My friend, Ms. Simone, teaches high school for the City of New York. This year she lobbied to teach a unit on the history of hip hop. This is a test she gave this week. 

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Part 1. Answer the following questions based on what we’ve learned so far.

1. List three characteristics about the Bronx in the 1970’s:

2.  What type of music was popular during the 1970’s when the hip hop movement was a beginning?

3. Who is Kool Herc? (List at least two facts.)

4. What terms did Kool Herc invent that are used regularly in hip hop culture today?

5. Where was Kool Herc born? Where did he move to in 1967?

6. What is Kool Herc famous for creating/discovering? (hint: he did this just to please the dancers!)

7. What did Kool Herc and his sister do that really helped get the movement going and get Herc’s name out well-known?

8. Where did the nickname Herc come from?

9. Who is Crazy Legs? (List at least two facts.)

10. What was the name of Crazy Legs’ dance crew?

11. List one famous movie that represented the hip hop culture from that era (the early years).

12. Who is Grandmaster Flash?

13. What two factors helped Grandmaster Flash get into DJing?

14. Name one song Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five is famous for.

15. What did Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash have a dispute over?

16. Describe Graffiti in NYC in the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s. (List at least two facts.)

17. Who is Grand Wizard Theodore?

18. How did Grand Wizard Theodore invent scratching? 

19. Who was Afrika Bambaataa?

20. How did Afrika Bambaataa change his lifestyle when he came back from Africa?

21. What are the four elements of hip hop? What element did Bambaataa add?

22. What does Bambaataa mean in Zulu?

23. What types of values/morals did Bambaataa promote in his music?

24. What would Bambaataa do if a fight broke out at one of his parties?

25. List two reasons why Bambaataa is considered to be mysterious:

26. What was the Roxy?

27. How did the Roxy bring people together?

28. Who are Run D.M.C.?

29. How was Run D.M.C. different from other rap groups? (List at least two reasons.)

30. What song did Run D.M.C. make broke the barrier between rock ‘n’ roll and rap?

Part 2. Write a brief (about 5-8 sentences) response about the hip hop movement. What about it do you find interesting? How has the music changed over the years (i.e., in terms of today)? If you were alive during that time, do you think you would have liked the music and been a part of the movement?

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If that’s not the baseline definition of awesome then someone changed all the rules.

The next time someone is slagging public teachers in front of your face, kick them in the shin for me.