaking hip-hop talent will continue to grow and become a force — which is something I'm most excited about. 

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

Innovation! Not being scared to take risks with your art. Standing out instead of fitting in. Stop chasing the algorithm.

Sowmya Krishnamurthy

Photo: David Noles

Music journalist, author, pop culture expert

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

Hip-hop has gone from outsider to insider, from the streets of New York City to the dominant culture around the world. What began as underground — what some deemed as ephemeral, noise, a fad — is now the biggest genre. Hip-hop has grown to be a commercial juggernaut and the harbinger of all things cool.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

I’m a firm believer that if you can’t recite the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy,” you’re not really a hip-hop fan.

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Hip-hop will definitely be on Mars! In all seriousness, I see the sound becoming more diversified with hyperlocal scenes and niche artists. Personally, I’d love to see a return to valuing lyricism and venerating artists that can actually rap over data and the cult of personality.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

Hip-hop resonates around the world because of its universal DNA of rebellion and youthful energy. You don’t need to speak a singular language to understand it. Industry gatekeepers should embrace international artists and global sounds. I’d love to see more collaborations across borders and seeing hip-hop as a form of diplomacy.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

The playing field is wide open. Female rappers like Cardi B, Ice Spice and GloRilla are at the forefront of what’s new and what’s trending. There’s a resurgence of nostalgia and old school artists such as Jadakiss and Noreaga are enjoying a second act.

Meanwhile, Jay-Z was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Pharrell Williams has hip-hop on the Louis Vuitton runway in Paris. Anything is possible.

Bryan Michael-Cox

Photo: Kobe Boateng

Producer, songwriter

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

The evolution of hip-hop has been the most incredibly advanced of any genre. Think about it, DJ Kool Herc threw a back-to-school jam back in 1973. And that spawned an economy for young creatives to make a proper living. A lot of us are wealthy because of it. That in itself is amazing!

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

The list is kind of long, so bear with me:

Sugar Hill Gang, “Rapper’s Delight”
Kurtis Blow, “The Breaks”
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5, “The Message”
LL Cool J, “I’m Bad”
Run-D.M.C., Raising Hell
The Beastie Boys, License To Ill
Big Daddy Kane, Long Live The Kane
Biz Markie, Goin’ Off
Too Short, Born to Mack
Public Enemy, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet
X Clan, To The East, Backwards
N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton
M.C. Hammer, Please Hammer Don’t Hurt Em
Geto Boys, We Can’t Be Stopped
Heavy D & the Boyz, Big Tyme
Ice Cube, Amerikka’s Most Wanted
3rd Bass, The Cactus Al/Bum
2 Live Crew, As Nasty as They Wanna Be
A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders
Dr. Dre, The Chronic and 2001
Snoop Doggy Dogg, Doggystyle
Kris Kross, Totally Krossed Out
Bell Biv DeVoe, Poison
Da Brat, Funkdafied
Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Mecca and the Soul Brother
The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die and Life After Death
Nas, Ilmatic, It Was Written, and Stillmatic
2Pac, Me Against The World and All Eyes On Me
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Creepin on ah Come Up
Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life, The Blueprint, American Gangster
50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin’
DMX, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot (specifically, “Get At Me Dog”)
Puff Daddy and the Family, No Way Out
Jermaine Dupri, Life in 1472
Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch the Throne

I have so many more but I am going to stop here [laughs].

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Fifty years ago, when hip-hop originated, we had no idea it would sound like this today. My guess is the genre will continue on the trajectory of world domination and the additional genres will blend, with hip-hop being the foundation.

Hip-hop has transcended all of our hopes and dreams — out of the public housing communities of New York City to all over the world.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

I think we already have what is needed. It is embedded in youth culture, and it’s just going to continue to get passed down. Hip-Hop is literally everywhere and in everything.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

People like Tay Keith, Metro Boomin’, ATL Jacob, Nineteen85, Wheezy, and Southside are leading the way when it comes to the genre. And of course, the legends are still holdin’ it down with them. There are so many more, but these are the first names that come to mind.

Atmosphere

Photo: Dan Monick

Minneapolis hip-hop duo

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

As a form of culture and music that has given voice to communities that have historically been unheard, it continues to grow and speak for, about and towards more and more people. 

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

Jungle Brothers, Done by the Forces Of Nature.

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

Obviously it’s impossible to answer this. But I do predict that this will continue to be an artwork that manages to engage in commerce with the right hand while still challenging the status quo with the left hand.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

In my opinion, it only needs to remain genuine in its messaging.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

I avoid questions like this because of potential gatekeeping. This music is at its best when it’s made by the youth challenging the old guard, and I’m slowly naturally becoming a part of the old guard.

