AFRIKA BAMBAATAA
Born: April 10, 1960 -  Bronx, New York City
Given Name: Kevin Donovan

Interesting Facts:
+ As a teen in the mid-1970's, he was part of the notorious
   Black Spades gang. Founding Hip-Hop saved him, and many
   others, from a life on the streets.

+ Afrika Bambaataa named himself after a Zulu chief. The
   name means "affectionate leader". The film Zulu, which
   depicted the battle between British troops and the Zulu
   tribe in 1879, inspired him to form what we know as the
   Zulu Nation.

+ The Zulu Nation was originally called "The Organization."

DJ KOOL HERC
Born: 1967 -  West Kingston, Jamaica
Given Name: Clive Campbell

Interesting Facts:
+ Started as a graffiti artist, friends called him “Hercules”
   because of his size and power. Became popular through block
   parties he began to DJ in 1973.

+ Invented what is now called the "break beat,” a part of the
   song looped and the mix and match of music. Herc would
   purchase two copies of the same record and play them on
   separate turntables switching between them.

+ Kool Herc played his last “Old School Party” in 1984.

B-BOY CRAZY LEGS
Born: ...
Given Name: Richard Colón

Interesting Facts:
+ Original member of the Rocksteady Crew that was
  formed in the Bronx 1977, the name was based upon
  a dance called The Rock. The crew of breakers set
  the standard for many breaker crews to come and
  is still doing its thing now worldwide.

+ He has been featured in such films as Flashdance,
  Beat Street, Wild Style, and Style Wars which helped
  introduce the world to the relm of breakers.

+ Won the 1991 Bessie Award for Choreography and the
  1994 Hip Hop Pioneer Award from The Source magazine.

LADY EMCEE LAURYN HILL
Born: 5/25/75 - South Orange, NJ

Interesting Facts:
+ Began her career as the lead singer with the Fugees
   at the early age of 13. She hooked up with Wyclef Jean
   and his cousin Pras Prakazrel Michel and formed a group.
   They called themselves the Tranzlator Crew.

+ Earned 5 Grammys, Album of the Year, Best New Artist,
   Best Female R&B, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album.

+ In Dec of 2003 in a performance at the Vatican she used her
   performance for accusing the Church about molestation
   scandals and did a song of protest that was not scheduled
   stating, “I did not come here to celebrate the birth of Christ
   with you but to ask you why you are not in mourning for his
   death inside this place.”

EMCEE NAS
Born: September 14, 1973 - Long Island, NY
Given Name: Nasir Jones

Interesting Facts:
+ His father is the acclaimed jazz musician Olu Dara who still
   collaborates with his son till this day and featured on the
   newest album release, Street’s Disciple.

+ Started rapping at the age of 9 and shortly joined a crew called
   the Devastatin’ Seven in the mid-80s. Nicknamed then Nasty.
   His 1994 debut, Illmatic, featured New York’s hottest
   producers: DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip.

+ "I just wanna be remembered as having my own identity. If Nas
   came out and sell 10 million copies tomorrow, and they say Nas
   is the on-top rapper, that's not what I asked for. I just wanna
   be heard. " - Nas 

EMCEE CREW DE LA SOUL
Born: 1968-70 Bronx/ Brooklyn
Members: Posdnous, Trugoy the Dove, Pasemaster Mace
Given Names: Kelvin Mercer, David Joliceur, Vincent Mason

Interesting Facts:
+ Labeled “Hip Hop Hippies” for their fun/ non-gangster rapping
   on the album 3 Feet High and Rising.

+ Sued by Turtles for sampling “You Showed Me” and loss,
   which in turn ushered a new era where music has to be cleared before sampling.

+ "Nowadays, people are so quick to want to blow up, but they burn
   themselves out very quickly instead of moving slow and steady.
   I’d like to think that De La Soul is like incense that’s burning slow
   and even by the time it’s fizzed out, it’s left a great aroma."- Posdnuos 

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