The foundations of hip hop stem from urban youth in the Bronx, New York area during the early 1970s. A number of different performers adopted the idea of using wordplay and poetry put to the beat of other music. These performers would play for local audiences on basketball courts and other small venues.
A number of famous hip hop and rap artists found some success on the commercial market during the late 1970s. Artists like Grandmaster Flash and Grand Wizard Theodore pioneered the art of using breakbeats when DJ-ing, specifically the ideas of cutting and scratching vinyl records.
As MTV and other music video outlets found success nationwide, hip hop and rap artists found the format successful in distributing their work. The most successful of this era's musical groups is Run DMC, a hip hop group that transcended the urban market and permeated American society.
At the turn of the decade, a number of gang-influenced rappers began to find commercial success. This style was called Gangsta Rap and became a highly controversial form of music. The political and social commentary of artists like Public Enemy and NWA romanticized violence and gang life.
Following the heyday of Gangsta Rap, hip hop and rap was adopted by all different styles of music. Much of the themes and ideas were adopted by traditional rock music and hip hop became one of the most copied world music styles around the globe. The genre became particularly influential among developing nations such as those in the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East.