I think the best response I can give is to advise people to explore and listen to things that they’ve never heard before. Take a risk, and listen to something that expresses ideas that you don’t already agree with.

Carl Chery

KenTheMan. Photo: Marcus Ambrose Williams

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

I feel like everything has changed about it, it changes year to year, which is the beautiful thing about hip-hop. I wouldn’t say it has improved because it’s always been great in its own way over time. I also love seeing the younger generation getting involved in the genre earlier year after year. 

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

Nicki Minaj — any of her early albums, because she brought a certain rap style that was fun and wild. The Migos, because they changed the sound in general. Drake because he brought the diversity in music — one artist doing multiple styles and sounds. 

Hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

I don’t believe hip-hop is a genre you can predict, because it’s already gone unpredictable places. And that’s the beauty of hip-hop. 

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

By staying true to the roots and the core of what it’s always been.  We are already 50 years in; it’s never going anywhere. Like you said, hip-hop has already established itself as a dominant cultural force. I couldn’t see if going backward — only forward to another 50 years. 

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

Everyone currently is a part of these next 50 years, if the aliens don’t take over first. 

Photo: Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Head of Urban Music at Spotify

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop over the past 50 years? What has changed/progressed/improved?

It's been innovative every step of the way — from the music itself to the way hip-hop executives have approached business.

Which hip-hop albums or songs of the past 50 years do you consider to be essential to the overall evolution of the genre?

There's too many albums to list. I immediately think of Nas' Illmatic and how it's changed the way artists approach production. Prior to Illmatic, albums were produced by one producer in their entirety.

I think of Jay-Z's The Blueprint and how it's helped usher in the soul sample sound. I think of OutKast's entire discography. They put Atlanta on the map years before it became hip-hop's new mecca.

OutKast is the only group to sell more albums with each of their studio albums. Kast also expanded on the idea of what hip-hop is supposed to sound like on Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Rakim introduced a new, conversational way of flowing on Eric B & Rakim's Paid In Full. Rappers used more of a shouting technique in the early days. Can't forget N.W.A's Straight Out of Compton. 

Gangsta rap is one of the most commercially successful subgenres in hip-hop history so, of course, I think of Dr. Dre's The Chronic and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle. There's simply too many albums to list. 

What are your predictions as to where hip-hop will go in the next 50 years? What will hip-hop sound like and look like 50 years from today?

I jokingly call Playboi Carti onomatopoeia rap. I know he's saying actual words but his delivery occasionally makes it sound like he's making sound effects.

I think we're going to see that approach continue to grow. I think we're in the midst of one of the most disruptive times in hip-hop history, so it's harder than usual to forecast where the genre is heading.

Hip-hop has established itself as a dominant cultural force around the world. What is needed for the genre to maintain its international growth, development and longevity?

At the risk of sounding cliche, music is the key to a continued growth globally. It's no coincidence that we're seeing UK rappers rise in popularity in the U.S. They're currently making some of the most interesting music.

American rappers are still the genre's biggest ambassadors so I think it's important for them to cover more ground. Certain markets are harder to penetrate. They require artists to spend time in those markets. We saw Drake go to Brazil for the first time in recent years.

That was a strategic move to keep building his audience in that part of the world. Japan is a market American artists still need to crack and it's largely hip-hop influenced. We need more rappers on the ground there.

In your view, which artists, producers, songwriters, and/or creators are today leading the charge into the next 50 years of hip-hop? And why? In other words, who is writing and creating the future of hip-hop today?

The female rap movement has seen incredible growth in the past four years and it's just scratching the surface. There's a new crop of women being inspired as we speak. Imagine what the movement is going to look and feel like in the next five years and beyond.

I think Latto is positioning herself to become a leader of the pack. She's currently building the foundation to a long-lasting career. I'm excited to see where Doechii goes. She's an artist who has the potential to help us reimagine what hip-hop is supposed to sound like.

Baby Keem is also in a great position. He's steadily building, similar to Latto, and his team is intentional. He's poised to become one of the artists who helps us set the tone into the future. 

50 Artists Who Changed Rap: Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem & More

The GRAMMY Museum announces its Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit initial programming schedule consisting of in-person and virtual events to supplement the exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Opening Oct. 7, the 5,000-square foot installation delves deep into the multifaceted world of hip-hop through expansive exhibits on hip-hop music, dance, graffiti, fashion, business, activism, and history, providing visitors with an immersive experience that explores the profound impact and influence of hip-hop culture.

