The Expansion of the Industry
Run-DMC is credited with ushering rap into a new age. The hip hop group consisted of Joseph ‘Run’ Simmons, Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels, and Jason ‘Jam Master Jay’ Mizell. The group was known for incorporating different genres into their music, particularly rock. Their first album, Run-DMC, introduced “a harder, minimalistic, rock-influenced sound replete with forceful rhythms, especially prominent beats programmed on drum machines, and powerfully delivered vocals” (Cheney and Toop).
In addition, Def Jam Records, the group’s label, began to work with new and rising artists, including the Beastie Boys, a white hip hop group (Cheney and Toop). Therefore, rap was not exclusive to African American culture. As the genre acquired more white followers, white rappers began to emerge. Rap also was not exclusive to the male gender; notable female artists, like Salt-N-Pepa entered the scene (Cheney and Toop). The rap community grew more and more and became a rather eclectic group of people.
This community also included rappers who chose more lighthearted topics to focus on rather than controversial topics. This form of rap was steered more towards the pop genre and invited a new audience. For instance, “charismatic and comedic acts like DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Kid ‘N Play, and the Fat Boys appealed to pop listeners” (Cheney and Toop). Nevertheless, social and political rap continued to be a prominent form of the genre. Rap, overall, was an incredibly personal form of expression. Therefore, rappers covered many issues and themes relevant to their own lives. And, as a result, many progressive rappers and subgenres emerged.
