The Origins of New York Hip Hop’s Golden Age
When I was old enough to start buying my own tapes (yes, tapes), hip hop was the only music I cared about. Although I grew up on the West Coast, two of the first tapes I owned gave me an appreciation for the East Coast rap sound — Big Daddy Kane’s “Taste of Chocolate” and EPMD’s “Unfinished Business.”
The actual origins of hip hop trace back to the 1970s with the likes of DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa (“Hip Hop Evolution” is worth watching for more on that). But for me, the golden age of New York hip hop was the late ’80s and early ’90s — the soundtrack to my years in grade school through high school.
I knew the boroughs (and sometimes neighborhoods) that my favorite rappers came from, but made this map so I could better understand the specific places they called home. I looked for where they actually lived, where they went to school, where they learned to rhyme. In some cases, I was able to identify specific street corners or schools. For others, the name of their neighborhood or city is all I could find.
As KMD said, let’s get right down to the nitty gritty.
THE BRONX
Franklin Armory Men’s Shelter — Scott La Rock worked there as a counselor and met a 20-year-old resident named KRS-One. KRS wrote the lyrics to “South Bronx” here.
Riverdale — Not the place where Archie lives. Kool Keith (aka Dr. Octagon or Dr Dooom or Black Elvis) grew up here.
Valentine Ave & E 198th St — Geechi Suede from Camp Lo grew up here. The other member Sonny Cheeba also grew up in the Bronx.
BROOKLYN
Stuyvesent Ave. and Quincy St., Bed Stuy — The block where Spike Lee filmed “Do the Right Thing” and the music video for Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power.”
George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School — Jay-Z, Notorious BIG and Busta Rhymes all attended this school. Busta and Jay-Z once got into a rap battle in the cafeteria, and Hova won. This song shows his original speed-rapping style:
Albee Square Mall — The mall is gone now, but lives on in spirit. Biz Markie met Big Daddy Kane there, and it was clearly Biz’s favorite place to shop.
Biggie’s bodega, Bed Stuy — where a teenage Notorious BIG showed off his freestyle skills.
374 Washington Ave, Clinton Hill— Guru and DJ Premier lived here while creating their album “Hard to Earn”. It was Branford Marsalis’ house.
East New York McDonald’s — Jeru the Damaja and Masta Killa (from Wu Tang) both grew up in East New York and worked at McDonald’s together — I’m going to assume it was this one.
Slave Theater, Bed Stuy— As a kid, Big Daddy Kane went there with friends to watch kung fu and blaxploitation films.
Brownsville — Masta Ace grew up here before meeting the Juice Crew and kicking off his career.
QUEENS
Queensbridge — The largest public housing development in the US, and home of many hip hop legends such as Marley Marl, MC Shan and Nas.
Hollis Playground — When it was called Two-Fifths Park in the ’70s, Run, DMC and Jam Master Jay first met here and started performing together.
Linden Blvd, aka “the Boulevard of Linden” — homebase of A Tribe Called Quest. The section at 192nd St. was renamed “Malik ‘Phife Dawg’ Taylor Way” after he died in 2016.
Rikers Island — Long before Lil Wayne’s stint, Dres spent almost a year incarcerated here before meeting Mr Lawnge and forming Black Sheep.
Far Rockaway High School — MC Serch attended high school here before hooking up with Pete Nice and forming 3rd Bass.
MANHATTAN
Weinstein Hall, NYU —Home of the dorm where Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons founded Def Jam records, and discovered new acts like LL Cool J.
Rivington and Ludlow, Lower East Side — the street corner featured on the cover of Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique.”
STATEN ISLAND
Curtis High School — Where RZA went to school. He met most of the Wu-Tang Clan members in junior high.
LONG ISLAND
Wyandanch Memorial High School — Rakim was born in Wyandanch and went to high school here. In 1985, he performed at the high school with Biz Markie using the name “Kid Wizard Rakim.”
Brentwood High School —Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith from EPMD grew up in Brentwood, and PMD went to high school here.
Amityville Memorial High School — Where the three members of De La Soul, and producer Prince Paul, attended. Posdnu0s and Trugoy were childhood friends.
Long Beach — Not the LBC. This is where the group KMD formed, featuring Zev Love X who later renamed himself MF DOOM.
WESTCHESTER
New Rochelle — Brand Nubian’s members grew up here before joining the ranks of The Source’s 5 mics club with their debut “All for One.”
NEW JERSEY
East Orange High School — The three members of Naughty by Nature — Kay Gee, Vin Rock, and Treach — went to high school here.
20th St. and S. Orange Ave. — Redman grew up on this corner in the West Ward neighborhood of Newark. He made his rap debut on EPMD’s album “Business as Usual.”
East Jersey State Prison — Formerly Rahway State Prison. Home of the Lifer’s Group, a group of inmates that released the rap version of Scared Straight, featuring some legitimately talented MCs.