On display will be an incredible array of artifacts including the Notorious B.I.G.'s iconic red leather pea jacket, LL Cool J's red Kangol bucket hat, and more. Newly announced artifacts include Lil Wayne’s GRAMMY for Best Rap Album, The Carter III, Lil Wayne's handwritten letter from prison to his fans and his family, custom Saweetie acrylic nail sets created by her nail artist Temeka Jackson, plus exclusive interviews with MC Lyte, Cordae and other artists about their creative process.

Additionally, a Sonic Playground features five interactive stations that invite visitors of all ages to unleash their creativity through DJing, rapping and sampling and is made possible thanks to a grant from The Kenneth T. & Eileen L. Norris Foundation.

The exhibit is made possible with the generous support of Google Pixel, and several integrations within the space are powered by Google Pixel's innovative capabilities. This includes the Google Pixel Boombox Throne, an interactive photo experience.

The Rap City Experience, part of the Sonic Playground, is a freestyle interactive featuring Darian "Big Tigger" Morgan, host of BET's "Rap City: Tha Basement." Visitors can freestyle over beats by producers Hit-Boy, PERFXN and Schyler O'Neal, and trade bars with hip-hop artists Reason, Nana and Nilla Allin. As part of the museum's ongoing community and education programming, BET and Mass Appeal will screen the first two installments of their upcoming documentary Welcome to Rap City on Oct. 9. More details below.

Additionally, the GRAMMY Museum is partnering with The Debut Live to present their multi-part event series highlighting iconic hip-hop albums and the artists who created them, including DJ Khaled, Joey Bada$$, Rick Ross, T.I., and more. The intimate conversations are hosted by Billboard's Deputy Director of R&B and Hip-Hop, Carl Lamarre, in partnership with the GRAMMY Museum/Recording Academy + Soho House, and will be available to view beginning Oct. 6 exclusively on the GRAMMY Museum's streaming platform COLLECTION:live.

The exhibit launches on Sat, Oct. 7 and will run through Sept. 4, 2024. A special opening event will take place on Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available to purchase here. Additional programming to be announced at a later date. More information listed below.

Sat, Oct. 7:

EVENT: Careers in Music: The Nelson George Mixtape, Volume 2

WHAT: A conversation and book signing with acclaimed author, producer and director, Nelson George, as we discuss his career chronicling the birth of hip-hop in America and his work in the entertainment industry.

WHEN: 1 p.m.

WHERE: Clive Davis Theater

REGISTER: Click here.

Mon, Oct. 9:

EVENT: Careers in Music: "Welcome to Rap City" Screening

WHAT: In partnership with BET and Mass Appeal, the GRAMMY Museum is proud to host a screening of the first two installments of their new documentary "Welcome to Rap City" followed by a panel discussion featuring Rap City hosts and more.

WHEN: 12 p.m.

WHERE: Clive Davis Theater

REGISTER: Click here.

Thurs, Oct. 26:

EVENT: Backstage Pass: "Road to the Latin GRAMMYs" Mellow Man Ace

WHAT: To celebrate the 24th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, the GRAMMY Museum is thrilled to have Afro-Cuban rapper and Los Angeles native Mellow Man Ace discuss his career and his accomplishments as one of the pioneers of Latin rap, followed by a performance.

WHEN: 11 a.m.

WHERE: Clive Davis Theater

REGISTER: Click here.

Sat, Dec. 2:

EVENT: Love Your Amazing Self

WHAT: An interactive family program featuring hip-hop musician, meditation teacher and author, Ofosu Jones-Quartey, reading from his latest book Love Your Amazing Self followed by a performance. Support for this program was provided through funding from Councilman Curren Price Jr. and the New 9th.

WHEN: 11 a.m.

WHERE: Clive Davis Theater

REGISTER: Click here.

October 2023 - June 2024

WHAT: Hip-Hop Education Workshops

WHAT: In Celebration of the 50 years of hip-hop from its origin to where the genre is today. Highlighting the golden age of hip-hop, these lessons will provide students with a deeper understanding of the struggles and triumphs of the genre.

WHEN: 2023-2024 School Year

WHERE: Clive Davis Theater

REGISTER: Click here.

For more information regarding advanced ticket reservations for the exhibit, please visit www.grammymuseum.org.

Hip-Hop Just Rang In 50 Years As A Genre. What Will Its Next 50 Years Look Like?

