The History of Rap Music: When Did It Start?

Rap music originated in the late 1970s, so it is approximately 40-50 years old. It emerged from the hip hop culture in the Bronx borough of New York City. Early pioneers of rap, such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kool Herc, and Afrika Bambaataa, helped popularize the genre. The first rap song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 was 'Rapper's Delight' by The Sugarhill Gang in 1979. Since then, rap music has become one of the most influential and popular genres in the world, with countless artists and subgenres emerging.