The artistic and technological advancements made during the years of 1986 and 1990 were remarkable. The lyrical skills of Rakim, Kool G. Rap, Big Daddy Kane, and others would transform the definition of an MC. The production mastery of chopping up beats and sampling sounds by the likes of Marley Marl, Prince Paul, and the Bomb Squad would redefine the sound of Hip Hop forever.

This time also marked the reign of Run DMC, Whodini, the Beastie Boys, and other acts represented by Rush Artist Management which established rap as a commodity and its acts as marketable stars that could sell products like the Adidas they wore on their feet. Rush was the closest thing to Hip Hop’s own Motown and the national tours they organized helped take Hip Hop to new heights of popularity.

From the city streets and the clubs of New York to the suburban neighborhoods of Compton, California, Hip Hop expanded by leaps and bounds as regional sounds and styles established themselves.  The phenomenon of “Yo! MTV Raps” would further intensify this expansion on a worldwide basis between 1988 and 1990.

So put on your shell-toe Adidas Superstars and take a step back into time at the Revolution of Hip Hop 1986 to 1990 and experience the street fashions of Dapper Dan, the beats of DJ Scott LaRock, the rhymes of Biz Markie, and the culture of Hip Hop that was chronicled by “Video Music Box,” Word Up Magazine, The Source, “The Arsenio Hall Show,” and scores of other outlets.