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When The Fugees released their second album, The Score, the timing felt eerily perfect. As hip-hop's East and West Coasts continued their tussle, their lighter-hearted approach to socially conscious rap curtailed any overarching assumptions that hip-hop was going down a "bad road." Plus, they had Lauryn Hill, who doubled as a songbird and lyrical spitfire. Together, by juxtaposing life instrumentation, soulful melodies and abstract bars, The Fugees gave hip-hop a renewed spirit and propelled it to a different kind of mainstream. 

But above all, The Score changed the way artists made their music—even 25 years later.

By the time The Fugees released The Score, was nominated for Album Of The Year and won Best Rap Album and Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for "Killing Me Softly With His Song," they were more than ready to puff out their chests. The group checked the temperature of the streets with their debut album Blunted On Reality in 1994, almost two years prior to the day of The Score's release on February 13, 1996.

Still, their introduction left listeners a little confused by the group's collective identity. Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel were a lot of everything. They were eccentric Jersey kids—two-thirds of whom were Haitian—and were more than willing to fling art, politics, multi-culture and lyricism against a wall and record the sounds of what stuck and what slid off. 

The centerpiece of Blunted was the second single "Nappy Heads," a deeply rhythmic and melodic track with a video that takes place on the steps of the library at Columbia University, where Lauryn Hill was a student at the time. Hill was already the de-facto star of the group, complete with a lead role in the Whoopi Goldberg film Sister Act 2: Back In the Habit. On that debut album, she had a solo track called "Some Seek Stardom," which many point to as the moment they knew she would one day stand out from her comrades. Still, the group was full of promise and their evolution was quick and steadfast.

With The Score, The Fugees were arguably more focused. They were no longer working with Khalis Bayyan of Kool & The Gang (who theoretically influenced so much of Blunted's sound). This time, Lauryn and Wyclef took the bulk of the writing and production duties with the help of Wyclef's cousin Jerry Wonda and Salaam Remi as a creative consultant. They experimented with creating their own take on R&B-skewed hip-hop tracks and even reggae while adding a live element since Wyclef was a trained musician. 

Then, there was Lauryn Hill's phenomenally authentic singing voice, which lent itself to some of the more prominent hooks on the project. The Score was still an amalgam of everything the group stood for, but where Blunted chose to go more animated in parts, The Score opted to get deeper and darker in both sound and style. 

"Red Intro" sets a unique tone as the opener. The track is a monologue that challenges rappers' desires to posture themselves as gangsters and pretend to be mobsters when people are dying out in the streets. It's an unequivocal backhand to nearly everything that was happening in hip-hop at the time. 

There was a rise in neo-gangster rap, where artists like Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. were poetically flaunting wealth and gun talk, woven expertly through their bars. They were the byproduct of '80s artists like N.W.A., and while that surge in gangster rap was tempered by hip-hop's D.A.I.S.Y. Age (A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, etc.), the '90s now had groups like The Fugees and The Roots, who stood in stark contrast to Pac and Biggie. 

But there was more to the mission of The Score, considering the group didn't want to be relegated to one corner of hip-hop. So they dropped breadcrumbs throughout the album to show they knew how to stunt, they were aware of the on-goings of the world, yet they could even be strapped… if they wanted to be. The Score is laden with innuendos, firing shots at the competition while simultaneously making biblical references about false prophets. The songs tell a story from beginning to end, with peaks and valleys.

The album's introductory track "How Many Mics" gets the chest-thumping started early, as the group details their creative superiority over so many other emcees. The concept of The Score was layered; The Fugees felt slighted by the lukewarm response of their first album and this was pure redemption. They use the title track to tie that all together by the middle of the project, by even sampling parts of the rest of the album on the song's hook.

"Ready Or Not" takes an Enya sample and transforms it into a battle cry that doubles as a love song. Tracks like "Zealots" take jabs at biting emcees who dumb their work down for mainstream attention, where "The Mask" goes in on manufactured personas. "The Beast" is a politically charged anthem that tackles political corruption and police brutality, further extended on the track "Family Business," about how being Black and in America can have you murdered for no reason.

"Fu-Gee-La" takes on more braggadocio, along with "Cowboys" which features another New Jersey rap outfit: The Outsidaz, starring a young Rah Digga. "No Woman, No Cry" mourns those who have passed due to violence. The "Manifest/Outro" has Lauryn contemplating suicide over a toxic breakup. 

