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The Beginnings of Modern Hip-Hop

From its beginnings in nightclubs and house parties some 30 years ago, hip-hop has come to influence a wide swath of music, from Jamaica to France and beyond.

To investigate the origins of the art form that made rapping and breakbeats a regular part of music, David Dye explores the birth of hip-hop by talking with Kurtis Blow, DJ Grand Wizard Theodore and museum curator Jim Fricke. Together, they tell the story of rap's early years in the 1970s.

Copyright 2005 XPN

David Dye is a longtime Philadelphia radio personality whose music enthusiasm has captivated listeners of World Cafe® since 1991. World Cafe is produced by WXPN, the public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania.