hip hop did not develop in a vacuum - its roots can be traced back to the earliest afro-american music, and the folks who were influenced by these sounds along the way. this lp compiles some of the great recordings that showcase the spoken word and street culture put forth from the 1920s through the 1960s that would go on to influence the entire rap music genre. the themes will be familiar - religion, politics, black experience, badass gangsta rap, speed, sex, drugs and rock n roll. lets listen to the lessons that the hipsters of the past taught the rappers of today.