Then, of course, there's "Killing Me Softly," the Roberta Flack remake that shifted gears for The Fugees and made them a household name. Thanks to "Killing Me Softly," more attention was paid to the project as a whole, so the casual rap listener suddenly became a hip-hop fan once they experienced The Score. That was The Fugees' superpower: they won over massive audiences with messaging that hip-hop was struggling to convey on a greater platform. Some saw it as a curse to the purity of the art, but in the events that followed it became a gift.

What happened following The Score's release was complicated. Tupac Shakur was murdered in September 1996, The Notorious B.I.G. was murdered in March 1997, and Puffy's "Shiny Suit Era" threatened the purism of hip-hop even more. This gave The Fugees an open lane to not only secure that mainstream success, but retain some of the integrity of hip-hop's soul that they were ironically accused of snatching prior to those milestone events in hip-hop's history.

The spoiler alert here was that they were always being their true selves the whole time. The Fugees were eccentric, they were artsy, and they were messengers—of the lives they lived and of those they witnessed around them. They weren't afraid to toss around hard bars on The Score nor were they too scared to let Lauryn's voice softly coat the hooks. They spoke about anything and everything they damn well pleased. 

In the decades that followed, rappers who could carry a tune emulated exactly what Lauryn and the Fugees did by alternating between rapping and singing, and weren't afraid in one song to talk about love and society in the next. It was a lasting impression that became one of hip-hop's many archetypes, and it started with a couple of kids who loved being eccentric. 

When they first approached creating The Score, The Fugees were hoping to win the battle. Twenty-five years later, we see now that they won the war.

'The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill': For The Record

In 1991, hip-hop was in a state of flux, and A Tribe Called Quest were searching for balance. Their 1990 debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, propelled the Queens, New York, group to new heights. Tribe tempered the growing gangster rap movement with their own breed of hip-hop, one full of humor, life, positivity and a more lighthearted approach to making music. Their style positioned them more as a group who loved being musicians over utilizing their rhymes to vent about the doom and gloom enveloping their environment.

Tribe, along with groups like De La Soul, Jungle Brothers and Leaders of the New School, were a part of the DAISY ("Da Inner Sound, Y'all") age of hip-hop. (De La Soul coined the term on their 1989 debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, in which they chanted the phrase several times throughout the project.) DAISY artists donned brighter clothing, used literal daisy imagery in their artwork, music videos and album covers, and punctuated their positive messages with poignancies on Afrocentricity. Even de facto A Tribe Called Quest leader Kamaal Fareed went by MC Love Child before he was given the name Q-Tip.

Intertwined with this bohemian take on hip-hop music, several DAISY artists, including Jungle Brothers, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, were also part of the Native Tongues collective, a loose network of East Coast hip-hop artists. But even if you weren't down with Native Tongues, if your music was the antithesis of the exploding gangster rap style of the time, you tangentially became a part of the DAISY Age.

DAISY artists diverged from what most considered then to be the sonic norm for rap music, which was a rugged exterior revealing street hymns and conspiracy theories, along with stories of police brutality and gang wars. N.W.A's 1988 debut album Straight Outta Compton was mostly to thank, along with Public Enemy's 1988 album It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back, a clarion call for the mobilization of Black people against the powers that be. It was raging against the machine at its best.

While artists of the DAISY Age discussed ways for Black people to find their own grooves and means to mobilize, albeit in a different way, Tribe and groups of their ilk were categorized under the "alternative hip-hop" subgenre, an industry move suggesting that discussions of anything other than gun talk were the exception, not the rule. They were all deemed "safe," nonviolent "alternatives," while also commanding a sound both parents and kids could mutually enjoy. It was a gift and a curse at the same time.

Read More: Busta Rhymes On Being In A "Beautiful Space" & Bringing Together Generations Of Hip-Hop Artists On 'Extinction Level Event 2'

It was a frustrating position for any critically acclaimed group paving their own path. Still, by the time A Tribe Called Quest got to work on The Low End Theory, they were more than ready to reinvent the wheel yet again. This would be the project that served as a reference point for A Tribe Called Quest as bastions of versatility. In order to prove that, they had to rework their whole style, right down to their image. There was also the added pressure of the sophomore slump. But that didn't faze lead producer Q-Tip in the least. Tribe weren't cocky—they were confident.

Tribe had a lot to prove on The Low End Theory while not coming off as tryhards. In 14 tracks, they had to somehow remove the stigmas attached to so many hip-hop artists at the time: You were either too street, too soft or too artsy, or you didn't understand a single instrument. Tribe aimed to strike that balance artfully.

