The world celebrates the birth of hip-hop.

50 Years

The Story

The world is celebrating the birth of hip-hop today.

It was a good day.

Ice Cube would agree. On this day in 1973, DJ Kool Herc cut records together and mixed beats at a back-to-school party in the Bronx...and so hip-hop was born. The genre quickly spread, with MCs taking the mic in the ‘80s. Born out of an impoverished and predominantly Black and Brown neighborhood, many wrote off hip-hop as a short fad. Still, the genre carried generations through the 1992 Rodney King riots, gun violence in America, and the treatment of Black Americans. Now, 50 years later, hip-hop knows no bounds, with its influence touching various genres including country music, reggaeton, and K-pop.

A true Rapper's Delight.

Yes, but it’s hard to talk about hip-hop without first mentioning how the world has profited off of Black culture. The genre’s worth nearly $16 billion in the US. The growth of female MCs is also getting a shout out as the docuseries “Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop” aired on Netflix earlier this week. Queen Latifah and Yo-Yo paved the way for artists like Lauryn Hill, Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, and many more. Questlove announced he’s writing a book on the genre’s journey and his own experiences as an artist. Nas, a rapper who played a big role in organizing NYC’s celebrations, said “this is the seed to open up all different types of ideas for years to come.” Even so, there’s resistance. Only twice in the Grammys’ history has a hip-hop album won Album of the Year.

theSkimm

A music genre that white America once wrote off is now the epicenter of pop culture around the world. With more than a quarter of the global population reportedly exposed to hip-hop each year, its influence isn't waning anytime soon.

Where people are still fleeing…

Maui. The death toll from this week’s deadly wildfires is now at 55 — the deadliest US wildfire since California’s 2018 Camp Fire. Yesterday's scenes showed a 150-year-old banyan tree charred, Maui’s oldest house destroyed, and the historic Waiola Church in ruins. One Maui resident reportedly said, “everyone that I know and love, everyone that I'm related to, that I communicate with, my colleagues, friends, family — we're all homeless.” The news came after President Biden yesterday issued a major disaster declaration allowing those impacted to apply for grants for temporary housing and home repairs. Business owners can also apply for recovery programs.

What opened up their purses…

Coach and Versace. Yesterday, Coach’s parent company (Tapestry) said it will buy Versace owner Capri Holdings for $8.5 billion. Tapestry owns other big names like Kate Spade and Coach. Capri Holdings owns companies like Michael Kors, Versace, and Jimmy Choo. Together, they’re hoping it’s a fit — and that they’ll be able to outcompete European giants like LVMH. Tough to do, because the Tiffany and Louis Vuitton parent company holds a $500 billion market valuation. Still, fashion companies are facing a bigger battle against inflation. With prices up from last year and mortgage rates at the highest in 20 years, luxury brands seem to be bursting at the seams with lower sales. Especially, since women and their wallets are one of the biggest forces in the economy.

Who’s clearing up confusion…

Lil Tay. Yesterday, the internet personality reportedly spoke to TMZ and clarified that she is “safe and alive.” She said her Instagram account — which posted a statement about her death — was “compromised by a third party and used to spread jarring misinformation.” TMZ reports Lil Tay was able to get her account back and deleted the post.

Who had a good idea last night…

Olivia Rodrigo.

Whose star power did not get him too far…

Pedro Pascal at an art exhibition about him.

While Rauw Alejandro is trying to win his Motomami back…

Harry Styles is adoring someone new.