* Considered the "Father of Hip Hop"
* Jamaican-American DJ who is credited with starting the hip hop movement in the Bronx
* Hosted parties in the Bronx where he would use two turntables to loop breaks from funk, soul, and R&B records
* This technique, known as "breakbeat DJing," allowed rappers to perform over the extended breaks
Afrika Bambaataa
* One of the pioneers of hip hop culture
* Co-founded the Universal Zulu Nation, a hip hop and breakdancing collective
* Produced early hip hop tracks, including "Planet Rock" and "Renegades of Funk"
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
* One of the most influential early hip hop groups
* Grandmaster Flash was known for his innovative DJing techniques, including "scratching"
*The Furious Five consisted of five rappers: Melle Mel, Cowboy, Kid Creole, Mr. Ness, and Scorpio
* The group's biggest hit was "The Message," which is considered one of the first socially conscious rap songs
Run-DMC
* One of the most successful hip hop groups of all time
* Pioneered a harder, more aggressive style of hip hop that would later be known as "gangsta rap"
* Released several influential albums, including "Run-DMC" and "Raising Hell"
* The group's biggest hit was "Walk This Way," a cover of the Aerosmith song