Inspired by the hard thuds checkered throughout Straight Outta Compton, Q-Tip opted for bass-heavy beats on Low End.  Album opener "Excursions" oozes with those steady basslines, as does "Buggin' Out," "Check The Rhime" and closer "Scenario."

Q-Tip made it a point to masterfully bring the sounds of jazz and bebop to boom bap, where, for the first time ever, the instruments were front and center. You could listen to any song on Low End and hear every layer as it's being played, a rarity in the sample-heavy world of hip-hop. With Tribe, you experienced the masterpiece in full totality, while also seeing every stroke of the paintbrush. And despite their claims of having the jazz on "Jazz (We've Got)," Tribe didn't sound like some jazz ensemble in hard-bottom shoes anywhere on Low End. This was pure hip-hop in a new iteration by a group determined to make a mark on their own terms.

But like Q-Tip says on "Rap Promoter ("Not too modest and not a lot of pride"), Tribe had to be bolder with their messaging this time around, while still maintaining their stance on peace and positivity. On "Excursions," an idyllic intro to that creative approach, Q-Tip makes it clear that Tribe is playing the long game in rap, in the right way, while still switching the sound up. He does the same on "Verses From The Abstract," in which he takes the reins on the group's collective messaging.

This was also the moment, however, where Phife Dawg would step forward and do just enough posturing and bragging on the group's behalf. His presence was barely felt on Tribe's debut album since Phife's head wasn't all the way in the game until Q-Tip centered him. The yin to Q-Tip's yang, Phife was a 5-foot-3-inch sh*t-talker and bona fide comedian who helped the former not take the game too seriously. On "Buggin' Out," Phife is in the spotlight, and he keeps it going on "Butter" where he talks about pulling girls like "Flo" while simultaneously shining on his own for once.

Read More: 'Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty' At 10: The Story Behind The Missing Tracks From Big Boi's Solo Debut Album

Low End is also full of music industry cautionary tales. On "Rap Promoter," Q-Tip waxes philosophically and questions why rap promoters will invite hip-hop heads to a wack show. Tribe then expose the ills of the biz on "Show Business," with the help of Brand Nubian and Diamond D, and continue that sentiment on "Check The Rhime" where Q-Tip births the now-infamous line, "Industry rule number four-thousand-and-eighty / Record company people are shady."

Tribe's storytelling is in clear view on "The Infamous Date Rape" and "Everything Is Fair," with the former carrying a real sentiment of exposing criminal acts. It's heavy without being too dark, while tracks like "What?" are light without being too whimsy. "Skypager" sees Tribe dissecting their many reasons for carrying a beeper. At face value, the concept would seem like a whole lot of nonsense about an inanimate piece of technology. But the song ultimately places the group alongside the same beeper-carrying drug dealers from whom the industry and the media attempted to forcibly disassociate them. While Tribe aim to show they are different and unfazed by fancy gadgets, "Skypager" still echoes their main message: We are all in this together.

Then, of course, there's "Scenario." With the help of Leaders of the New School and the soon-to-be legend Busta Rhymes, the track is heavy on basslines, trash talk, braggadocio and bars. The perfect closer to the album, "Scenario" is so bullish and so energetic, it almost serves as a celebration of Tribe's accomplishment: the martini after a cinematic piece has wrapped.

The Low End Theory was somewhat of a swan song for A Tribe Called Quest in more ways than one. It was their diversion from the Native Tongues and the DAISY Age scenes, especially after the group signed to Russell Simmons' Rush Artist Management, under manager Chris Lighty, a move that would take their message to a bigger, more mainstream hip-hop audience. However, the album was also a farewell to the pigeonholed style and sound they were wedged into the first time around. After The Low End Theory, A Tribe Called Quest could fly, and the sky was the limit.

"Loops Of Funk Over Hardcore Beats": 30 Years Of A Tribe Called Quest's Debut, 'People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm'

24-year-old Connecticut-born, Los Angeles-based artist Felly is on a roll. Since his first mixtape in 2014, he's released at least one major project a year, culminating in his debut studio album, 2018's Surf Trap. He's gathered a growing fan base along the way, with his laid-back demeanor and experimental approach to surf-rock-drenched, at-times-jazzy, hip-hop.

Today, he dropped a buzzy new single, "Heartstrings," electrified by the otherworldly guitar riffs of 10-time GRAMMY-winner Carlos Santana. The music video was directed by Felly himself—his directorial debut—and shot by Christian Diaz, primarily in the serene desert of Joshua Tree, Calif.  

