| 1925 | Hip-hop's early inspirations | Decades before hip-hop would become a "thing", performer Earl Tucker created a new type of dance move. He used floats and slides to invent new dance moves, and these dances were the inspiration behind breakdancing. |
| 1940 | Big sounds gain popularity | With the advancement of technology, performer Thomas Wong used a speaker to create a booming sound. People loved the big sound, and Wong used it to gain followers. |
| 1962 | The Break Beat | A new hit show called Live At The Apollo aired on TV. James Brown's band introduced a new beat called Break Beat, and it quickly caught on. |
| 1969 | James Brown's band continues | James Brown continued his advancement of the hip-hop movement. He recorded two new edgy songs that used high drum influences and helped the audience of hip-hop grow. |
| 1971 | Aretha Franklin's music | Star singer Aretha Franklin joined the emerging hip-hop movement. She recorded the song "Rock Steady," and it quickly caught on. |
| 1973 | DJ Kool Herc emerges | A new disc jockey named Kool Herc began playing music for block parties. He had emigrated from Jamaica, and he quickly caught the eye of others in the music industry. |
| 1974 | Hip Hop is officially born | Kool Herc joined Grandmaster Caz, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Babaataa in the music business. Their particular brand of music earned the nickname "hip-hop." |
| 1976 | DJ battling | During a performance at the Bronx River Center, DJ Afrika Bambaataa went head to head with Disco King Mario. It became a "DJ battle", which is now a major part of the hip-hop culture. |
| 1977 | The Rock Steady crew is formed | A group of hip-hop DJ's came together to form the Rock Steady crew. They would become the authorities in the hip-hop area, and they were made up of JoJo, Jimmy Dee, Easy Mike, and P-Body. |
| 1978 | Rap music is identified | While hip-hop was just gaining momentum, a variance emerged. It was called rap music, and it would quickly gain popularity. |
| 1979 | The first rap bands | Several new groups formed with the creation of rap. Musician Kurtis Blow would be the first rapper signed to a major record label. |
| 1980 | Kurtis Blow on Soul Train | Rap music gained further momentum when one of their star musicians, Kurtis Blow, performed on Soul Train. Soul Train was aired on TV, and Kurtis was a hit. |
| 1981 | Rap music on NBC | A new group called The Funky 4 plus One More was invited to play for NBC's Saturday Night Live show. They perform their hit song "That's The Joint." |
| 1984 | Hip-hop skyrockets | Hip-hop labels organized their first national tour and raked in over 3 million dollars. The industry gained more popularity when Michael Jackson did the moonwalk at the Grammy's, spawning major fandom and later an MTV show. |
| 1985 | Hip-hop and rap continued creating music that soared off the charts.(1985-Present) | The artists were often plagued with violence and personal battles, but their music continues to inspire and entertain audiences today. |
