3 Songs That Explain Rap in the 1980s

While hip-hop and all of its creative expressions was born in New York City in the late 1970s, it was the 1980s when the music began to come into form. There was excitement and experimentation that was coupled with a sort of early sense of what the music itself could sound like. Its inventors were building their own planes as they flew through they sky.

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But now with lots of distance and by the use of hindsight, we can take a look at the decade and see what it sounded like. What the music’s genius and limitations were. Who the people were who made such big impacts, pushing sounds into the future. Indeed, here below are three songs that explain rap in the 1980s.

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“It’s Like That” by Run-DMC (Single, 1983)

After rap music’s salad days in the late 1970s and into the first few months of 1980, it was Run-DMC who pushed the style further. No more were disco beats of Kurtis Blow in top style—now beats had to be heavier and even boast a rock sensibility. Run-DMC has so many “firsts” under their belt they could be their own Hall of Fame, but it all began in 1983 with their breakout hit “It’s Like That.” Together, Run and DMC rap,

Money is the key to end all your woes
Your ups, your downs, your highs and your lows
Won’t you tell me the last time that love bought you clothes?
It’s like that, and that’s the way it is

Bills rise higher every day
We receive much lower pay
I’d rather stay young, go out and play
It’s like that, and that’s the way it is
Huh!

“South Bronx” by KRS-One from Criminal Minded (1986)

KRS-One lives and breathes hip-hop. He grew up with it in the parks of New York City. And he raps about that and other topics on this song, his breakout hit. While Run-DMC were a trio, KRS was a singular figure, though he was often seen with his DJ Scott la Rock. Back in the ’80s, it was often the DJ who was more celebrated—the rapper or master of ceremonies was just there to hype the crowd while the person on the turntables got the party going. Around the mid-1980s, though, that was starting to flip. On “South Bronx,” KRS raps,

Many people tell me this style is terrific
It is kinda different but let’s get specific
KRS-One specialize in music
I’ll only use this type of style when I choose it
Party people in the place to be, KRS-One attack
Ya got dropped off MCA cause the rhymes you wrote was wack
So you think that hip-hop had its start out in Queensbridge
If you pop that junk up in the Bronx you might not live
Cause you’re in
South Bronx, the South South Bronx

“Straight Outta Compton” by N.W.A from Straight Outta Compton (1989)

When the West Coast group N.W.A hit, everything about rap music changed again. As some have said, acts like Run-DMC talked about how they wanted the world to be, while N.W.A talked about how it actually was—at least for those like the group members living in Compton, California. With brash, hard lyrics, rappers like Eazy-E and Ice Cube soared over beats from Dr. Dre. And on this song, we hear their origin story, which sets up future stars like Biggie, Tupac, Snoop, and Eminem. On this song, Ice Cube raps with a poison tongue,

Straight outta Compton, crazy motherfu*cker named Ice Cube
From the gang called N*ggaz With Attitudes
When I’m called off, I got a sawed off
Squeeze the trigger, and bodies are hauled off
You too, boy, if ya f*ck with me
The police are gonna have to come and get me
Off yo’ a**, that’s how I’m goin’ out
For the punk motherf*ckers, that’s showin’ out

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