Ahead of the shimmering new track, the Recording Academy caught up with Felly over the phone to learn more about the magical collaboration with Santana, getting closer to his true self, being human and more.

So you're about to drop your new song "Heartstrings" featuring none other than Carlos Santana. What are you most excited for about sharing this new song?

I'm just ready to put out new music to the people because I have been making all this amazing stuff, and have been listening to it over and over. And my friends have been hearing it, but everybody [else] still references my old stuff. So I want to let people know it's a new day.

I'm just happy to reinvent myself again, and to be an artist and be in this world where I'm able to do something like that. It's kind of a purifying feeling, and it's just fun.

You explore a lot of different sounds across your already-extensive music catalog. How you would summarize your musical journey and evolution through the different projects?

I think it's all just getting closer to your true self and your true soul, which I think has a godly element to it. The closer you can get to being your truest, purest form of yourself, it's a beautiful thing for the world to see, but also for you to feel.

I've released a lot of projects where I've sort of been on that search. People admire that because they can relate to that feeling of searching themselves, and trying to discover themselves. To know that somebody else is going through that same journey is nice. It's comforting, it's inspiring and it helps us to relate to each other. With this release, I just feel like I have gotten a lot closer; with how I've been living my life, and things that I've cut out of my life, and things that I have added into my life.

I'm honing in on myself, so each project kind of shows that. When I listen back to all the projects, I'll be able to identify certain areas where maybe I'm out of pocket, or confused with myself, or who I want to be. But that's all part of it, and is the current state of it, too. Everything grows.

Going back to "Heartstrings," I'm curious how you connected with Carlos for the song, and what it was like working with him in the studio.

We had been looking for someone to get on that record because we thought it's a super strong record, and I previously hadn't really been collaborative with anybody else. Just out of not being in a position to, not really knowing people, not really having the credibility yet. So getting to the point where people actually want to get in with you, and work with you, that's largely because music's better. It was sort of getting to that time.

So we were searching for someone that could complement the record. And I felt like, unless it came organically, it would sound like a ploy or whatever. And you see a bunch of these ploys that people do to get noticed by a Spotify playlist, by curators, or just kind of to get press. Those all feel very stunt-y to me. I don't want to be one of those artists that just does stunts, because I feel like those are here today and gone tomorrow.

But yeah, when the Carlos thing happened, it was completely organic. He had heard the record through someone at my label sending it to his camp, saying, "Hey, this is Felly's new record, what do you guys think of it?" He loved it and wanted to be a part of it. And he didn't care if I'm not as big as him or any of that stuff. He connected with the actual music; the soul and the personality of the record.

So meeting him and feeling that, and just seeing that come to fruition, reminded me that, you know, real sht is still alive. True personal connection, soul connection is still alive. You could get persuaded differently being in L.A., or being in this industry, that it has to be some fake ploy, and you have to do sht like buy followers, plays or features.

The idea of buying a feature from a rapper kind of irked me, because I know my fans know me as someone who's real, genuine and upfront. Something from Carlos Santana that came genuinely, and he just so happens to be probably the coolest musician on this earth, and the best person I could imagine getting a feature from. It's sort of like God showing me that I'm right to feel how I felt, and blessing me for having patience and stuff.

What was your biggest takeaway from seeing him at work and collaborating with him?

I think I aged like 60 years of knowledge in just that one session. Honestly. They pretty much gave me the torch, and kind of said, "Hey, you're next up. And in this journey, you're the guy who's going to carry the torch for us." This is surreal, but it was really the type of sh*t that they said to me. And that, combined with different rock star knowledge and them treating me like I'm going to be a rock star, was really cool.

They just treated me as an equal, which is really awesome to see. Santana sees soul value in people and he's just super connected to spirituality, and kind of taught me about those types of things. That if you put energy, compassion and clear intention into your work, it will have that connection.

He did this gesture where he said, "It's like this." And he looked up at the sky, held his hands out, brought it back into his heart, and then extended his hands out to the people in the room. And he kind of took energy from the sky and gave it to the people in the room. And I was like, "Yes, that's exactly what it's like."

And so he taught me about having your mind step out of the way, and to approach things as if you've never heard them, or never done this before, because that's when things can get stale and mundane, or you can kind of let your ego run its way. But if you do the things that he is talking about, you'll create something fresh and new, and people will resonate with that. When we made the record, I think he kind of recognized that, and that's why he wanted to be a part of it.

Felly & Carlos Santana | Photo: Christian Diaz

If I'm not mistaken, this song is going to be the lead single for your upcoming album. I was curious to know what you're going for with this next project as a whole?

