The seventies and eighties of the last century were marked by the appearance and popularization of a new musical direction - rap. In the New York slums, for which with a terrible hatred of all things, the taxi driver Martin Scorsese rolled, "street music" was born. Now American rappers are known throughout the civilized world. They are literally elevated to the rank of idols and idols, their plates become platinum, and lawsuits are routine. In this article, we will describe three musicians who have had a huge impact on hip-hop.
Dr. DRE
Dr. Dre is one of the most successful rappers, beatmakers and producers in contemporary music. In his studio recorded such famous rappers as Eminem, 50 cent, Xzibit, 2pac and others. According to Forbes magazine, the annual income of one of the best producers of our time is about $ 15 million. The first album of the musician The Chronic three times became platinum in the USA, and the 2001 disc, released at the end of the last century, won prizes in the American, Canadian and English charts and also became platinum. Many American rappers owe their popularity to this person. By the right of Dr. Dre can be considered the father of modern hip-hop music.
Eminem
One of the most famous, discussed and ambiguous figures in rap. In those days when the Internet had not yet received such wide distribution, and this genre was far from middle-class students, black American rappers, among which the given subculture was born, did not admit to themselves white guys. Eminem is one of the few exceptions of the time. It was he who proved that the American bench, white or black, can punch his way to success. Beginning with rap battles, he became a 13-time Grammy Award winner, and was also awarded an Oscar statuette for the soundtrack for the movie "8 Mile." Eminem is the most popular rapper, according to most magazines. So, in 2008, Vibe magazine recognized the white artist as the best performer in the world. Eminem is Michael Jackson from the world of hip-hop.
In addition to musical creativity, American rappers also engage in charity. So, for example, Eminem organized a charitable foundation that helps disadvantaged children in Michigan.
2pac
Tupac is a cult figure not only among the hip-hop community, but also for the whole musical variety. At the moment, sold more than 75 million copies of his albums. American rappers owe a lot to him, because, in addition to his musical career, Tupac also engaged in public activities. All of the rapper's lyrics are based on the difficulties of living in slums, violence and racism. As a public figure, Tupac was involved in the fight against deviant behavior: drug addiction, alcoholism, violence and social conflicts. In early September 1996, after another attempt, Tupac was killed. Killers have not been found to this day. After his death, he was cremated, after which part of his ashes were smoked along with the grass by his friends.
Famous American rappers, the list which only grows with each decade, have made a huge contribution not only to the musical culture of America, but the whole world.