Aug. 11 marks Hip-Hop’s 50th birthday. And while Atlanta isn’t the birthplace of Hip-Hop, few cities have influenced the genre’s history, current popularity, and future like ATL, letting everyone know that “The South has something to say.”
So, in honor of the anniversary, Capital B Atlanta set out to ask residents a simple (yet loaded) question in true Brown Sugar fashion: What song or album made you fall in love with Hip-Hop?
Here’s what we heard.
Roger Green, 51, Buckhead
His pick: “The Reel for Reel Album” by Grand Puba
“When I think of this song, it reminds me so much of home. I have a lot of greatest songs ever when it comes to Hip-Hop, but this one is the one that I think made me fall in love.”
Dena D., Lakewood Heights
Her pick: “Sucker M.C.” by Run-DMC
“Old-school Hip-Hop is what I think of when I think of the greats. Grandmaster Flash and Run-DMC is the era of music I grew up listening to.”
Denzell Moton, 31, South Fulton
His pick: “The Black Album” by Jay-Z
“At first, I was thinking Goodie Mob, OutKast, trying to keep it old Atlanta since I’m originally from South Carolina and the majority of the music I grew up to was adjacent to it. But then, when I thought of the greatest album of all time to me, this was it. It’s just a complete work of art.”
Omar Ali, Lakewood Heights
His pick: “The Still Standing Album” by Goodie Mob
“Being a country boy from Griffin, all we listened to was Atlanta music. This is the music I grew up on.”
Villardia Philistin, 28, South Fulton
Her pick: “Fu-Gee-La” by Fugees
“At first, I wanted to pick a song that showcased me being Haitian and from North Miami, but when I thought about it, I realized that this was the perfect song for me. It represents who I am and how I think about Hip-Hop”
Nasir Bey, 36, Westland
His pick: “If I Ruled The World” by Nas
“There are so many Hip-Hop songs I can easily say I love that it’s hard to pick just one. But, between this and “Regulators” by Warren G, I think I would have to give my top two to those songs.”
Interested in hearing our Capital B staff picks? Check out our playlist celebrating all generations of Hip-Hop music here.
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