Yeah. It's sort of an album about coming home to oneself, you know, feeling oneself in all the true colors and just getting closer to them, cutting out the bullsh*t. It's a very raw project that soul is the carrying factor through it. Soul, emotion and just truth. And it's not trying to be flashy by any means. You'll get some of the flashiness on these singles, maybe. But it's something that can make you feel human again. It's called Mariposa, which means butterfly in Spanish, and is about becoming one's true self, taking a new form.

A butterfly goes through many stages before it can actually branch out and fly, be the beautiful creature that it is. It's metaphoric of the time I'm going through. And I kind of felt I've gone through the cocoon, been in the dark and been in forms that I wasn't sure if I would make it to feel like a true form of myself. Luckily, I do feel that way.

What did it feel like for you working on this project versus the last one? Did it feel sort of cathartic to write these songs?

I wrote half of it when I got back from tour, where I was super depressed and depleted. I had given all my energy to the world and didn't feel any satisfaction from it, and was in a very dark place. And so you have that side of the album. But the past few months I've been working on it, I've been adding the element of, you know, light and love.

And so it has a healthy balance of dark and light, which I think life and the spiritual journey is reminiscent of, especially the metaphor of a butterfly. It kind of has to be in the dark for awhile before it can fly. And so I've been adding those elements of love, and just good energy, light, and just been sort of feeling it more in the past couple of months. I'm still etching away at how I want to make it happen.  It was very hard to write some of these songs at first. It's very vulnerable. But then as it got more under my skin, it got really fun.

Zooming out a little bit, what made you want to go into music?

I don't know. I think it was in my DNA, in my soul and my upbringing in Connecticut. And you know, losing my father and, because of those combinations, of not really having anyone around me. My mom was dating and my older brothers were out doing their own things, so I had like a lot of alone time and thoughtful time. So that led to, "Okay, how can I make something light of this situation? How can I create something?" And so creation, to me, became the base of my life, and sort of how I can transcend a dark moment.

When you were younger, did you have an artist or someone that you looked up to, like, "Okay, like maybe I can be like them; if they can do it, I can too," or something like that?

Yeah, I really liked to listen to Atmosphere. I mean I had many artists, even local artists, and people that I looked up to. I really liked Rhymesayers, an independent record label in Minnesota [that Atmosphere and other indie rappers are on]. And I thought that was so cool that they were able to like be successful, and do their own things, as just kind of random dudes, white dudes who were just like me. That definitely inspired me.

If you don't have people around like that to kind of pat you on the a to keep going, and to encourage you that you can do these things, a lot of people quit and lose hope in it. So that support, whether you find it, or it comes to you, it's super important to keep it going.

What is your favorite part about life as an artist? And what do you think is the hardest part?

My favorite part about life as an artist is being on my own schedule and being able to do whatever I want. And not that I take advantage of that, but just that I can feel like my time is mine, and kind of create infinite possibilities out of that. That's an amazing freedom.

The least favorite is—I mean, I think everything comes with a balance, so if something's sh*tty in one way, it's going to be good in another. But I think with that freedom comes a lot of responsibility, or overthinking, or stuff that you can just get caught up in, like comparison. I don't really like flying. That's kind of it.

I like your attitude because it's true. Sometimes something can seem really overwhelming, but then you do it and its like, "Man, I did that!"

Yeah, definitely. I mean, my attitude, it's definitely not always like this. Everyone thinks I'm like a super happy, bright dude, but not all the times for sure. I'm human, just like everyone else.

We just talked about it a bit, but I wanted to look more at your influences. Who were your favorite artists when you were a teen?

I really liked a lot of independent hip-hop and a lot of indie music. I'm the youngest of five, I have three older brothers and a sister. So they pushed a lot of different genres on to me. That was a good opportunity because I'd get old-school Lil Wayne from my stepbrother, and then I would get Taking Back Sunday, Hawthorne Heights, harder rock, Rage Against The Machine, from my other brother. And then my sister would show me acoustic music and stuff like that.

So everyone was sort of fighting for "What is Chris going to dig?" But I also had a fusion of everybody else's stuff. It was a lot of Bob Marley. The first record I ever recorded on was at a Universal theme park. You could pay 15 bucks or whatever to record and mine was "Buffalo Soldier" by Bob Marley. I still wish I could find that record. I was like eight and that was my first time in the booth.

Carlos Santana On Woodstock & The Power Of Music: "These People Wanted The Same Things We Want Today"