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How rap has changed throughout the decades

By Jacob Maslow — Branded Content

Even the most casual music followers can distinguish ‘old school’ rap from its more modern releases. The ‘boom bap’ drums and simple, catchy samples are hallmarks of rap’s infancy period, and the era of the genre’s so-called Golden Age is still held in high esteem by listeners and RapTV readers.

Although rap music saw its largest boom period on the West Coast, its origins can be traced back to the other side of the country, to the Bronx. African-American and Caribbean youth joined artistic forces to create a platform and outlet for society’s disenfranchised and underrepresented.